rosemary simple syrup
Jennifer Iserloh, The Skinny ChefI became intrigued by simple syrups when I first tasted my friend Steve's drinks. He's an amazing mixologist who works at Employees Only, mixing up some unique aromatic drinks like their lavender martini.

Now you won't find that in the local sports bar or on your standard bar crawl - herbs mixed with fruits in cocktails can add flavor, complexity, and interest compared to plain traditional cocktails and iced teas. It's easy to become your own mixologist once you have your fridge outfitted with homemade simple syrups like this one that I made last week to use up two leftover sprigs of fresh rosemary.

Rosemary is a highly versatile herb that can be used with almost any dish, from chicken and fish, to pork, lamb, and beef as well as vegetables. Rosemary has a very rich history and is revered in many ancient cultures from Greece to Egypt for its antibacterial and antioxidant properties. Compounds found in rosemary have been studied as a potential preservative for packaged meat, a balm to heal skin ailments and has even been studied for its ability to kill cancer cells. I enjoy this in homemade sweetener stirred into black ice tea.

Get the Skinny Chef's Rosemary Simple Syrup recipe.

Nutritional Stats Per Serving (one tablespoon):
47 calories, 1 g protein, 10 g carbohydrates, 0 g fat (0 g saturated), 0 mg cholesterol, 2 g fiber, 229 mg sodium