Many of us love a good cocktail. An adult beverage. A 21-and-up secret club of tasty drinks made with unique blends of ingredients that take the edge off our stress.
But tasty drinks don’t have to include alcohol, do they? Nope, not at all. Following are creative ideas for some awfully delicious “mocktails,” for when you want all the taste and elegance, but want to skip the alcohol. Perfect for mixed groups, brunches, church dinners, or when one of your friends is trying to avoid alcohol for health or sobriety reasons.
Don’t skimp on the fancy drinks. And don’t skimp on creativity or quality. Just leave out the booze!
Balsamic Vinegar Drinks
Balsamic vinegar, with its intense blast of flavor, is a natural addition to mocktails. Earlier this summer we talked about shrubs, remember that? There were some great ideas there. Keep those in mind, as they are easy to make into mocktails, but here’s a specifically mocktail recipe and some flavor ideas:
Recipe:
- Ice cubes
- 1 oz. balsamic vinegar of choice
- 4 oz. sparkling water
- Fresh herbs or fruit to garnish
Ideas:
- Strawberry Balsamic served with fresh slices of strawberry and basil leaves
- Blackberry-Ginger Balsamic with muddled blackberries and cherries
- Raspberry Balsamic with crushed fresh raspberries and mint leaves
- Coconut Balsamic with muddled pineapple and fresh orange
- Sicilian Lemon Balsamic with crushed raspberries and strawberries
They sound mouthwatering, don’t they? The flavor combinations are nearly endless.
Other Base Liquid Ideas
Mocktails need not only be made with sparkling water. This is actually a chance to try out different base liquids, many of which will add a nice blast of nutrition to your drink. Here are some ideas:
- Juices, such as pomegranate, unsweetened cranberry, noni, or acai
- Coconut water or coconut milk for creamy drinks
- Green tea
- Kombucha
Getting Fancy
Pina Colada
- 1 cup ice
- 1¼ cup pineapple juice
- ½ cup milk
- ½ cup cream
- 2 Tbsp. sugar
- Put it all in a blender and blend until smooth.
Mock Champagne
- ½ liter of ginger ale
- 12 oz. pineapple juice
- 16 oz. white grape juice
- Stir together and serve
Fruity Fizzler
- ½ cup fruit juice of choice
- ½ sparkling water
- 1 Tbsp. sherbet flavor of choice
- Combine and stir vigorously, or blend.
On the Beach
- 3 oz. cranberry juice
- 3 oz. grapefruit juice
- 2 oz. peach nectar
Healthy Mocktails
As with the alternative base liquids suggested above, why not use your mocktails to enhance health as well as taste delicious?
Avocado Margarita
- 1 avocado
- ¼ cup lime juice
- 1 cup almond milk
- Sweetener to taste
- Blend the ingredients until smooth
Bloody Mary
- 1 cup tomato juice
- 2 Tbsp. lemon juice
- 2 Tbsp. Worcestershire sauce
- 1 Tbsp. horseradish
- 1 Tbsp. horseradish
- 1 Tbsp. olive oil
- ¼ tsp. celery salt
- Hot sauce to taste
- Serve with lime wedges and celery sticks
Don’t be shy about serving up drinks with no alcohol in them. They taste amazing and can be a welcome nutrition boost to your day.