What most people fail to realize about the pumpkin spice craze is this: most pumpkin spice flavored things don’t even involve real pumpkin.

Food companies have found the perfect elixir of synthetically made flavors to invoke that cozy flavor of fall, and they do it well. Pumpkin spice makes its way into everything from Oreos to waffles, but if there’s one item that seems to be the leader of the craze, it’s the pumpkin spice latte.

And who wouldn’t want a caffeinated drink that tastes seasonal? The reality is that your average coffee shop pumpkin spice latte isn’t so good for you, what with all the additives, sugar and calories involved.

Still craving a hot autumn drink? There are plenty of seasonal lattes you could be making at home. Here are 10 ideas for fun seasonal latte drinks

1. Actual pumpkin

While the corporate world is busy making pumpkin spice lattes with no real pumpkin in it, that doesn’t mean you have to. Buy a pumpkin, bake it, make a syrup and you’ll be on your way to homemade pumpkin spice latte bliss.

2. Cinnamon

One of the main spices in an actual pumpkin pie, making a cinnamon syrup and adding to a latte gives your drink that extra spicy kick.

3. Maple syrup

A maple flavored latte will have you feeling like you’re in a forest of maple trees.

4. Cardamom

If cinnamon is a bit too average for you, then a cardamom latte may do the trick. How about a coconut cardamom spiced latte?

5. Ginger

We’re not quite into gingerbread season yet, but a gingerbread latte, made with fresh ginger, is easy to make at home.

6. Apple cider

Sure, it sounds like a bit of an odd combo, but a dash of apple cider in coffee gives you the sensation that you’re drinking an apple pie.

7. Butternut squash

Oh hey now, squash in a latte? It’s not weird when it’s pumpkin, now is it? Butternut puree and butterscotch come together for this autumn latte that’s certainly a bit out of the ordinary.

8. Rum

Spike that latte my friends.

9. Sweet potato

This Korean recipe actually doesn’t involve coffee, but it’s warm, creamy and full of seasonal flavor.

10. Salted caramel

Make your own salted caramel and serve up a caramel latte to all your friends, then let the caffeine and sugar kick in.

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The post Forget Pumpkin Spice, Here are 10 Other Fall Flavors to Put in Your Latte appeared first on EcoSalon.

Drinking vinegar: perfect for healthy sodas or creative cocktails. 

In the U.S., drinking vinegar, also known as a “shrub,” go back to colonial days, which makes sense: if you didn’t have a refrigerator and wanted to preserve fruit, mashing it up with sugar and adding a little vinegar was a great way to do so. Vinegar-based drinks go back even farther than that, all the way to Roman times in fact, when vinegar and water were mixed together for the drink called posca.

Tart and sweet all at the same time, drinking vinegars are good on their own and perfect as a base for a cocktail. Fortunately for you, they’re easy to make at home. Here’s a basic guide to getting you on drinking vinegar going at home.

Get the right equipment

Essential tools for making drinking vinegars include cheesecloth (or something to strain with), a glass jar to make your drinking vinegar in, and a nice bottle to store it in.

Pick your base

Making drinking vinegar is the perfect way to put end of season fruit and berries to use. Essentially you can use any fruit you want, and it doesn’t need to be pretty fruit; all those bruised pears you didn’t know what to do with now have a purpose. You can also go beyond fruits, for more savory tasting drinking vinegars. Think vegetables that have a sweetness to them, like beets and carrots. Even fennel can work paired with the right ingredients.

Choose your method

There are two main methods for making drinking vinegar: the hot process and the cold process. The hot process involves using the stove to make a syrup, while the cold process simply involves letting  fruit, vinegar and sugar sit and do their own thing. I’m personally a fan of combining the fruit and vinegar in a jar and shaking method.

As a general rule of thumb for drinking vinegars, go for a ratio of one part fruit, one part sugar and one part vinegar, like an apple cider vinegar. Some recipes call for macerating the fruit with sugar first and then adding in the vinegar about 24 hours later, and other ones combine the fruit and vinegar first and then add in the sugar.

Let it sit

If you’re making drinking vinegars with the cold process method, don’t expect instant gratification. The drinking vinegar has to sit and age a little, usually for about a week.

Get creative with ingredients

Don’t forget that beyond your base ingredients you add in herbs to change up the drinking vinegar. Everything from basil to vanilla bean to rose petals.

Mix and drink

Once you’ve got your drinking vinegar prepared, it’s time to drink it. Go for a 5 to 1 ratio of water to drinking vinegar, and then adjust from there depending on your tastes. You can use drinking vinegars and sparkling water to make a healthy soda, or add a bit of alcohol to create a fun cocktail.

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Explore these homemade cocktail mixers for drink recipes that are perfect for summer celebrating.

If you’re planning to spend July 4th with a celebratory cocktail in your hand, forget going to the store to buy some cheap, sugary cranberry juice. No, for a good party you’re going to need something a little classier. Homemade cocktail mixers, perhaps? These nine homemade cocktail mixers and drink recipes will all add a little pep to your Fourth of July celebrating–or any other summertime fun you have planned.

1. Make: Ginger Ale

Drink: Ginger Ale with Bourbon

What’s more American than a good bourbon? Bourbon with ginger ale. But you don’t need to buy ginger ale to get the fizzy drink with a kick. Invest in some fresh ginger and make your ginger ale yourself. Then get a good bottle of bourbon and mix away.

2. Make: Lemon verbena infused vodka

Drink: Lemon Verbena Drop

Have some lemon verbena on hand? Use it to infuse vodka and make a new spin on a lemon drop; you’ll feel like you’re drinking summer in a glass.

3. Make: Mint simple syrup

The Shortcut Mojito

This one’s called a “shortcut” mojito, because you make a mint infused syrup first, allowing you to skip the muddling part. Perfect if you’re hosting a party and many mojitos need to be made.

4. Make: Sour mix

Drink: Whiskey Sour

Using lemons and limes you can make your own sour mix, then just add whiskey and you’ve got yourself a super simple whiskey sour.

5. Make: Jalapeño infused tequila

Drink: Spicy margaritas

Of all the drink recipes, none of them say “summer” as much as the margarita, and to step things up a notch, make your own jalapeño infused tequila for a spicy version.

6. Make: Hibiscus-lime syrup

Drink: Hibiscus-Tequila Cooler

While we’re on the subject of tequila, let’s move on to a drink that’s just a little more exotic. The Hibiscus-Tequila Cooler is made with a simple syrup concocted with limes and dried hibiscus flours. The result is a red drink that’s sure to please a crowd.

7. Make: Rhubarb shrub

Drink: Spiced rhubarb gimlet

With coriander seeds and pink peppercorn, you get a punchy rhubarb shrub. Then all you need to do is add a little gin and bitters (you can make those yourself too!) and you have yourself a gimlet.

8. Make: Apricot puree

Drink: Apricot bellini

At some point during Fourth of July weekend you’re probably going to end up brunching, and when you do, you’ll want a festive drink. Grab some apricots, make a puree, add a little sparkling wine and you have yourself a tasty bellini.

9. Make: Blackberry syrup

Drink: Blackberry spritzer

Blackberries can easily be turned into a syrup, and once you have that, your options for drink recipes are endless. Make up a batch of blackberry spritzer perhaps?

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Image: Louise Ireland

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A selection of sparkling, white and rosé wine to keep your summer well hydrated. 

Summer is the time the wine glasses come out in abundance. Warm weather encourages relaxing, and what better way to relax than with a glass of wine – rosé wine perhaps? – in your hand? Yes, this is the season of long dinner parties and entertaining, and you have to keep it well fueled.

We’ve gathered up a few of our favorite bottles for summer, all from wineries that care about their farming and grape growing practices.

1. Montinore Borealis 2013

Situated in the Willamette Valley in Oregon, Montinore is a certified Demeter biodynamic estate, and all their wines are noteworthy, but the Borealis deserves a special mention. The Borealis is a special blend of Muller-Thurgau, Riesling, Gewurztraminer, and Pinot Gris. The result is an aromatic, floral wine, that brings the perfect pop to a summer evening.

2. Frey Organic Agriculturist 2012

While you shouldn’t buy wine for the label, the Frey Organic Agriculturist would be pretty hard to turn down. Fortunately though, the wine inside is also well worth the purchase. The white blend has an ability to pair with a variety of flavors, making it the perfect dinner party wine.

3. Montevina Pinot Grigio 2012

Employing sustainable practices in their vineyards, the Montevina winery has owl boxes to encourage natural removal of pests. That means you can feel good about drinking this Pinot Grigio, which with its aroma of pears and summer peaches, makes for a good basic summer white that will please a crowd.

4. Kung Fu Girl Riesling 2013

Made by renowned vintner Charles Smith, this Riesling pairs well with spicy dishes, like a good Thai curry, as well as grilled seafood. All of the Charles Smith vineyards use recycled water and the most minimal pest and disease controls.

5.Domaine Carneros Brut Rosé 2012

Organic bubbles you want? Organic bubbles you will have. And why not have pink bubbles? At $37 a bottle, this Brut Rosé may be on the pricier end for some, but if you’ve got something to celebrate this summer, it’s a good option, particularly since Domaine Carneros grows their wine grapes on certified organic vineyards.

6. Cline 2013 Mourvèdre Rosé

A black skinned grape, Mourvèdre is a common grape in the French Rhone region as well as Alicante, Spain. In fact, it’s what added to Spanish cava to get cava rosé. But you don’t have to cross the Atlantic to get it. Try a bottle of this rosé wine from Cline Cellars in Sonoma, who employ a variety of sustainable farming practices in their vineyards.

7. Frei Brothers Reserve Russian River Valley Chardonnay 2010

Some can’t go a summer without a glass of Chardonnay. If so, this wine’s for you. You have a bit of apple and citrus flavors, followed by an oaky finish. Frei’s grapes are all sustainably grown, and they even capture and reuse rainwater in their vineyards. 

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What are bitters? If you want to up the ante on your cocktail recipes, you need to know a thing or two about bitters.

Unless you’re a bartender or a cocktail aficionado, you’re probably aware that a lot of drinks have bitters in them, but you might be hard-pressed to say what they actually are. As an essential to the modern bar, to master your cocktail making skills it’s a good idea to familiarize yourself with bitters and what to do with them.

Here’s a quick guide to act as your introduction to the bitter world.

What are bitters?

Think of bitters as the spice of the cocktail world. They have a long history going back to the 1700s when they were developed by physicians and acted as medicinal tonics. A bitter is essentially a blend of either herbs, fruits, spices, or roots that are distilled in a strong liquor.

Angostura is probably the most common of the bitters, and even if you’re not steeped in the cocktail world you have probably already heard mention of it. Concocted in the river trading town of Angostura, Venezuela (now, Ciudad Bolívar), in the 1820s by a German doctor, Johann Gottlieb Benjamin Siegert, working for Simón Bolívar, Angostura bitters quickly became popular amongst sailors looking to ease sea sickness. Nowadays you’ll find Angostura bitters in a variety of drinks, like an Old Fashioned or a champagne cocktail.

Can you make bitters at home?

While there are plenty of brands out there making bitters, both big and small, you can also go truly artisan and start making them yourself. The basics are mixing spices with a high proof alcohol and then allowing enough time for them to all sit and steep together. You’re not really restricted to what you use, you can blend a variety of spices and herbs as you see fit; a fun opportunity to experiment and have a homemade addition to your cocktail recipes. Make your own bitters and your own simple syrups and you will truly have a DIY cocktail bar.

How do you use bitters?

Since we’re considering bitters the spice of the cocktail world, use them a little like you would salt and pepper. That’s to say, they are not intended for consumption on their own, but add a few drops to a drink and you can completely change the taste. Start with some classic aromatic bitters – like Angostura or Peychaud’s – and then branch out.

You can get into fruit bitters, like Bar Keep’s organic apple or grapefruit, and even spicy bitters, like Sriracha from Brooklyn Hemispherical Bitters. Or how about Thai Bitters from The Bitter End? If you’re feeling like you really wanting to commit to your new bitter habit, you can even invest in a Bitters Travel Pack so you can take your bitters with you. yes, they are in TSA-friendly sized bottles.

While the bitter options may seem overwhelming, keep in mind that having just one or two bitters on hand in your at-home bar can allow you to make a variety of cocktails.

Happy cocktail making.

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Image: Dominic Lockyer

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A round up of cocktail recipes that are sure to add some cheer to any holiday party.

Mediocre spiked egg nog isn’t the only holiday drink on the block. There are plenty of creative combinations that bring together seasonal flavors and festive spices. Couldn’t your holiday party do with one of them? Here is a round up of 10 cocktail recipes to really get into the holiday mood, and ensure that your guests do the same.

1. Hot Buttered Chartreuese

You may have thought that hot butter was reserved for rum, but Cocktail genius Jacob Grier created this drink which uses the iconic French liquor.

2. Chai Spiced Cider

Rum pairs up with cider, cardamom and cloves for a spicy, warm drink that’s particularly perfect when your guests are arriving from a cold weather journey to get to your home.

3. Beer Nog

This is the beer lover’s egg nog, blending porter with a dash of Cognac. Hello, winter.

4. Vegan Irish Cream Liqueur

Just because you’re serving cocktails to the vegan crowd doesn’t mean they can’t be creamy. Try this holiday-themed liqueur made with coconut milk that’s as good over ice as it is in coffee.

5. Orange Cardamom Cocktail

This one is sort of like taking an orange stuffed with cloves and turning it into a drink. Except that the cloves are cardamom pods.

6. Perfect Manhattan

If classic cocktail recipes are what you’re after, go for the Perfect Manhattan, which uses sweet and dry vermouth, as well as a brandied cherry for garnish.

7. Red Nose Punch

If you’re serving a crowd, punch is a great way to go. This one is made by freezing a bundt mold full of cranberries and pouring over a mixture of bourbon and lager, making for a festive libation.

8. Smoked Old Fashioned

Turn a classic Old Fashioned into something a little different by making your own simple syrup with lapsang souchong, the smoky Chinese tea.

9. Sparkling and Spiced Winter Sangria with Ginger, Cranberries, Black Pepper and Citrus

Who ever said sangria was just for summer? This spicier version is perfect for winter, and made with sparkling cava which makes for a celebratory drink.

10. Cranberry Orange Gin Fizz with Thyme

A little citrus, a little gin, a little thyme and you have yourself a fresh and fizzy holiday cocktail.

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Image: John O’Nolan

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11 cocktail recipes for the hippest happy hour in town.

Been finding a whole lot of infusions and craft spirits on the drink menu lately? Cocktails are having a comeback (did they ever really leave) and that means good drinks, served strong. Fortunately, you don’t have to hit up the bar to drink them. You may think your only option for the at-home bar is a dirty martini, but think again: hipster cocktail recipes are just a few infused simple syrups and specialty spirits away.

For those looking to be their own innovative bartender, here are 11 cocktail recipes to make sure you stay on top of the cocktail trend. Mustaches and bartender vests not included.

1. The Three-Ingredient Cocktails

Simplicity is sexy, and the first thing on your list should be to master some classic cocktail recipes, like a Manhattan, Negroni or an Old Fashioned. Why go overboard with ingredients when you can keep it three and under? Look for locally distilled spirits to keep it as hip as possible.

2. Death in the Afternoon

So you were looking for a way to drink absinthe that didn’t involve sugar cubes and fire? Then here’s the cocktail for you: absinthe and champagne, go.

3. Elderflower and Lime Martini

Elderflower cordial seems to be popping up in lots of cocktail recipes these days. Mixed with lime juice, it provides for a refreshing twist on a classic martini.

4. Cardamom Moscow Mule

Made popular during the vodka craze of the 1950s, a Moscow Mule cocktail recipes typically involve vodka, ginger beer and lime. And what better way to modernize it than with a homemade, cardamom infused ginger ale? For authenticity, find a set of traditional copper mugs before you serve it.

5. The Pickleback

This drink combo pairs two foodie loves: good whiskey and pickling. Yes, all this is is a shot of whiskey followed by a shot of pickle brine, which of course you should have plenty of on hand, because you’ve been pickling your own dills for quite some time now, right?

6. Mezcal & Mayhem

Want cocktail recipes that prove your booze prowess? Skip the tequila and go for the mexcal instead. Made by roasting agave hearts, mezcal has a deep, smoky flavor. In this recipe, which blends little Campari and a Belgian trippel-style beer, you’re sure to win the hearts of those in search of a distinct drink.

7. The Blood & Sand

Scotch in a cocktail? Scotch purists may shudder in shame, but if you need a gentle introduction to drinking scotch this can be a good place to start. Make it by mixing the peaty drink with orange juice and sweet vermouth.

8. Sage and Peppercorn Old Fashioned

Herb-infused cocktail recipes are gaining in popularity, especially those that use savory herbs that most of us would associate with dinner dishes. Take sage for example: in this cocktail, sage leaves are paired with bitters and rye whiskey for a cocktail that screams of autumn.

9. Carrot Beet Shrub

Vinegary shrub cocktail recipes are super trendy, and they’re even better when made with obscure ingredients, particularly vegetables. Because everyone likes a drink which can be pawned off as moderately healthy. Beet juice? But of course.

10. Shift Drink

There is a certain type that has a love affair with Fernet-Branca; most of the ones I know are bartenders. It’s aromatic and very herb heavy, so it’s not for the faint of heart. But mixed with a little rye whiskey and ginger syrup, you have a classic cocktail that most people will be hard pressed to turn down.

11. Dark Moon

Rum is also making a comeback, and in this recipe it’s mixed with another hipster drink of choice: cold brew. That’s right, a creamy caffeinated cocktail. Make sure you’re not drinking it before bed.

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Celebratory sparkling drinks that aren’t champagne. Toast!

I live by the policy that everything is better with bubbles, be it champagne, prosecco or muddled blackberries and sparkling water. There’s something about a fizzy drink that’s festive. But you don’t have to have a standard bottle of bubbly on hand to celebrate. Here are 15 sparkling drinks that are champagne alternatives for celebratory drinks, putting a spin on the classic flute. Some are healthy, some are non-alcoholic, some are a bit more upscale, all are delicious.

1. Crémant

To be labeled Champagne, the grapes have to come from the Champagne region in France, but here’s the thing: there are plenty of sparkling wines that are equally, if not more tastier. Crémants are a wonderful alternative, and come from classic French wine regions like Alsace, Loire, Burgundy and Bordeaux.

2. Homemade ginger ale

Sounds more complicated than it is; all you need to do to make ginger ale is brew up a ginger simple syrup, add some fizzy water and you have a glorious sparkling drink. Easy. And if you’re feeling like you want more of a cocktail, add a little bourbon.

3. Cava

The Spanish sparkly is a perfect addition to a good round of tapas. You can also mix it with pomegranate for a great cocktail.

4. Gueuze 

Want the champagne of the beer world? Track down a Belgian style gueuze, a tart and naturally effervescent drink that’s part of the lambic family. Also referred to as a sour beer, the taste isn’t for everyone, but if you’re in the mood for a bubbly Belgian brew, you can also go for one of the sweeter, fruitier lambics like framboise.

5. Prosecco

The Italian bubbly is another classic sparkling drink that’s a perfect champagne alternative, produced in the hills of Treviso. It’s the main ingredient of the classic Bellini, and if you’re looking to go full on European with your drink, use to to make an Aperol Spritz.

6. Lemonade

All you have to do to lemonade to step it up a notch is add some sparkling water. Instant party hit, with or without alcohol added. Try this Honey, Ginger Sparkling Lemonade recipe.

7. Cider

Hard cider hasn’t always had its roll in American drinking culture as it has in places like England, but a good, chilled cider is perfect for celebrating and can often be found in non-alcoholic varieties. The other benefit? It’s gluten free.

8. Kombucha

It might sound a little on the health freak side, but a cocktail made with kombucha is not only bubbly, but also delicious. Brew your own batch and then mix away; you can make everything from a Kombucha Cosmopolitan to The Petticoat, made with St. Germain, the French elderflower liqueur.

9. Fizzy Blood Orange Drinks 

The juice of a blood orange has just the extra bit of zest to it that makes it a cocktail favorite, and it loves being served with a carbonated component. Try it with vodka and rosemary for a Bloody Rose, the more sophisticated older sister to Mary.

10. Grapefruit Mojito

This recipe for a grapefruit mojito is a non-alcholic take on the classic cocktail. Need a little bubble? Just add sparkling water.

11. Sparkling Fruit Cordials

Making your own fruit cordials is as simple as boiling water, fruit and sugar together; it’s an excellent way to put an overabundance of summer fruit picking to good use. Raspberry, blackcurrant, blueberry, cherry, elderflower – the options are endless. The concentrated liquid is then diluted with water, or sparkling water if you’re going for a bubbly drink. Concoct a batch of cordial, pour a little into a glass, top off with sparkling water and a few ice cubes, add a twist of lemon and you’re finished.

12. Sparkling Tea

Sparkling tea (iced, not hot) is easy to make yourself and allows you to significantly cut down on the sugar in a more standard sweet drink. Try a Sparkling Tea Lemonade with green or a fruit black tea or make one with lemon, cucumber and mint.

13. Mead

Made from honey, mead is most often associated with the Vikings, has been around since before beer and wine, and nowadays is popular with the homebrewing crowd. It can be flavored with various fruits and spices which allows you to get creative with taste combinations. All you need are a few supplies like a gallon glass jar and yeast and you are off and running. Want the full rundown? Check out this step-by-step mead guide.

14. Homemade Wine

Don’t let the people at the vineyards have all the fun; if you have fruit then you can make your own wine, and is there any better champagne alternative than a drink you made yourself? Not only good for drinking, you can also add them to sauces, vinaigrettes and beyond. They take awhile to make, and it won’t be a top notch Burgundy, but at least it will be homemade and slightly exotic when you serve it.

15. Fermented Fruit Juices

Instead of just adding sparkling water to juices, ferment them to create natural bubbles. Let watermelon sit with yeast overnight and you can make a delightful Watermelon-Mint Soda or try your hand at a different version of the Russian beverage kvass, made with your pick of organic fruits and berries.

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The first time I saw cardamom bitters on a cocktail menu I was ecstatic. The second time I was amused. The third time I thought to myself, “wait, I should be able to make that.”

Bitters are one of those things that may come off as complicated but are actually relatively simple to make; brewing bitters is really just steeping spices in high-proof alcohol. You have to get the ratios right, and sometimes the ingredients can be a little complex, but the end result is creative and classy, and you turn yourself into a bit of a cocktail connoisseur.

Although we think of them as cocktail necessities, bitters go back to the times when certain alcohols were marketed as medicines. Angostura bitters, one of the most popular brands of bitters, was first made in Venezuela by a German physician and used as a cure for sea sickness and stomach issues. Since then bitters have obviously gone on to bigger and brighter things.

Once a staple in the at home bar, bitters fell off the radar for a while, but are back with a vengeance with the resurgence in classic cocktails, like Manhattans and Old Fashioneds. Instead of buying your own bitters, make your own. This allows for a bit of creativity, so you really can start bottling your cardamom/fennel infusion and making your own cocktail recipes out of it. Here are some basics to making your own bitters.

Choose a high-proof alcohol

Depending on which bitter recipe you refer to, you will find anything from Everclear to rum to vodka to bourbon. It all depends on what type of a taste you are going for.

Allow for time

Because you are steeping ingredients, you will not make bitters overnight. Depending on the recipe, you will need to let the ingredients sit for about a week to 25 days.

Source good ingredients

If you use old spices, you won’t get the same results. Make sure you select high quality roots, herbs, and spices to play with. When else do you have the chance to mess around with ingredients like wormwood and quassia bark?

Have jars on hand

When letting your bitters sit and infuse, they will need to be in sealable jars. In other words, make sure you have some mason jars on hand.

Go beyond the cocktail

Bitters don’t have to be reserved for the cocktail glass. You can also use them in cooking, salad dressings and more. Get creative!

Recipes to start with

• Grapefruit bitters are so easy that you will be hard pressed to buy them again.
• Basic aromatic bitters are a good start for anyone looking to build up their home bar.
• Jacob Grier’s recipe for coffee bitters is a must-have, and you get to choose which coffee you use (don’t skimp on the quality of course).
• Hellfire bitters if you’re in the mood to make a bitter with chili and espresso beans and end up with one intense cocktail.
• Cocoa bitters if you are a chocolate fiend.

Image: _gee_

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Get tipsy without tipping the scale.

A lot can go wrong in the preparation of a cocktail. The most common culprit – sugar. Whether it be by way of corn syrup, an artificial fruit blend, or straight up white cane, it is very difficult to get a forgiving cocktail when out on the town. And who wants to fuss at the bar? Going out is a time to let loose and relax, not bring a subtext of conditionality with every drink order.

But when you’re at home, the game changes – you have complete control! The trick is now to bring your hard-earned buzz the flavor, not the kill. A standard restaurant or bar mojito will contain upwards of 200 calories. Replace the sugar with a calorie-free alternative and you can cut the calories by nearly half. This recipe is a fun twist on a mint mojito. It uses fresh peaches for summery sweetness and stevia to replace the otherwise pound-packing cane sugar.

Enjoy!

Skinny Peach Mojito

Serves 1

Ingredients:

• 1 peach
• 6-8  mint leaves
• Juice of half a lime
• 3-4 drops liquid stevia (1 small packet powder stevia)
• 2 ounces rum
• Large handful of ice cubes
• Club soda

Directions:

Skin and then puree the peach. Pour it into the bottom of a cocktail glass. Add 6 mint leaves, the stevia, and the lime juice. Muddle the ingredients to release the mint’s flavor as well as distribute the sweetness from the stevia.

Add the rum and ice cubes. Top off the remaining space in the cup with the club soda. Garnish with mint leaves and serve. If you want a virgin peach mojito, nix the rum altogether. Garnish with fresh mint leaves and serve.

Bottoms up!

Photo Source: DavidKenny

Aylin Erman currently resides in Istanbul and is creator of plant-based recipe website GlowKitchen.

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