I feel like I have barely gotten into the summer groove and there are kids already back in school.  Say what???  Well, the writing is on the wall and I know my son will be back to the regularly scheduled programming before he knows it. It’s a rough adjustment for me in many ways, between waking up earlier and being really organized with all meals, to keeping up with all the driving to activities and such.  Plus, have you noticed it’s still really hot out??

I came up with the perfect drink/treat to get me over the back-to-school hump.  I’m calling it a Yerba Mate Slushie.  A slushie is just what it sounds like: icy, a little sweet, refreshing, and if you suck it down too fast, you are guaranteed to get a brain freeze.  I love using Argentine yerba mate for my morning caffeine because coffee makes me way too jittery, but the caffeine in yerba mate is balanced, both stimulating but calming.  Plus, yerba mate contains more antioxidants than green tea and is packed with B vitamins, vitamin C, zinc, potassium and manganese.

Slushies are so easy to make if you plan in advance.  Just brew the yerba mate tea and freeze it into ice cube trays.  You can sweeten it before freezing or add sweetener to the blender.  I add a little almond milk for creaminess, but any milk, including coconut milk will work.  I kept this recipe simple and barely sweet because that’s how I like it, but you can sweeten it to your taste and you can also blend in frozen fruit juice (like orange) or frozen fruit (like banana or cherries.)

This slushie is something I would look forward to all day for a 4:00 pick me up or to bring to a soccer game in the blazing heat.  Forget those sugar-laden Starbucks drinks.  My daughter told me she drank an almond milk matcha latte almost every day this summer at her job and had NO idea there was sugar in the drink.  Um, SO MUCH sugar.  Make your own of as many things as possible, friends, and control the quality of what you consume.  That’s the goal.

Looking to buy yerba mate? Argentine is the best quality and flavor in my opinion.  There are many brands out there, but I like Rosamonteand CBSe.