A Trader Joe's Pick + Lemon Basil Ice Recipe - Free For Everyone!

A perfect Labor Day Weekend recipe!

Every Friday, we share a quick roundup of products we actually use and love - whether in the kitchen, at the table, or while shopping. These are the tools and staples that make cooking, serving, and clean-up easier and more enjoyable. For our paid subscribers, we’re excited to bring you a fresh new recipe every week. This Friday’s feature: Italian Lemon-Basil Ice!

Happy Labor Day Weekend! We had a lot of fun content this week, from “Back To School” lunches (for adults and kids alike) and how to make preserved lemons in Monday’s issue, as well as our takes on Intermittent Fasting, and why barley is such a good addition to a gut-healthy diet in our Wednesday issue.

Today, we are sharing our favorite kitchen items and offering a free recipe to all our subscribers: Italian Lemon-Basil Ice! A perfect treat for a long holiday weekend… we hope you enjoy it!

Also, be on the lookout for our Monthly Round-Up, which will reach your inboxes next Tuesday. We've got lots of new things happening over here, and we're excited to fill you in!

OXO Food Scale. As mentioned in my How to Make Sourdough Bread post, I use a kitchen scale to measure everything out when I feed my sourdough starter - this is a good one that is simple and storable. - Diana

Bob’s Red Mill Pearled Barley. We did a deep dive on barley earlier this week, and this brand is our choice for pearled barley. Found at most groceries, it consistently adds good flavor to whatever dishes we make, from soups to salads. - Dr. Weil and Diana

Trader Joe’s Gnocchi. My Crispy Gnocchi recipe from a few weeks ago got great feedback, and this is the gnocchi I use. With just three main ingredients, it is a truly versatile base for a variety of dishes. - Diana

We’d love to hear from you!

What are your latest kitchen purchases? Anything you recommend we try? Share in the comments!

(P.S. Become a paid subscriber to join the full conversation.)

Italian Lemon-Basil Ice

Ingredients

• 3 cups water

• 1 cup sugar

• 1 pinch salt

• 1 cup fresh lemon juice

• 1 ½ teaspoons finely grated lemon zest (rind of 1 medium lemon)

• Strips of peel from 1 medium lemon

• 1/2 cup fresh basil leaves (loosely packed)

Directions

Step 1: Make Basil-Infused Simple Syrup

1. In a small saucepan, combine 2 cups water and 1 cup sugar.

2. Bring to a boil, stirring occasionally and scraping the edges until the sugar dissolves and the syrup becomes clear.

   

3. Add basil leaves to the hot syrup, press them gently with a spoon to release their oils, then turn off the heat.

   

4. Let the basil steep in the syrup for 10–15 minutes for a strong infusion (or less for subtle flavor).

5. Whisk in the pinch of salt. Strain out the basil leaves, then allow the syrup to cool completely. Refrigerate until chilled.

Step 2: Combine and Freeze

1. To the cooled basil-infused simple syrup, add 1 cup water, fresh lemon juice, grated lemon zest, and lemon peel strips. Stir well.

   

2. Pour the mixture into a pre-chilled metal pan and place in the freezer.

   

3. Once ice crystals start to form, stir the mixture with a fork to break them up. Repeat every 30 minutes until you achieve a fluffy, slushy texture (about 2–3 hours).

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