I’m sure everyone is familiar with Aloe Vera. Very famous for all its wonderful properties Aloe Vera is probably consumed by everyone in some form or the other. If you like to know more about its health benefits you can look them up here
This is yet another treasure from my garden. A fantastic way to consume them is in coolers. Simply take 2 Aloe Vera leaves, and peel the green skin off. They are very slimy and slippery, so be careful they don’t slip out of your hand. Wash the translucent flesh under running water and then cut them in little cubes. Put then in a saucepan and top it with water, add 2 tablespoons of sugar and boil them for 10 mins. The cubes will absorb the sweetness and are now ready to add to any drink. You can add them to fresh fruit juices, fruity drinks, fizzy drinks, non- alcoholic beers, cold teas, cocktails, mocktails, jelly desserts, fruit salads, anything your heart desires. Bringing a crunch to every sip, aloe vera in a drink really adds a new dimension to summer coolers. And its healthy too !
And for the “Pay It Forward” …. not long ago Sara of Sara, Ms Adventures in Italy had selected me to Pay It Forward and sent me this wonderful parcel from Italy.
Aloe vera juice is great for stomach cramps too. I never thought about using it in regular drinks like you have Kate. Those are stunning pictures of the drinks. They look really refreshing and cool.
my dad used to use aloe vera to make his hair grow thicker and brighter
!! as always your photos are stunning!! i hope i’ll be the one that’s gonna win!!
ale vera is something i never used. will have to look out for ir (although i am not sure where i could find it in brussels).
do you mean extra 2tbsp of sugar?
love, love, love the photos!
Hey Peter, that was really quick
Aloe is gr8 for so many things, u should try them out in drinks too. u’ll be surprised.
Andrea, if u cant find it in your supermarket, them maybe u can grow some of you own. Its always nice to have one in the corner of ur house. And yeah 2 tbsps of sugar in the water, to sweeten the aloe.
Dhanggit, haha really …did it work ? pls tell me ! and i hope u win …good luck
Aloe Vera grows wild in my grandfather’s coffee estate. We never used it in anything at all, never allowed near it because they always said that it’s sap makes us blind if we touch them!:D
Here in US, it’s in the moisturizers etc, which I do use, that’s about it!:P
Lovely goodies, enjoy.
Don’t send any pay forward to me! I will be on break shortly for more than a month and do not want to participate!:)
Those drinks look ever so refreshing and tempting! Your pictures are stunningly beautiful!
Cheers,
Rosa
I’ve learned something new here today — had no idea you could add aloe vera to drinks. Thanks for the great ideas and beautiful photos.
I don’t know that I’ve ever eaten/drank aloe before, but that sounds like a really interesting thing to try. I’m always intrigued by your recipes–little things that I’ve certainly seen or smelled before, but never thought to include in my food.
I would have never thought you could add aloe vera to drinks! I’m so intrigued by this – I want to try it soon!
Asha , i guess our folks didnt knowa lot of things before, or were not aware of them all. I laugh at so many things my parents tell me … haha times have changed. Hope u have a nice break !
Rosa, thanks so much.
Lydia, i’m glad you did. They can be added to drinks are are quite an exotic change to the regular stuff.
Mike , thanks so much for your wonderful comment. it really encourages me to try out more n more. And i hope you too try this recipe some day.
i drink a lot of aloe vera juice and my skin does so well… but i have never seen a plant near me. that’s wonderful. and i love the idea of sending local foods!
I am probably one of those people who is not very familiar with Aloe Vera, but with your post now I am going to find out more.
As always, gorgeous pictures Kajal.
Aran , aloe does wonders for the skin doesnt it
evolvingtastes , i’m happy i opened up a whole new horizon for you with Aloe.
Loving this Blog! One of my favs!
So much diversity and culture.
I have never seen Aloe used for drinks before. I always used to keep some stems in the freezer in the summer so that if I got burned I could peel away the skin and rub some on (so soothing)
The pay it forward idea is a great idea I should try doing something like this where I am!
I was just introduced to your blog and am really excited to have found it! Your photos are marvelous and your recipes are incredibly creative! I drink 2 Tbsp of aloe juice daily as an antioxidant and it does wonders for the skin and for my stomach/digestion, which I am prone to having issues with. But, I also have a huge plant that needs a trim and a dinner party next week – I’m def. going to trim a few stalks and try this recipe on my friends! Thanks so much!
There has always been an aloe plant in every kitchen I’ve had..like a good old friend
I have used aloe veut never consumed it. Have to try it.
A natural jelly. If only i knew this when i was in Malaysia! I have yet to see/find fresh aloe vera anywhere in OC.
Does anyone know if aloe bought in stores is sprayed with nasties when grown? I live in the US.
Does anyone know if aloe grown for sale in stores is sprayed with nasties? I live in the US.
Oh, I wish I had this recipe last year, Kate. There was a local farmer who sold aloe vera, but I didn’t know what to do with it. Now, she’s two hours away. At least I’ll have it for future use. Have a happy weekend!
Totally brill. I have a 16 year old aloe vera here that I have just divided. When it comes back to its senses, I will try this.
Great stuff Kate, very innovative!
Nika, thanks so much. Aloe is fantastic to heal wounds n burns. Its the first thing i go for everytime someone is hurt in the house. It would nice to start your own pay it forward.
stlblogirl , thats a really good practise. And i’ll promise you this drink will be a big hit at your party.
Maryann, well done girl, i have many in my garden in Africa, just a single plant in India, and a tiny one in HongKong, so i’m pretty well covered too !
Salt n Turmeric , i think they even sell it canned. try looking for it in asian supermarkets.
Johannabrannanlowe, i wish i knew
Susan, u can even freeze them when you but Aloe again. keep it in stock for the next time. Hope u have a gr8 weekend too.
maybelles parents, wow 16 yrs is really amazing. Aloe really can survive forever. How have you used it all these years ?
Nolan … where the hell are you. U vanished of the blogsphere !!!
Hi Kajal
havent seen you in a long time..where are you??
The aloe vera is another special thing by you..never used it in food as of now..so far its always been a part of my cosmetics only
Well, there’s an intriguing suggestion. I’ve only ever had aloe products for medicinal purposes. I’d love to try your drinks idea(s), but sadly, we don’t really get aloes here…
Hi Kate, Great idea. I have many pots of aloe vela at my garden. I used to cut it into cube and boil it with some other herb as drink, very cooling.
Have add you in my link list!
Hi Kate, Good idea. I have many pots of aloe vela in my garden, and I used to cut it into cube and boil it with some other ingredients and serve as drink, very nice.
Have add you in my link list.
Swati , i’m in Bombay at the moment, should be here for another 2-3 weeks. Its nice to know u can eat aloe as well right
aforkfulofspagetti , u can try n look for the canned stuff in asian stores.
Molly, i’m sure they taste very nice.
Wow I never knew you could use aloe for drinks! That’s awesome I love it and will definately have to try it myself! Love your photos, you should open a photography blog as well
I love the pay it forward idea, although I don’t know that foods from West Virginia have much appeal. We are famous mostly for ramps, which are season and difficult to ship.
But I am thrilled to know how to get juice from my aloe plant! I’ve used it forever as a burn cure, but I’ve always bought aloe juice instead of making my own. THANKS!
Wow, that’s very interesting, I never thought of eating aloe like that. I’m definitely going to try it, it looks so good in your pictures.
Hey Kate…do you know aloe vera also helps with scars…found that out at my Mom’s chiropractor, is it true?
Yumilicious goodies…enjoy!
I had no idea you could consume aloe. What a great conversation piece tied into a drink
It does look so refreshing.
I just got some India spices and trying to learn more about them. I guess I know where to look now!
I didn’t know you could drink it, that is a miracle plant for sure!
What a fabulous prize pack! It’s filled with all the things I smuggle back from Italy! I also had no idea aloe was OK to eat!
I am in the US and would love some Indian goodies!
Interesting! I never knew people ate Aloe Vera; always thought they were used in creams and lotions only.
As for the Pay it Forward, I guess I would be interested if you were right now in Ghana rather than neighbouring Bombay.
my dad’s a big aloe vera fan. he has it in lime juice and it’s really quite refreshing drink for summer.
love that photo of all those tall sweating glasses. lovely.
Kajal, These look lovely & refreshing and I did not know that you could make a cooler out of it – so very creative! You are growing so much aloe! I know people in my family who grew aloe and were always talking about the medicinal value of it especially for skin and stomach!
I love your blog! And your photos! And your food!
The “pay it forward” concept was described by Benjamin Franklin, but I’m not sure if he invented it…
Love the pictures of the drinks. Absolutely cooling! Thanks for sharing on how to prepare aloe vera!
Aloe Vera, is something I always used for burns in the kitchen. I would just open it up and rub it on, it helps in healing. Glad you’re back with us Kate!
Dirty Kitchen Secrets, yes you can
and pls do try it.
Hilltrash , any local food produce would do. it doesnt have to be 2 much
theres nothing fresh juicen from your own plant.
Anna, good luck with it. let me know how it turns out.
Lubna , it works micrales with scars. whenever someone is hyrt at home, instead of going for the bottle of dettol or savlon, i reach out for some aloe. just run the flesh on you wound, and the bleeding stops right away and chances of leaving a scar are minimised too.
Megan, it is really nice as with every sip, you get a nice crunchy bite of aloe.
nicisme , now u know :p
una donna dolce , oh yeah i loved everything in my pack from italy
Shantanu, oh you can even have aloe juice and aloe chunks… very safe to eat
, and lol …sure next time i come frm ghana i’ll get u some goodies 
diva , i’m sure your father is very health concious. Its a wonderful practise.
Mo, i have tonns of aloe in my garden , but now i’m so envious of your garden , i’m planning on re doing my space !
zuctronic , thank you so much !
stardust ,
D
proud italian cook, aloe always works on burns. truly God sent
Here in South Africa almost every garden has some Aloe plants, but until maybe last year people never knew about its medicinal and nutritional properties. Since then, aloe juices, pills, snacks and creams are everywhere. My whole family takes aloe supplements, but maybe I must explore the culinary side of it more…Thx for sharing.
hi kate, of course i will win because you will give me the prize hehehe
btw, i would love to contact you but i dont know your email address. i love to personally invite you to recipe muncher …i’ll probably explain in my email
have a great day
I love aloe as well but generally drink it unsweetened, as an herbal tea. I’m looking at my plant right now, which has survived many Massachusetts winters as in indoor.
Also, I really think you should send that package to me.
http://www.teaandfood.blogspot.com
pick me, pick me!!! Heather
I didn’t know Aloe can make drink.When I was young I heard my grandy told me to wash my ache face with aloe,said it’s take out all the dirt and make it smooth. Thanks for the tips!
Yea, I use it for my hair too or to make a jello kind of sweets
Awesome picture!
nice thing going this “pay it foward” event,