lemon + ginger cola winter elixir

 

today's recipe is for anyone who gets sick as often as i do in the winter months! even though i work from home, i still can't seem to escape all the colds floating around outside. this drink is my twist on a vintage elixir that used to be served hot back in the day. it is a natural remedy for anyone suffering with a cold, sore throat, flu & upset stomach. the classic recipe calls for boiling coca-cola, ginger & lemon together, steeping it & drinking it hot. it sounds a little weird to boil something carbonated, so i thought i would turn it into a refreshing drink! but if you want to enjoy it warm, i won't stop you. i made it calorie free by using a sugar free cola made by zevia. it is naturally sweetened with stevia & has no colouring added to it which is why it is CLEAR! clear cola! so cool. i also added mint to freshen things up & add one more naturally healthy ingredient to the mix that soothes stomachs. stay healthy friends!

p.s. exlixir or not, this drink would make for a killer ginger cocktail! just add a shot of rum or vodka to the mix.

ingredients

  • 1/4 teaspoon freshly grated ginger
  • 1/2 teaspoon freshly squeezed lemon juice
  • 1-2 mint leaves, chopped * 1/2 cup zevia cola
  • ice, for serving
  • lemon slice, for garnish

directions

  • in a large glass muddle the ginger, lemon juice & mint leaves together.
  • pour in zevia & shake.
  • strain over a fresh glass filled with ice.
  • garnish with a slice of lemon.

orange creamsicle cocktail

 

i hope everyone had the BEST (most spoiled) christmas ever! i am beyond stuffed from all the turkey & ham that was consumed, not to mention the italian tradition of a big plate of pasta before every meal. the sugared cranberry cheesecake was a hit too! it was the first time any of my family had eaten sugared cranberries and they loved them.

the holiday celebrations are not over yet though! we have one more boxing day dinner tonight with justin's family before we get ready to ring in the new year! i am not that big of a new years eve person anymore.. we will probably stay in, make some fancy snacks & ring in 2017 in our new home. however, i love new years day brunch gatherings. one last meal before we all start to lose the holiday weight caused by endless amounts of food & drinks.

this year i wanted to create a lighter cocktail to sip on during brunch. a vodka twist on the classic mimosa, but still including fresh orange juice. orange juice always has to be served with breakfast or brunch, so i created this orange creamsicle cocktail using zevia's natural cream soda. it is so good, it literally taste like an orange creamsicle popsicle. bonus points that it is made with zevia's zero calorie cream soda sweetended with stevia. this cocktail will be sure to impress your guest & bring them back to those childhood creamsicle days.

happy new year friends! cheers to the last post of 2016. i can't wait to see what 2017 has in store:)

xo

ingredients

  • 1.5 oz vodka
  • 2 oz freshly squeezed orange juice
  • 1 oz milk * 2 oz zevia cream soda
  • ice, for serving
  • fresh mint, for garnishing

directions

  • in a cocktail shaker add vodka, orange juice, milk, cream soda & ice. shake well!
  • pour into desired cocktail glass, add fresh ice & garnish with a sprig of mint.

apple, cranberry + ginger cocktail

 

is everyone ready for christmas?! we are only TWELVE days away from the best day of the year. how is december half over though, seriously. before i get into the full holiday spirit i have a huge birthday to celebrate friday, justin turns thirty (i mean 29, again)!!!!

insert ALL the over the hill jokes

while a lot of celebratory dinners out are in order, first i am going to take him to the cheesecake factory after some last minute holiday shopping because he has never been nor heard of such a place (WHAT? crazy, i know). then we have quite a few fancy restaurants to try out in our new town. it will be very different from last year's birthday in toronto. but enough about that & more about this holiday cocktail!

the only thing just as important as baking cookies this month (stay tuned for those) is the cocktails! every party needs a signature drink so today i have teamed up with zevia to make a lighter, healthier cocktail that will help get you through the holidays (you can take that statement however you please). i used pure fruit juices & added the fizz with zevia's ginger ale. zevia is a zero calorie soda made with natural ingredients & natural sweeteners like stevia. nothing pairs better then the flavours of cider, cranberry, cinnamon & ginger! while i used a clear rum, this drink will work with just about any clear liquor. i will be sharing a fun new years cocktail next! but first stay tuned for some not so traditional christmas cookies.

ingredients

  • 1.5 oz white rum
  • 2 oz 100% cranberry juice
  • 2 oz pure apple cider
  • 2 oz zevia ginger ale
  • 1 pinch cinnamon
  • ice, for serving
  • cinnamon stick, for garnish
  • applie slice, for garnish

directions

  • in a cocktail shaker add rum, cranberry uice, apple cider, gingerale, cinnamon & ice. shake well!
  • pour into desired cocktail glass, add fresh ice & garnish with a cinnamon stick + apple slice.