It’s the first of the new year, 2020 at that, and people around the world are making resolutions. Many are joining gyms, trying to eat better, and making healthier lifestyle choices. January is also often used as a time for many people to take a break from booze, hence the title Dry January [1].
When I went on a quest to heal my body of an autoimmune disease, eliminating alcohol from my life became important. After I was healed I had gotten so use to not really drinking and feeling so great that I stuck with it. And let’s be real, alcohol is NOT a health food. That doesn’t mean I never have an alcoholic libation from time to time, but for the most part I opt for the mocktail options when available.
Part of the fun of drinking (to me) is the fun glasses. You really can put anything in a festive glass and it elevates the experience. Having a kombucha? Put it in a wine glass and garnish it with fresh mint! It’s all about the presentation and making it an event without adding the liquor!
Some helpful and recurring tools and ingredients I use include:
- Mortal and Pestle
- Fresh Mint and Rosemary
- Ginger and Lavender Extract
- Kombucha*
- Silicon Ice Cube Trays [2]
- Fun Drinking Glasses!
*Note: I love using kombucha to add effervescence to my mocktails and of course for the added health benefits [3] of probiotics and B vitamins. Personally, I’m not a fan of club soda or tonic water, but those could be used in its place if booch isn’t your thing.
Below are some of my favorite healthy mocktail recipes!
Orange Delight
- Juice of one blood or regular orange
- 1/4 cup coconut water
- 1/4 cup original kombucha
- 1 tbsp maple syrup (optional)
- 1/2 tsp vanilla
Ginger Fizz
- 1/2 cup original kombucha
- 1/2 cup coconut water
- 10-12 drops of ginger extract [4]
- squeeze of lemon
- 2 tsp honey or maple syrup (optional)
Pomegranate Ginger
- 4 oz pomegranate juice
- 2 oz kombucha
- 10-12 drops of ginger extract [4]
Rosemary Grapefruit
- Juice of one grapefruit
- Splash of kombucha
- 1 tbsp maple syrup
- a few rosemary leaves muddled
- garnish with grapefruit slice and rosemary sprigs
Pineapple Passion
- 1/2 cup pineapple juice
- 1/2 cup coconut water
- a few mint leaves muddled
- splash of kombucha
- mint leaves to garnish
Bonus Recipes:
Lemon Lavender Love
- 3/4 cup coconut water
- juice of 1 lemon
- a few drops of lavender extract [5]
- 1 tbsp maple syrup
Strawberry Mojito
- 1 cup frozen strawberries
- 1/2 water
- 1/4 cup coconut water
- 1 tbsp lemon juice
- 1 tbsp maple syrup
- few mint sprigs
- Put all ingredients in blender. Add ice if you’d like. Enjoy!
There you have it! Some of my favorite mocktail recipes! Even if you continue to drink alcohol perhaps you’ll have a different relationship with it and will be more open to trying more yummy mocktail options!