A step-by-step guide for how to make delicious superfood mocktails at home.
Whether it’s the summer or holiday season, it’s common for us to socialize more and attend gatherings, after-work drinks, happy hours, and cocktail party invites. So today I’m sharing my tips for creating healthy and refreshing mocktails.
The secret to preparing these flavorful beverages is to use whole, fresh ingredients such as plenty of fruit, fresh herbs, seltzer, and your favorite non-alcoholic spirit.
Healthy Mocktail Drink Bases
It all starts with the base! Pick one and build your delicious mocktail from there.
Kombucha
Kombucha is a fermented tea that has excellent probiotic benefits. You brew tea and then add sugar and SCOBY (symbiotic culture of bacteria and yeast). The SCOBY eats the sugar, which turns the tea into a fermented beverage.
Green Juice Or Any Cold-Pressed Juice
Juices make a great base for mocktails because they’re full of flavor from the fruits, veggies, and herbs you add into it. They’re also packed with vitamins, antioxidants, phytonutrients, and minerals. Plus, they’re easier to digest because they don’t have fiber. Try my Carrot Apple Blended Juice or the Stripped Green Juice.
Seltzer or Sparkling Water
We’re big fans of seltzer at team NS! They make a great base for mocktails because they’re bubbly, fizzy, and have a hint of flavor.
You can dress it up with flavors you love, like lemon, lime, berries, or ginger.
Iced Tea
I absolutely love tea because it has a calming effect and it’s more refreshing than coffee. Tea is also packed with health-boosting antioxidants, catechins, and polyphenols that help prevent chronic disease.
Tea also has a complex flavor profile. Tea can range from sweet to earthy, grassy, nutty, or floral. Simply brew tea in a kettle and allow it to steep for at least 12 hours to fully get its flavors and nutrients. Try my Love Your Liver Iced Tea recipe, which features peppermint tea and ginger.
Non-Alcoholic Spirits
We love Ritual Zero Proof non-alcoholic spirits for cocktails because they’re delicious, great for all lifestyles, and versatile so you can enjoy any cocktail.
Ritual Zero Proof uses plant-based botanicals to create incredible flavors that mimic your favorite spirits, offering a Tequila, Gin, Whiskey, and Rum Alternative. The batches of their zero-proof spirits are distilled individually and microfiltered to lock in their purest flavor. Every bottle is date stamped for freshness.
Superfood Mocktail Garnishes & Additions
Once you’ve chosen your base, now you can add in the fun stuff! Here are some of my favorite garnishes:
- Berries
- Ginger
- Cherries
- Pomegranate
- Watermelon
- Citrus fruits: lime, lemon, grapefruit, oranges, and kiwi
- Fresh herbs and flowers: mint, lavender, rose, rosemary, sage, and basil
- Chia seeds
- Bitters
4 Superfood Mocktails and Spritzers to Make at Home
If you’re looking for a place to start, try out some of these recipes! These are my favorite superfood mocktails.
1. Sangria
You’ll never miss the wine in sangria when you have all the other delicious components! My fun, non-alcoholic take on the Spanish drink involves using iced black tea, freshly squeezed orange, and pomegranate juice.
Muddle oranges and apples at the bottom of each glass (or a pitcher) and pour the tea and juice mixture on top. Next, I like to add thin lemon and lime slices as well as some seltzer or sparkling water over it.
The result is a refreshing drink that’s perfect for enjoying al fresco or lounging at home. By muddling the fruits you enhance their sweetness, so you don’t need to add much sweetener. If you want to add a little something, check out my guide to preparing your own Stevia extract or include a touch of honey!
2. Avocado Margarita
My Avocado Margarita is one of my all-time favorite summer drinks! The great news is that you can enjoy this cocktail completely alcohol-free.
What makes this drink a superfood mocktail is — you guessed it — avocados. Avocados are rich in heart-healthy fats and fiber, so this beverage will fill you right up.
Simply add avocado with lime juice, sea salt, a touch of honey, and orange juice in a blender. Blend until the mixture is smooth and liquefied. Garnish with fresh lime zest, sea salt around the rim, and watermelon radish.
You’re left with one festive drink that will woo your dinner guests to the table!
3. Watermelon Mint Twist
Watermelon is incredibly hydrating — it’s actually got more water content than most fruits! It’s also a great source of electrolytes and has essential nutrients, vitamins, and antioxidants. Plus, watermelon takes well to a variety of herbs and is naturally sweet, so you don’t need to add any sweeteners to enhance its flavor.
I’m partial, but I think my Watermelon Mint Twist is one of the best cocktail recipes out there — and mocktail when you omit the vodka! In this recipe, I use watermelon juice and frozen watermelon juice ice cubes for more flavor and presentation. The lemon juice and fresh mint tame the sweetness of the watermelon with a hint of bitterness and tart flavor.
4. Two-Minute Strawberry Lemonade Chia Fresca
Want to change up the way you enjoy your H20? Chia Fresca is what you’ve been looking for!
Chia Fresca is another great way to stay hydrated with extra benefits. Chia seeds are an excellent source of brain and heart-boosting omega-3 fatty acids.
Not to mention, these tiny powerhouses are hydrophilic, meaning they love water and soak up any liquid they’re in. They also swell into a gel-like consistency when they come in contact with water to promote gut health and stabilize blood sugars. What’s not to love?
My Two-Minute Strawberry Lemonade Chia Fresca recipe calls for chia seeds and filtered water, but to turn it into a fun mocktail, you can substitute water with a seltzer.
BONUS!
Click here to try these new 8 mocktail recipes.
Let’s Hear It!
What are some of your favorite mocktail recipes? What flavors do you like to mix and match? Share your summer mocktail recipes with the NS community and post them on Instagram with #nutritionstripped.
