13 Dec Mocktail Elixirs: A Cocktail Without the Consequences.

Alcohol is often at the center of many social settings. When responsibly moderated, alcohol can be a relaxing indulgence on occasion.  However, as we become more health conscious, most of us begin to notice more profoundly the negative affects of an overly indulgent evening.

So how do we continue to enjoy socially bonding over beverages without the unwanted consequences? Tonic elixirs – a.k.a. Mocktails.

In a previous blog I give the recipe for a ginger ‘tea’… ‘InnerFire’ Tea. 

The brew can be made so powerful that it closely resembles taking a shot of liquor. It is also wonderfully hydrating and anti-inflammatory. For this reason it’s my number one ingredient for these mocktail creations. It is as simple as this:

Create your favorite cocktail and instead of adding the liquor, substitute with the potent ‘InnerFire’ tea.

This potent concoction needs about an hour of commitment to prepare. Therefore I have been exploring a few ways to get the same kick with less prep time. If you have the time and the fresh ginger I recommend brewing the InnerFire Tea, and alternatively, below you will find a ginger brew shortcut and few recipes to get started on your mocktail crafting adventure. Enjoy!

Ginger Brew 

1oz of Spring Water 

1-2 Tsp Powdered ginger

DIRECTIONS:

Put the powdered ginger into the 1-2oz hot water and stir or shake to dissolve. 

Your ginger shot is ready! 

The more ginger you use the more potent the concoction will be. On average I use 1-2 teaspoons of powdered ginger per ounce of hot water. It is nice to let the powder ginger sit in the hot water to become dissolved more fully and to give it a few stirs or shakes over a period time before adding to you mocktail. If you do not take this time you can stir your mocktail from time to time to insure the ginger is evenly distributed. 

Mock-A-Rita 

1-2 oz Ginger (InnerFire Tea Brewed strong or Ginger Brew) 

1 oz fresh squeezed lime juice

A dollop of honey to taste 

1 oz Spring Water 

Ice 

Himalayan pink salt (ground fine) 

DIRECTIONS:

Salt one-half of the rim of the glass. Add honey to 1oz of warm water to liquify. Combine all other ingredients into salted glass and enjoy!

You can also add a squeeze of fresh orange, any other fresh fruit, or substitute the lime with lemon.

I love to add jalapeño and basil or goji-berry rosemary as complementary combinations. 

If you chop-up/blend/muddle some of the green herb to use for the drink you can use the left over herb as a garnish to dress the drink up if you like.