Kombucha Thyme

*I take my brand partnerships very seriously and will always tell you when posts are sponsored. This post is graciously sponsored by Health Ade, my absolute FAVORITE kombucha brand! All opinions are my own, as always.

Happy October! I’m thrilled to welcome cooler temperatures, cozier clothes, and more reasons to make soup and drink apple cider. Go ahead and call me basic or whatever word is used to describe total predictability, because I have ALWAYS loved fall, even before it was trendy, and I don’t plan on stopping that love affair anytime soon.

Yesterday, we went to Minneapolis with my brother and sister-in-law who were visiting from Colorado. We spent much of the day outside. It was hot and humid and pretty much my least favorite weather. There is something about heavy, humid air that makes me feel claustrophobic. So waking up this morning to cold, rainy weather was a huge relief. I’m sitting in front of the fireplace wearing a warm sweater and feeling thankful for my first fall in Minnesota in a very long time. To make up for lost time, I’m OF COURSE putting apple cider (not hard cider, just in case any of my UK friends are reading) in all the things! From cocktails to pancakes to donuts. And now in my kombucha!

Want to know how I like to mix up two of my favorite beverages?

This is less of a recipe and more of a suggestion for dressing up your daily kombucha to make it perfect for fall! Start with Health Ade Grape Vibes Kombucha poured over ice. Add a splash of apple cider and a sprig or two or thyme (rosemary also works beautifully) and sip away!

Cocktail Friday: Blackberry Vanilla Mocktail + VIDEO

When Brad and I lived in Japan, we used to spend Friday nights enjoying Japanese beer, eating delicious Izakaya food (Japanese fried chicken FTW!) and doing pretty much anything we could to kick off the weekend in true 20-something, childless style. These days, with a 3 year old and 7 month old dictating our schedules and energy levels, we tend to lay low on the weekends. Friday nights involve pizza, sometime a movie, and falling asleep on the couch around 9:30pm. Yes. We are that exciting.

Despite the fact that our lifestyle, in a sense, has become much calmer and subdued when it comes to Friday nights, we still try to keep things fancy by making fun drinks from time to time. I love this Blackberry Vanilla Mocktail because it's delicious and kid-friendly but can easily double as an adults-only beverage. This beautiful drink also gave me some variety when I was pregnant, so if you have moms-to-be coming over for dinner, this is the perfect way to make sure they don't feel left out! 

And to show how simple this beautiful beverage is to make, check out my latest video with Penso Entertainment on the FoodieTV Youtube Channel! Don't forget to subscribe to the channel so you don't miss future videos!

Blackberry Vanilla Mocktail

Makes 2 drinks

• 1/3 cup blackberries
• juice of 1/2 a lemon
• 1/2 teaspoon honey
• seeds from 1/4 of a vanilla bean
• Club soda
• Mint and/or lemon slices for garnish

1. In the bottom of a large glass or cocktail shaker, crush the blackberries with the lemon juice, honey and vanilla.
2. Pour the mixture through a fine sieve set over a glass or liquid measuring cup.
3. Fill two short glasses with ice and divide the juice between them. Top with club soda and garnish with mint leaves or lemon slices.