Tired of having to face alcohol-laden holidays? Want to serve something festive, but without booze?
These healthy drinks are great choices for those who want to have a cheerful and clear-headed drinks. They are also suitable for young kids who cannot have caffeinated drinks such as chai or coffee.
Recipes by Shanta Nimbark Sacharoff
Hibiscus Cocktail (Jamaica)
¼ cup dried hibiscus flower (also known as hibiscus “tea”)
2 cups water
2cups cold, clear apple juice
Ice cubes as needed
Boil water and hibiscus for several minutes. Strain the brew, cool it at room temperature and refrigerate to chill. Add apple juice. Add more apple juice for a sweeter drink. Pour into four glasses (with ice, optional) and serve.
Hibiscus Punch
¼ cup dried hibiscus flowers
1 cup water
2 cups clear apple juice
1 cup or bit more seltzer water
About a dozen very thin slices of apples and lemons or oranges (with their skin, but core and seeds removed)
Make the brew using the instruction above. Chill and mix with the apple juice. Right before serving, add seltzer water. Taste for sweetness and add more juice if needed. Transfer to a bowl with fruit slices and serve.
Welcome Drink: Cucumber Thirst Quencher
This is my version of a beverage that was offered to me as a welcome drink at an Indian hotel on a very hot day.
2 large organic cucumbers, cut into sticks lengthwise (important to use organic as you will need to use the skin)
4 to 6 sweet apple (such as golden or red delicious) cut into small chunks or 2 – 3 cups of clear apple juice
½ inch long fresh ginger root
A few fresh spearmint leaves
1 lime
Rinse cucumbers and cut off its ends. If you have a juicer, juice the cucumber, apple, ginger and a few mint leaves. Squeeze the lime juice and serve with mint leaves on top. If you do not have a juicer, use a blender to blend cucumber with a cup of water, ginger and a few mint leaves into a puree. Strain the puree using a fine sieve or a cheese cloth. Next, sweeten with apple juice. Squeeze in the lime and serve with mint leaves on top.
