Wild Mocktails and Creamy Milk Shakes

Between the parties and the cold weather, the drink game changes this time of year!  

Especially if your schedule includes tons of social gatherings, there can be a lot of temptation to drink what everyone else is drinking just because everyone else is drinking it.

You don’t have to wreck your health, feed addictions, or wake up with a headache to join in the festivities.  Nor should you ever give up the tasty treats!

These are great for the holidays but also work for any special celebration, party or even a special day at home to just celebrate that you didn’t need to leave the house on a given Saturday!  

In this post, we will be turning adversity, into advantage as we create mixed drinks that actually help you feel better rather than worse!

Mocktails for the win!

Here’s the magic ingredient….drum roll please…It’s simply, good quality sparkling mineral water!

Don’t use anything with added flavor or sweeteners (most of that is junk)!

The 3 that are easiest to find and all test good, include: San Pellegrino, Perrier and Topo Chico (all in glass to avoid plastic contaminants).

That’s your base.  It’s just carbonated water so you get the sparkly, bubbly, fizzy feel with no junk added.

Now for the fun part…what do you want it to taste like?  

For that, you can add to taste any of the following:

• Citrus juice (lemon, lime, grapefruit or orange)- Citrus is a great emulsifier, loaded with vitamin C and lemon juice specifically has been shown to support liver health.¹  When you add lemon and lime to sparkling water, it tastes like a homemade “Sprite” or “7 Up”.
• Cherry Elixade– Cherries are great sources of polyphenols and antioxidants which means they’re great for helping with inflammation².  Be sure to get a source like the one we use to avoid added sweeteners or junk.
• Pomegranate Elixade
• Apple cider
• Any other fruit juice you like (apple juice, cranberry juice, pomegranate juice, etc.)

If needed, add a small amount of sweetener:

• Liquid stevia is great because it doesn’t raise the blood sugar
• A tsp. of maple syrup or honey
• I also like to add a pinch of pink salt (…it brings out the sweetness (so you don’t need to use as much) and also adds to the mineral content of the drink

Then, make it look fancy:

• For citrus, add a slice to the edge of the glass
• For cherry, add a fresh cherry on top
• For a drink that uses apple juice or apple cider, add a sprinkle of cinnamon on top

Blended drinks are great too:

If you have a good blender, (I love the Vitamix…click here for free shipping) and as the host, you can make a decadent shake or smoothie that will be sure to leave your guests coming back for more.  

Date Banana Hemp Milk Shake:

There are so many combinations, but I recommend starting with a base of frozen bananas.  Bananas are sweet, creamy, inexpensive and a great source of fiber as well as several vitamins and minerals.³

Then add a few soaked dates, some hempseeds (a great source of protein, antioxidants and omega 3’s⁴), and some plant milk along with any flavorings that you like such as vanilla, cacao or cinnamon (great for your blood sugar)⁵.  Blend until smooth and enjoy!

When it comes to tasty drinks the sky is the limit.  Whatever you like, figure out a creative way to have it…but have the upgraded version so it’s actually beneficial instead of harmful!

Although it does take a bit of thought and planning, these special drinks aren’t hard to make and don’t usually cost much.  Have fun with it!

References:

1. Zhou T, Zhang YJ, Xu DP, et al. Protective effects of lemon juice on alcohol-induced liver injury in mice. Biomed Res Int. 2017;2017. doi:10.1155/2017/7463571

2. Chai SC, Davis K, Zhang Z, Zha L, Kirschner KF. Effects of tart cherry juice on biomarkers of inflammation and oxidative stress in older adults. Nutrients. 2019;11(2). doi:10.3390/nu11020228

3. Sidhu JS, Zafar TA. Bioactive compounds in banana fruits and their health benefits. Food Quality and Safety. 2018;2(4). doi:10.1093/fqsafe/fyy019

4. Cerino P, Buonerba C, Cannazza G, et al. A review of hemp as food and nutritional supplement. Cannabis Cannabinoid Res. 2021;6(1). doi:10.1089/can.2020.0001

5. Kizilaslan N, Erdem NZ. The Effect of Different Amounts of Cinnamon Consumption on Blood Glucose in Healthy Adult Individuals. Int J Food Sci. Published online 2019. doi:10.1155/2019/4138534

Nothing said or implied in this post is intended to treat, cure, diagnose or prevent any disease.  It does not take the place of a qualified health care practitioner and is intended for educational purposes only.