The Art of the “Mocktail”
For a girl who loves the occasional glass of wine or margaritas with the ladies, the idea that I could not drink alcohol for months, even years, was hard to swallow (gulp). During chemo, I was not to drink at all. My doctor said my liver could either process alcohol, or process chemo. Point taken.
Lucky for me, I had two secret weapons to help me through that. First, SuperHubs is a very creative guy. He whipped up non-alcoholic drinks for me that were delicious and satisfying. Second, my mom and her fun-loving attitude helped me to spin things a different way. Her opinion was, you can feel like you are drinking if you put it in a fun glass and add some great garnish, straws or stir sticks. I have found this to be true.
Now when I am out to dinner with my hubby or catching up with friends, I just ask for whatever I am drinking “in a fun glass with a garnish.” That’s not to say I don’t have alcohol once in awhile, but I no longer feel like I am missing out on anything when I don’t drink.
We have created a Sultry Sangria-Lite, a Pear Fake-a-tini, and a Lime Cucumber Cooler (see below), which you can find in our Health+Wellness section. Please take a look and give “mocktail-ing” a try!
Nicole’s Lime-Cucumber Cooler
Our friend Nicole helped us create this beauty. Think of this as a “spa” drink at home. Non-alcoholic and refreshing!
1 cup sparking orange-flavored water
1 cup coconut water
1 lime, juiced
1 small Persian cucumber, peeled and sliced
¼ cup mint leaves
1 large basil leaf
1 tsp agave syrup
1 cup crushed ice
Slice of lime and sprig of mint for garnish
DIRECTIONS:
Peel and slice cucumber. Muddle lime and agave in the bottom of the glass with a wooden pestle or back of a wooden spoon to get a good syrup. Add mint and basil leaves and lightly muddle. Add the rest of the ingredients and top with ice. Use mint and lime to garnish.
© 2013 Group G Enterprises, LLC