Plant-based mocktails are bright, refreshing and another excellent way to get more plants into our lives. January can bring the blahs. This is especially true if you live anywhere near the ice, wind, snow and cold temps that make us feel anything but bright and cheerful. January does tend to make us all feel like we have to restart something. Shout out to everyone having a plant-based and joyful time in recognition of Veganuary. 31 days of fruits, grains and vegetables sounds like fun to me!
January doesn’t have to be boring just because you have decided to lean back from alcohol. Dry January is a great time to try something new. Leaning into plant-based nutrition is not about giving things up. Plants can expand your food vocabulary and plant-based mocktails are proof of that.
What Are Plant-Based Mocktails?
Plant-based mocktails are non-alcoholic beverages created with whole plants. Yep! That means fresh fruit, herbs, spices, teas and sparkling waters. No next-day regret, just plenty of flavor and fun. No alcohol, fake sweeteners or chemicals. Take a look at the history and recipes for the Paloma and the Mojito. Two of my fave plant-based mocktails.
A Little History: The Paloma and The Mojito
The Paloma is made with grapefruit soda, lime juice and a pinch of salt. It’s loved in Mexico and around the world. When shopping for your grapefruit soda, keep an eye out for the word Pamplemousse which is grapefruit in french. You may also see Pomelo which is grapefruit in spanish.
Paloma means dove and according to the folks at Patron, Don Javier Delgado Corona, owner of La Capilla, the oldest bar in Jalisco, Mexico, was credited as the inventor of the Paloma for years. But guess what? He denied ever creating the popular drink. Can you imagine? Well cheers to the anonymous creator. We love it even when we make it without tequila.
The Paloma Mocktail
Ingredients:
- 6 oz Grapefruit Soda
- 2 oz Sparkling water (grapefruit, plain or lime flavored)
- 3 oz lime juice
- 2 tbs agave syrup or liquid cane sugar (add one more for taste if you like)
- 1 tbs fresh mint
- slices of lime and mint for garnish
- ice
How to Make It:
Use a mortar and pestle to press mint leaves to release the mint oil. Don’t have one? No problem…place mint on a cutting board and use the back of your spoon to press on the leaves. Add mint to your glass. Add ice, agave, grapefruit soda, sparkling water and lime juice. Garnish with mint/slices of lime. Enjoy!
The Mojito is a wildly popular beverage that we give credit to Havana, Cuba for gifting to the world. Like most older recipes, this one is up for dispute as well. Legend has it that the original mojito was a blend of sugar cane and lime designed to “cure” an episode of scurvy that broke out on the ship led by English explorer Francis Drake. We now know that the limes offered up vitamin C which helped folks feel better but I’m sure the sugar helped with the taste.
The Bacardi brand launched in Cuba in 1862 and its rum quickly became the foundation of the modern mojito made from mint leaves, limes, sugar and club soda. This recipe skips the rum but not the flavor. Have fun making your own refreshing glass or pitcher of No-Jito.
The Golden No-Jito
Ingredients:
- 2 Tsp Lime Juice or the Juice of 1/2 Lime
- 8 Mint Leaves
- 1 Tbs Liquid Cane Sugar or Granulated Sugar
- 6-8 oz of Lime Seltzer Water
- Ice
How to Make It
Add mint leaves, lime juice and sugar to a mortar bowl. Use the pestle to press down on the mint leaves to release those wonderful mint oils. Fill a 6-8 oz glass with ice. Spoon your mint/lime/sugar mixture into the glass. Pour the seltzer water over the ice. Garnish with more mint leave and lime slices. Enjoy!
Why Try Dry January With Plant-Based Mocktails?
Did you know that skipping alcohol for 30 days is not just a trendy thing to do? It’s also a great way to transform your mind and body! Take a look at some benefits for participating in an alcohol reset.
- Sleep Better: Alcohol can distrupt your dream sleep. Remove it and see if your sleep quality improves.
- Give Your Gut a Break: Reduce bloating, inflammation and reflux.
- Skin Glow: Alcohol can dehydrate your skin. Drink more water and plant-based mocktails and see if you skin isn’t brighter in the days to come.
- Skip the Groggy and Hazy Days: Without alcohol in your system, you may feel mentally clear, upbeat, focused and more chill in general.
Plant-Based Mocktails At Home and With Friends
Be sure to go all out during your celebration of Dry January:
- Serve mocktails in beautiful glasses
- Choose mocktails when dining out
- Garnish with citrus, herbs, berries, edible flowers
- Invite friends over for a Mocktail Girls Night In
- Add a plant-based mocktail to your self-care routine at night
Sip Joyfully in the New Year
Plant-based mocktails allow you to celebrate without compromising fun. This January, let your glass be full of flavor and intention. Here’s to living Plant-Based & Joyful — all year long. 💚
LA is a plant-based advocate from the Boogie Down Bronx and always excited about getting more fruits, grains and veggies on her plate. She is also an Amazon Influencer and may earn some coin if you shop with her. Shop at the Black Girls Eat Shop on Amazon for Meal Prep Ideas, Plant-Based and Vegetarian Cookbooks and all of the Kitchen Gadgets you need to chef it up in your kitchen. Want to Stay Connected?
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