AIP roasted strawberry cream soda - strawberries roasted with honey and balsamic, pureed, layered with coconut milk and sparkling water

20 minutes in a hot oven is a real ask on a night when all you want is something cold in your hand already. But roasting is what turns an ordinary strawberry into something worth the wait: the juices thicken, the edges catch a little char, and a splash of balsamic sharpens the whole thing past what a plain berry can do.

Strawberries are a source of polyphenols, the plant pigments researchers keep tying to a quieter, less reactive immune response over time. This drink earns its keep on flavor first, treat that mechanism as a bonus, not the reason you're pouring it. The honey is there for pleasure too, so go lighter if you want, and coconut milk gives it the cream without a trace of dairy.

Build it in a glass you can actually see through: the pink puree low, the pale cloud of coconut milk riding above it, bubbles threading through both layers. Set it down once, really take it in, then drink. You made that from a fruit and a splash of vinegar.

Ingredients

• 1/2 pound strawberries, sliced
• 2 tablespoons honey
• 1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
• 2 tablespoons water
• 1/2 cup coconut milk
• Sparkling water, to serve
• Ice

Method

Heat the oven to 400 F. Put the sliced strawberries in a baking dish with the honey, balsamic vinegar, and water, and toss to coat.

Roast for 20 minutes, until the strawberries are soft and glossy and the juices have thickened.

Puree the roasted mixture in a blender until smooth. Let it cool.

Build each 12-ounce glass over ice: spoon in a quarter of the strawberry puree, add 2 tablespoons of coconut milk, then top with sparkling water. Stir gently and serve.

The roasted strawberry puree freezes well, so make a double batch and keep extra on hand.

Air fryer variation

You can roast the strawberries in an air fryer instead of the oven. Put them with the honey, balsamic, and water in an air-fryer-safe dish that catches the juices, and cook at around 360 F for about 12 to 15 minutes, checking for softness and stirring once. This conversion is untested in our kitchen, so treat the time as a starting range and watch that the juices reduce rather than scorch.

This is an oven-roast-then-blend recipe, so it needs no Instant Pot variation.

*Adapted from acleanplate.com*