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2. Combine the tea with the peach nectar in a large serving bowl or pitcher. Add the mint and lemon slices; let stand about 1 hour in the refrigerator to infuse the flavors. Add ice cubes, and serve.

hibiscus and ginger iced tea

SERVES 8

If any drink was made for leisurely back-porch sipping, it’s iced tea. Our version is brewed from zesty hibiscus tea, which is made from copperyred hibiscus leaves and is naturally caffeine free. Ginger syrup and lemon juice add layers of flavor.

1 tablespoon thinly sliced peeled fresh ginger

¾ cup sugar

4 hibiscus tea bags

2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice

Lemon wedges, for garnish

1. Put 4 cups water, ginger, and ¾ cup sugar into a medium saucepan. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat, stirring until sugar has dissolved. Remove from heat; add tea bags. Cover, and let steep 15 minutes.

2. Pour through a fine sieve into a bowl set in an ice-water bath. Let cool. Stir in the lemon juice. Serve over crushed ice, and garnish with lemon wedges.

papaya-ginger smoothie

SERVES 4

2½ cups papaya (Solo or Mexican) chunks

1 cup ice cubes

2/3 cup plain nonfat yogurt

1 tablespoon finely chopped peeled fresh ginger

1 tablespoon honey

Juice of 2 lemons

16 fresh mint leaves, plus 4 sprigs for garnish

1. Refrigerate the papaya until very cold, at least 1 hour or overnight.

2. Blend the papaya, ice, yogurt, ginger, honey, and lemon juice in a blender. Add up to ¼ cup water, 1 tablespoon at a time, until the mixture is smooth and thinned to desired consistency. Blend in the mint leaves. Garnish with mint sprigs.

FIT TO EAT RECIPE PER SERVING: 102 CALORIES, 0 G FAT, 3 MG CHOLESTEROL, 22 G CARBOHYDRATE, 53 MG SODIUM, 7 G PROTEIN, 2 G FIBER

sparkling fresh lemonade

SERVES 10

1 cup sugar

2 cups fresh lemon juice (about 10 lemons)

3 cups cold sparkling water

4½ cups ice

1. Bring 1 cup water and the sugar to a boil in a small saucepan, stirring until the sugar is dissolved. Let cool completely; refrigerate until ready to use.

2. Put the syrup, lemon juice, and sparkling water in a pitcher. Stir in the ice.

pineapple-mint juice

SERVES 5 OR 6

1 pineapple, peeled, cored, and coarsely chopped (about 6 cups)

5 cups ice, plus more for the glasses

¼ cup sugar

½ cup loosely packed fresh mint, plus sprigs for garnish (optional)

Puree the pineapple in a blender until smooth. Pour the puree through a fine sieve into a bowl; discard the solids. Return half the juice to the blender; blend with half the ice and sugar. Add half the mint; pulse to combine. Transfer to a pitcher; repeat with the remaining ingredients. Just before serving, stir mixture and pour into ice-filled glasses. Garnish with mint sprigs, if desired.

buttermilk-banana smoothies

SERVES 2

1 cup low-fat buttermilk

2 ripe bananas, cut into 2-inch-thick rounds

11 dried pitted dates

1 teaspoon honey

Pinch of salt

1 cup ice

Blend all the ingredients in a blender on high speed until the mixture is smooth and the ice is finely ground. Pour into 2 glasses.

FIT TO EAT RECIPE PER SERVING: 294 CALORIES, 2 G FAT, 5 MG CHOLESTEROL, 70 G CARBOHYDRATE, 277 MG SODIUM, 6 G PROTEIN, 6 G FIBER

honeydew granita spritzer

SERVES 6

Seltzer enlivens this effervescent drink, which consists of sweet honeydew melon puree and mouth-puckering lime juice.

6 cups cubed honeydew melon (about half of a medium melon)

1/3 cup sugar

¼ cup fresh lime juice

Lime peels, for garnish

1. Working in batches, puree the melon in a blender. Pour the puree through a fine sieve into an 8-inch square nonreactive dish.

2. Put sugar and ½ cup water into a small saucepan. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat, stirring until sugar has dissolved. Stir into melon puree. Add lime juice; stir to combine. Freeze, covered with plastic wrap, at least 6 hours (or up to 3 days).

3. Scrape granita with a fork; spoon about 1 cup granita into each of 6 glasses. Pour ½ cup seltzer into each glass; garnish with lime peels.

spiced pomegranate punch

SERVES 6

5 pomegranates

1