Summer Mocktails
It is the dead of summer. The thermometer is reading triple digits and the humidity is 95%. The closest thing to a breeze you can find is sitting next to a snoring spouse. All of this sounds fairly unpleasant, right? Now add to the mix a small human in your uterus, cankles, and the inability to get out of a chair by yourself and you have a downright miserable situation. That, my friends, is what is going on when you are hugely pregnant in the summer.
I vividly remember being 9 months pregnant are seeing 103 degrees on my car thermometer one day after work. I also remember sitting in said car for 5 minutes crying because I barely felt human anymore. No summer clothes fit, no position I could get into was comfortable, and my body did not feel like it could stretch another millimeter. To help me get through that rough time, my husband used to make me mocktails when I got home from work. At the end of a long, hot day having a refreshing little treat kept me sane and made me feel like I was still part of the human race. Here are some of my favorites to help you get through the upcoming summer!
I love the taste of lavender and when this drink is made with just a little bit of sweetener it provides the perfect amount of tartness that I crave while pregnant.
Summer Pineapple Strawberry Cooler
This is a sweet treat for sure! To cut sugar, sometimes I use fresh lime juice instead of the concentrated limeade, but either way it is delicious. This is also a good one to make for a party where you want the option of adding alcohol for some guests. It tastes like a Hawaiian vacation in a glass!
This is a super fancy feeling drink. Rosewater and lychee syrup?! Those ingredients alone make this drink feel luxurious. I find canned lychees at our local Asian food market. If you can’t find them around you and you really want to try this drink (which you should because it is delightful) you can order a 6 can pack from Amazon here. You will be set to make this drink all summer long!
I’ve always been a sucker for a well named drink and this bevvie won me over in that regard. Also, when I was pregnant with my son I craved spicy food like none other. The chipotle pepper and ginger in this mocktail satisfied that need. Not for the faint of heart, this creative drink is one to try at least once!
When I’m not pregnant, my favorite happy hour drink at a local restaurant is a Lemon Lime Ricky. It is perfectly tart and refreshing. When I am pregnant, sometimes heartburn prevents me from drinking too much citrus (It blows my mind that spicy doesn’t give me heartburn but citrus does. Bodies are weird!) My husband found this recipe in his mocktail hunt and replacing the lemon with raspberry was the perfect substitute. It is also a good way to use up the end of a bag of limes!
Nothing says beach time like a blended drink! With this recipe, you get real coconut taste which is what makes a regular pina colada so great. I pretty much consider this a smoothie…so drink up!
At the Pike’s Place Market in Seattle, they sell these peaches every summer called Oh My God peaches and holey moley do they live up to the name. In 13 years of eating them, I’ve never had a bad one. This drink captures the flavor of those peaches but elevates it to a more complex level with the addition of apple cider vinegar.
And finally, my all time favorite go-to drink. Nothing makes a drink feel more special than fresh herbs. The basil and mint leave combo leave me wanting nothing more!
