Spiced Kombucha Rum Punch

This post is a collaboration with Health-Ade Kombucha, a brand I LOVE and am excited to share with you.

Thanksgiving week is here and I’m not really sure how that happened so quickly but I am ready for all the festiveness! There are snowflakes falling softly from the sky here at my parents’ house in Minnesota. It’s cold cold cold outside and I’m in my sweatpants. Visions of homemade cranberry sauce, sweet potatoes, and stuffing are dancing around my head and I am excited to get to work in the kitchen. I haven’t been to Minnesota for Thanksgiving in eleven years and I’m happy to break that streak this year.

We aren’t big on appetizers before Thanksgiving dinner because, let’s be honest, we need to save all the room for dinner! I do, however, love a festive cocktail. This Spiced Kombucha Rum Punch is the perfect way to prep for Thanksgiving dinner because a) it is so very pretty, b) it is made with kombucha, which means it is great for your gut, c) it can be made as a cocktail OR a mocktail. I mean, hello, this is a must-make for the holidays so you might as well get started this week!

I am obsessed with Health-Ade kombucha, so obviously that was what I reached for at the grocery store when the thought of this gut friendly cocktail came to mind. Pomegranate seemed like the most festive choice, but Pink Lady would also be lovely! A little splash of apple cider and some spiced rum go perfectly with the pretty pink pomegranate. Sprinkle a little cinnamon over it all and you’ve got a special, but super simple, signature cocktail to sip while you wait for that turkey.

Also, if you don’t know much about kombucha or Health-Ade, here are some excellent little tidbits of information for you:

1. Health-Ade is brewed in ALL glass- no plastic or metal

2. Health-Ade is always flavored with organic cold pressed juice and superfoods (YES!)

3. Non- GMO, Organic, Vegam Raw, Gluten Free and Kosher

4. Health-Ade makes their kombucha the natural way. We never force carbonate!

5. Health-Ade is FULL of probiotics and healthy acid (Helloooo, happy gut!)

Now, Follow Your Gut and make on of these pretty probiotic cocktails for you and your friends! Go!

Spiced Kombucha Rum Punch

Makes 8 cocktails

• 1 bottle Health-Ade Pomegranate Kombucha

• 1/2 cup spiced rum

• 1/2 cup apple cider (not the alcoholic, carbonated kind)

• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

• fresh cranberries for garnish

• fresh mint for garnish

1. In a pitcher with ice, stir together the rum, apple cider and ground cinnamon. (You can do this part in advance, just leave the ice out of the pitcher, stir together the rum, cider and cinnamon, cover and refrigerate until ready to finish).

2. Pour the kombucha into the pitcher and gently stir to combine.

3. Strain the cocktail into cocktail glasses and garnish with the fresh cranberries and mint. Cheers!

The Black Tie

So apparently there are these things called "movies" that people see in a gigantic room on a ginormous screen at a "theater". I'm not sure who these people are, but they must enjoy this activity because there is an awards show devoted to the very best movies from the year. I thought the only movies out there happened on Friday nights while eating pizza and playing Candy Land. And they typically involve animated characters and musical dialogue. No?

Well, if you are fancy enough to watch the Oscars this weekend, you should make it a real event by whipping up one of these Black Tie cocktails. This is basically a slightly sweet martini made with black vodka, Créme de Cassis, and an egg white for a little added drama.

Enjoy with popcorn, potato chips, or fancy two-bite appetizers while sticking your pinky out in a delicate manner and judging red carpet dresses. (You know you're going to!)

Black Tie

Makes 1 cocktail

Total time: 5 minutes

• 1 1/2 ounces black vodka
• 1/2 ounce simple syrup
• 1/2 ounce lemon juice
• Scant 1/2 ounce Créme de Cassis
• 1 egg white

1. Combine all the ingredients except black vodka in a cocktail shaker WITHOUT ice for 10 seconds until frothy.
2. Add a few ice cubes and shake until chilled for an additional 10 seconds.
3. Strain into a glass and set aside.
4. Rinse cocktail shaker and fill with a handful of ice. Add black vodka and shake until chilled.
5. Pour the vodka into a chilled martini glass, then pour the frothy egg mixture over the vodka.
6. Enjoy!

*Notes: Adding the black vodka after shaking the egg white helps keep a more clean, white foam for the top of the drink. The Créme de Cassis may create a slightly rosey color to the foam, but it won't be as noticeable.

Cocktail Friday: Bourbon Thyme

This bourbon thyme cocktail recipe is my new favorite. I have not always been a bourbon person. To be honest, I think my love for bourbon came after I became a parent. Coincidence? You decide. Seriously though, I have probably come to appreciate  bourbon more in the past year through experimenting with various recipes (Brown Butter Old Fashioned or Bourbon Apple Cider anyone?) that have proven that bourbon is more versatile than I expected. Given my new love, I was thrilled to receive a bottle of Elk Rider Bourbon from Heritage Distilling in Gig Harbor, Washington. Any day that involved a bourbon delivery to your front door is a good day. Am I right?

When I try new spirits, I like to first sample them on their own or mixed into simple, familiar cocktails. For example, when testing a new gin, I like to make a classic gin and tonic. I think that cocktail can tell a lot about the quality of the gin because it is vulnerable. In the correct amounts, tonic water and lime juice cannot cover up the herb notes in gin. If they do, something is wrong with either the gin or the proportions. But I digress. Back to bourbon...

I tasted Elk Rider Bourbon straight without ice to start. I was struck immediately by the smooth, sweet taste because I am often a little shocked at my first sip of any spirit straight up. Next, I added a tiny splash of water which can help the flavors bloom a bit. It was lovely. Drinkable with just the right amount of alcoholy bite and sweet nuttiness.

Once I had a good feel for the flavor of the bourbon, I started brainstorming what I could mix with it to make a refreshing spring cocktail. As with many of the recipes I develop, I found my inspiration by simply walking around the grocery store. After grabbing two bags of Meyer lemons and some beautiful fresh thyme, I knew exactly what I wanted: a bourbon spiked Meyer lemonade. Yes and yes.

Feeling inspired by the pleasant flavor of the bourbon and the Elk Rider story (which I've included below because I think it's great) I came home to mix up this delicious, spring-weekend-worthy cocktail. It's perfect for bourbon lovers who are looking for a way to extend the season for this spirit into warmer months. If you're not a bourbon fan, this will work beautifully with vodka or gin as well.

Here's a little bit about the inspiration behind the Elk Rider series from Heritage Distilling:

"The idea and inspiration for the Elk Rider™ line of spirits comes from our female founder. Her ancestors were some of the first settlers in the Lake Quinault and Queets River area in the late 1800′s in what is now the heart of Olympic National Park. While homesteading with a family of 17 children these early pioneering family members broke and tamed wild elk. Their feats were legendary for miles around. The elk became so popular they started to be used in parades in southwest Washington and Portland. The best part is we still have the family glass negatives to prove it."

"Every Spirit Has a Story," What's Yours? 

*Full disclosure: I was given products from Heritage Distilling to use for Set the Table cocktail recipes. My opinions are 100% my own.

Bourbon Thyme

Ingredients

• 2 oz Elk Rider Bourbon
• 2 oz Meyer lemon juice
• 2 oz water
• 1 oz honey-thyme simple syrup
• 1/2 cup honey
• 1/2 cup water
• 5 or 6 thyme sprigs

Instructions

1. Fill a cocktail glass with crushed ice.
2. Combine the bourbon, lemon juice, water, and honey-thyme simple syrup in a shaker filled with ice.
3. Stir until thoroughly combined.
4. Strain into prepared cocktail glass, garnish with a thyme sprig, and serve.
5. Combine the honey and water in a small saucepan and bring to a simmer.
6. Add the thyme sprigs and simmer on low heat for 5 minutes.
7. Remove from the heat and let cool.
8. Remove the thyme sprigs and pour into a jar. Store in the fridge for up to 2 weeks.

Notes

If you can't find Meyer lemons, you can use regular lemons. The result will be a bit more tart but still delicious!

Date Simple Syrup + Go Sugar Free Update

Before I get into a summary of my experience going sugar free, let's chat about this date simple syrup.

Going sugar free is tricky when you blog about cocktails each and every week. Simple syrup, one of the staple ingredients when it comes to cocktails, is difficult to avoid entirely. Fortunately, I found a way to add sweetness without even the smallest pinch of refined sugar. This simple syrup is simply (no pun intended) dates that have been simmered in water until it has been infused with sweetness. The consistency is not as thick as a traditional simple syrup, but the sweetness is there. And that's the most important part, right? It does have a slightly nutty flavor, similar to that of brown sugar, but it is subtle enough that it can be used in most cocktail recipes.

Dates have been one of the most versatile and delicious additions to my list of staple ingredients to have in the kitchen. They make a perfect, sweet snack paired with a little bit of blue cheese and act as a healthy sweetener for anything from this syrup to this peanut butter bulgur wheat (pictured below).

OK, now that we have a naturally sweet, no sugar added simple syrup, let's talk about where I got the inspiration to  create a recipe like this...

As a food blogger, I like to feel like I have control over everything I put in my body, but the reality is that sometimes...I don't. A lot of my time outside of food blogging and recipe development is spent focusing on feeding my 2 year old something that involves more than crackers, popcorn, toast and milk. That takes a surprising amount of energy now that he's learned to reject anything he doesn't recognize.  When all is said and done, I don't always have much motivation to focus on what gets put on my own plate.

When I started the Go Sugar Free course I was scared. It was scary because I didn't want to give anything up. Well, I did want to but the thought of it really seriously scared me. What would happen if I went to a birthday party and had to say no to the chocolate cake with rich butter cream frosting? What would I do without my sweet cocktails and occasional bite of ice cream? I was happy to learn that, even though my sugar habit was not extreme, I was able to go without it and still survive.

Sometimes I have assignments to develop recipes. Developing recipes requires tasting. Sometimes that meant eating sugar even during the course, which is not a typical situation for most students. I think it is a testament to Jacqueline and her course that I was able to get through those moments without completely falling off the wagon.

If you are reading this and thinking to yourself, "I don't eat that much sugar." Here's the thing...sugar is not the only thing you learn about through Go Sugar Free. Jacqueline has done all of the grunt work to collect information about the best grains and how they can impact reliance on sugar. There are other foods with connections to sugar that I never considered before GSF. And most importantly, I began to realize how important routines are when it comes to health. Waking up in the morning and knowing what I need to do to start my day out the right way has been the most significant and liberating change I've taken with me since completing GSF.

To explain what I mean, here is an example of my morning routine:

• 7:00am wake up
• 7:05am put coffee on
• 7:05am do yoga stretches while coffee brews
• 7:20am drink an 8 oz. glass of Kefir
• 7:25am drink coffee & read
• 7:30-7:45am toddler wakes up and the day barrels on

Having those morning routines helps me find my center and prepare my mind for making healthy choices all day long. That, along with losing 2 inches from my waist, made the GSF course more than worth it.

The most common question I get from the people I talk to about this course is if they have to give up sugar permanently forever and ever. My answer, for myself, is no. I feel that I have control over how much sugar is in my diet and I can, thanks to Jacqueline's course, recognize the signs (complexion, exhaustion, etc) my body is using to tell me I need to tone it down. But each person is different. You make decisions that work best for you and Jacqueline gives 100% of her support no matter what.

If you're curious or have questions about the course, head over to the FAQ's on Jacqueline's website by clicking here.

I am blessed to call Jacqueline a friend and I know how much she puts into this course and that her past experiences and struggles make her an expert in every sense of the word. In addition to being an expert, her passion to help individuals understand the impact sugar has on our overall health and well-being is incredible.

If you feel like this is the right time for you to get control of your diet, feel more energized, and make healthier choices, you can register for GSF as an early bird which includes:

• A copy of Jacqueline's ebook 5 Easy Ways to Look Radiant Tomorrow Morning.
• The 10 full-length free online workouts Jacqueline uses to keep in shape when she doesn’t have time to leave the house to exercise.

Click here to register for the next course, which runs May 7-July 12, 2014.

*This post contains affiliate links. The opinions stated are 100% my own.

Date Simple Syrup

Ingredients

• 5 oz pitted Medjool dates, halved
• 1 1/2 cups water

Instructions

1. Combine the dates and water in a saucepan over medium heat.
2. Bring to a simmer and cook for 10 minutes or until the liquid has reduced by about 1/3.
3. Pour through a fine mesh strainer and into a heatproof jar.
4. Cool completely and store in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks.

Cocktail Friday: Zucchini + Sea Salt Vodka Soda

I am ready for Spring now. It was warm and sunny yesterday and I thought I was going to burst with happiness despite my lack of sleep thanks to a late night ER trip with our little guy who has croup. (All is well now - just waiting it out at this point.) Don't get me wrong. I still love winter and won't complain when we get our inch of slushy stuff tomorrow, but there comes a time in the year when I, along with everyone else, am ready for things to grow and be green. Or as green as things can be here in Colorado.

So, although St. Patrick's Day has come and gone, I have another green cocktail to share with you in honor of Spring. Admittedly, this is not a convenient cocktail to just whip up. I made some zucchini-farro cakes the other night and the recipe required me to shred 2 1/2 pounds of zucchini, sprinkle with salt, then squeeze out the extra juice. I saved the juice because it was so vibrant and beautiful it just broke my heart a little to think of discarding it without a second thought.

I'm so happy I saved it because this is a great trick that will come in very handy this summer. Added to a vodka soda with some lemon juice and a sprinkle of flaky sea salt, this juice makes a lovely, fresh twist on a sometimes boring cocktail. My sister would be offended that I called a vodka soda boring. It's her favorite. I just think everything needs a little sprucing up sometimes.

So, if you find yourself with some leftover zucchini juice (said no one ever), go ahead and give this fun drink a try! You could do something similar with carrot juice, cucumber juice, or even tomato water. What a great way to incorporate veggies into cocktails, right?

OK- that's my contribution to the list of unrealistic-but-super-awesome-cocktails. But seriously, once zucchini season kicks it into high gear I bet you'll find yourself with some leftover juice at least once or twice!

Zucchini + Sea Salt Vodka Soda

Ingredients

• 2 oz zucchini juice (recipe follows)
• 1 1/2 oz vodka
• 3/4 oz lemon juice
• flaky sea salt
• club soda
• 2 lbs zucchini, shredded
• 1 teaspoon salt

Instructions

1. Combine the zucchini juice, vodka, and lemon juice in the bottom of a cocktail glass. Stir to combine.
2. Fill the glass with ice and top with club soda.
3. Sprinkle with a little sea salt and serve immediately.
4. Place the shredded zucchini in a large bowl and sprinkle with the 1 teaspoon salt. Toss to combine.
5. Let sit for 10 minutes.
6. Collect the shredded zucchini in a large, clean dish towel. Squeeze the shredded zucchini over a small bowl until about 1/2-2/3 cup juice has been removed.
7. Save the shredded zucchini for making zucchini bread, zucchini fritters, or to toss with stir-fries.
8. Keep the juice in a jar in the refrigerator for up to 1 week.