If you’re addicted to Starbucks like I am- and also use Instagram as much as I do- then you would have noticed the #PinkDrink sensation that swept social media last Summer. The drink in question, Starbucks’ Strawberry Acai Refresher- replaces the water in the beverage with coconut milk- leaving a bright pink, creamy in texture and subtle sweet flavor, instead. The drink is refreshing on hot days and a nice change from strong espresso with it’s mild caffeine amounts on those mornings when I don’t necessarily want the coffee-jitters before I go into a meeting or anything.

Having been snowed in yesterday, and with tomorrow being Valentine’s Day- I thought I’d try my hand at making my own version of the “Pink Drink” since the color of the beverage reminds me of the impending romantic holiday and because I actually had all of the ingredients in my kitchen already. There are enough versions of the recipe floating around online by other enthusiastic fans of the beverage- so finding one wasn’t hard at all.

Please keep in mind that the ingredients can be tweaked and adjusted based on your preferences and tastes- so feel free to experiment a little! I know I did!

WHAT YOU’LL NEED:

• 4 packs/teabags of acai berry tea (or regular green tea)
• 1 cup hot boiling water
• 1/2 cup white grape juice
• 1-2 cups unsweetened coconut milk
• Fresh sliced strawberries & blackberries
• Agave nectar (optional)

OKAY, HERE’S WHAT YOU DO:

1. In a 2 cup glass measuring cup add unwrapped tea packets. Pour hot water over the packets and let sit until cool. Squeeze out tea packets and discard them.

2. Pour white grape juice into the measuring cup with the tea.

3. Fill a glass with ice and add about 1 cup of the tea/grape juice mixture. Top off with the desired amount of coconut milk.

4. Add in sliced strawberries & blackberries and add in sweetener if desired.

5. Sit back, sip- and enjoy!

I love this drink. It’s easy to make, tastes delicious, and costs a fraction of the price to simply prepare it at home instead of buying one every day at Starbucks. I’m seriously addicted to coconut milk- and am looking for other ways to use it in the kitchen since it just tastes so good. Plus- these drinks are just as pretty on Instagram homemade as they are in a Starbucks cup- so get creative! I enjoyed sipping mine out of my mason jar drinking glasses I picked up a few months ago.

Even though we’re in the peak of Winter here in New England- and these beverages are served chilled- they’re still really good year-round. They’re refreshing and don’t leave you with a serious caffeine buzz- which make them ideal for an afternoon pick-me-up!

xx