End March With These Insanely Easy Mocktails
March is the transitory phase between spring and summer where the weather goes from pleasant to uncomfortable, real quick. And before you realise it all the dehydration of winter catches up with you and you find yourself incredibly thirsty. Drinking water gets boring pretty soon and this is the perfect time to find creative ways to boost your body's hydration. We are talking about mocktails that use bubbly, hydrating and sweet juices, soda and fruits to fill your belly and your daily hydration quota. These mocktails are all single-serve, so do adjust the quantity according to your needs.
Berry Spritzer Mocktail
Berries meet sparkling water meet lime juice, what's not to love about this mocktail? It is perfect for the summer-spring transition month that March actually is.
Ingredients
240 ml Plain sparkling water
60 gm Fresh blackberries
60 gm Fresh raspberries
Zest of 1/2 lemon
Fresh mint leaves (approximately 4-6 leaves)
1 cup ice cubes
Method
Add the berries into a wide glass and muddle them nicely with a muddler or a spoon, then add the lemon zest to the glass.
Squeeze a dash of lemon juice or drop in slices of lime.
Add the sparkling water, mix well and then add the ice, and mint leaves and stir again.
March Mayhem Kombucha
This mocktail recipe combines the sharp tang of kombucha with limeade for a zany end-of-March beverage.
Ingredients
120 ml Kombucha
60 ml Limeade (instructions below)
15 ml Lime Juice
Ice Cubes
Sprigs of Thyme
To make limeade, you will need:
10 ml Lime juice (approximately half of 1 small lime)
40 ml Water, divided
1 tbsp sugar
1/4 tsp grated zest of lime
Method
Combine the lime juice and 30 ml water in a small container and stir to combine.
In a small saucepan, combine the sugar, the remaining water, and the lime zest. Bring to a boil, allowing the sugar to dissolve. Remove from heat and let cool for a minute or two.
Strain the simple syrup through a fine mesh strainer to remove the lime zest.
Add 12 ml (approximately 2 1/2 tsp) of the simple syrup to the lime juice mixture and stir to combine. Taste and adjust sweetness by adding more simple syrup if desired.
Now fill a tall glass with ice cubes then pour the kombucha, limeade, and lime juice.
Muddle the thyme sprigs and put them in the drink and serve.
Sunny Mango Mocktail
It might not officially be mango season yet, but here’s a mocktail that will satisfy your aam cravings and remind you of the brilliance of the sun.
Ingredients
150 ml Plain sparkling water
60 ml Mango juice
1/2 lime, sliced thin
A few mint leaves
Crushed ice (1/4 cup)
Method
Add one lime piece and the mint leaves to a tall glass and muddle both ingredients. Don’t overdo it otherwise the drink will end up becoming bitter.
Add the crushed ice next, then top with the mango juice and sparkling water
Plonk the remaining lime pieces into the drink, insert a straw and drink away.
Cream Soda Mocktail
Quite a simple 3-ingredient mocktail recipe, this. It’s perfect for the end of March as it marks the last few days before the scorching sun makes it impossible to enjoy surf or sand.
Ingredients
250 ml Plain sparkling water
45 ml Simple syrup (you can use infused ones too)
15 ml Heavy cream
1 cup ice
Method
Mimicking a cocktail’s ritual for absinthe, pour the syrup into the bottom of the layer and swirl around to coat the rest of the glass.
Add ice to the glass then pour the sparkling water leaving some space for the cream.
Pour the heavy cream over the sparkling water, to fill the remaining space.
Stir before drinking.
Pina Colada Mocktail
Lest we forget, about time this classic summer drink was reintroduced for the year as summer slowly creeps up and the heat is just about bearable in the mornings. For best results use chilled pineapple juice and coconut milk.
Ingredients
100 ml Fresh pineapple juice
100 ml Coconut milk
Quarter lime (juiced)
1 tsp Icing sugar
1 cup Ice cubes
Lime slices, for garnishing
Method
Combine the chilled pineapple juice, coconut milk, lime juice, and icing sugar using a blender or a shaker.
Blend or shake vigorously until the mixture is combined and turns slightly frothy.
Pour the blended mixture into a tall glass filled with ice cubes.
Garnish with a lime slice or two and a cocktail umbrella (optional).
