Gingered Pineapple Juice

This recipe was a great novelty to make, since it involved using the pineapple peels, which I've never done before. It is a drink from the Cote d'Ivoire, where it is called gnamacoudji. I couldn't find a literal translation of the word, but the general sense I got from internet research is that it always involves ginger and pineapple.

Peel 1 whole pineapple; cut the peels into 3-inch pieces. You won't need the pineapple fruit itself for this recipe, but chop the fruit and save it for breakfast the next morning, or a snack later in the day!

Combine the peel pieces and 3 cups water in a saucepan; bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer for 30 minutes.

Drain in a colander over a bowl, reserving 2 cups of the cooking liquid. Press the peels to release the moisture from them, then discard the peels.

Meanwhile, coarsely chop 1 peeled (1 and 1/2-inch) piece of ginger, and coarsely chop 2 tablespoons-worth of peeled lemongrass. (Note: to peel lemongrass, just pull back one or two of the outermost layers, to reveal the more tender layers on the inside).

Place the ginger and lemongrass in a food processer with 1 tablespoon water, and process until finely chopped. Spoon the mixture onto a layer of dampened cheesecloth. Gather the edges of the cheesecloth together so you can tie it into a pouch.

Combine the cheesecloth bag and 2 cups water, and let stand for 30 minutes.

Combine the reserved pineapple cooking juice and the cheesecloth mixture in a large pitcher, then discard the cheesecloth bag. Stir in 1/2 cup vegan powdered sugar (such as Wholesome Sweeteners), and stir well until the sugar dissolves.

Chill until ready to serve, and serve this yummy drink over ice. 1 cup is 70 calories. Garnish with some mint leaves if you like, for a pretty presentation!

Cost:
pineapple $3.99
lemongrass $1.00