Summer, Sunshine, Sizzling Sobriety
Summer is the time of year when people around us enjoy neighborhood barbeques, tailgate gatherings, vacations on cruise ships, beach visits and more. It seems that everyone around cools down the heat with fancy cocktails and drinks, which look delicious and inviting.
There is no need to suffer. Those great summer drinks can be served without alcohol and I promise you they taste just as delicious. Surprise your friends with a girl’s porch night at your house and serve some of these refreshing summer drinks and you won’t get any complaints. Indulging in refreshing and tasty combinations made with sparkling water, flavored soda, fresh juices and some herb extracts is a healthy and energizing way to spend an evening with friends or alone.
Some of the ingredients below might be not available in your local supermarket, but are easy to find in health shops or via online order. Be creative and try new things, too. Variations are endless– sparkling water can always be exchanged with lemon-lime soda for those who like sweets. If you feel you need to watch your sugar intake, just replace soda with your favorite sweetener or flavored sparkling water.
Once you have your favorite, make a bigger amount and surprise your friends at a meeting with cool homemade refreshments.
During my years of sobriety, I have tried many of these recipes. Here are some of my favorites.
Have a wonderful summer time and enjoy your new healthy, active life!
Fruity Hibiscus Mimosa
1 oz pink grapefruit or orange juice
1/2 oz wild hibiscus syrup
5 oz sparkling water (soda water)
Place in a champagne flute and garnish with long grapefruit (orange) zest or use a fruit slice.
Power Melon
1 cup melon, cut into pieces
1 dash cayenne pepper
1 scoop of ice
4-6 oz sparkling water
Put chilled pieces of cantaloupe or honeydew melon in a blender. Add cayenne pepper to taste. Add some ice cubes and blend well on the highest setting. You can keep the solid fruit bites intact for a thick smoothie in or strain it for a light mix. Serve in a glass over cubed ice, add a little sparkling water to give it some fizz, with thick straw, a piece of melon and a cocktail cherry to garnish.
Strawberry Basil Soda
1 Pound strawberries, trimmed
1/2 lemon, to squeeze for juice
1/2 cup basil leaves
1 cup sugar
4-6 oz sparkling water
Juice strawberries using a juicer or blender. If you use a blender, strain your blended juice through a sieve and push the juice through with a spatula and discard solids. Put the juice into a measuring cup and add water or more strawberries if needed to get 1 cup of juice.
Pour juice into a saucepan with lemon juice, basil and sugar, heat until boiling and simmer for 5 minutes while stirring. Remove from heat and let cool. This is your syrup to start.
Use 2 or more tablespoons of the syrup per 8-oz-glass, and add sparkling water. Garnish with a fresh strawberry on the glass rim and a basil flower in the drink. Serve over ice.
Rosemary Citrus Spritzer
2 lemons
2 oranges
4 sprigs fresh rosemary
3/4 cups sugar
1/3 cup honey
1 cup ice
4-6 oz soda water
1 sprig of rosemary for garnish
1 lemon for garnish
Zest one lemon. Juice the lemons and oranges. You should have a cup of juice. Combine zest of one lemon, juice, rosemary, sugar and honey and a saucepan, boil for 1 minute, stirring constantly. Let this mixture sit for 10 minutes. Strain and let cool.
Fill an 8-oz-glass half with ice cubes, then add 2 or more tablespoons of your syrup, and fill your glass with sparkling water. Garnish with rosemary sprigs and lemon slices. If you like the taste of rosemary, you can use more to the recipe to make it more intense, but don’t let it totally overpower the flavor.
ENJOY!!