Whatever your reason for doing Dry January, it's unlikely to be your love for Sprite over Sauvignon Blanc. For too long, being sober has meant giving up a deliciously reassuring drink at the end of a hard day, but no more... These mouth-watering mocktail recipes will give you seven more reasons to go alcohol free.
Giving up alcohol means you can get up earlier and have more money in your pocket – which means you'll have ample time to engage in extra-cirricular activities that will make you cleverer and "more dynamic". Whether you prefer your tipple sparkling and sweet or bitter with a bit of bite, click through to find something to quench your thirst, wet your whistle and get you through until February, when perhaps that large glass of red will have lost its appeal. Stranger things have happened.
Raspberry ‘Champagne’
50g fresh or frozen raspberries
1- 2 teaspoon elderflower cordial (to taste)
100ml chilled sparkling water
A few extra raspberries to garnish
1. Place raspberries in a small bowl or mug and mash with a spoon or fork until it becomes a puree
2. Add the crushed raspberries to a champagne flute
3. Add elderflower liqueur, top with the sparkling water and stir gently
4. Garnish with one or two raspberries
Artwork by Anna Jay
Bitter is Better
100ml orange juice
100ml unsweetened cranberry juice
Juice of ¼ lemon
Dash of non-alcoholic bitters (to taste)
Sparkling water
½ teaspoon of sugar (optional)
1. Add ice cubes to a long glass
2. Pour juice over ice, add lemon juice and stir
3. Top with sparkling water and add bitters to taste, if too bitter add sugar to sweeten
Artwork by Anna Jay
Grapefruit & Ginger Grog
Juice of ½ fresh grapefruit
100ml ginger beer
Wedge of grapefruit
1. Shake the freshly squeezed grapefruit juice over ice in a cocktail shaker
2. Pour juice and ice into a tumbler
3. Top with ginger beer and add a wedge of grapefruit to serve
Artwork by Anna Jay
Pomegranate Mojito
A few sprigs of mint
1 teaspoon of sugar
½ lime cut into chunks
50ml pomegranate juice
50ml chilled sparkling water
Crushed Ice
1. In a small bowl add 1 teaspoon of boiling water to 1 teaspoon of sugar and stir until the sugar is dissolved
2. Leave to cool then add lime and mint
3. Crush the contents of the bowl together with the end of a rolling pin or wooden spoon
4. Pour the contents of the bowl into a glass over crushed ice
5. Add pomegranate juice and stir
6. Top with sparkling water and garnish with mint leaves
Artwork by Anna Jay
Clear Headed Caipirinha
½ lemon cut into chunks
½ lime cut into chunks
½ orange cut into chunks
1 teaspoon sugar
3 sprigs of mint
165ml ginger beer (or half a standard can)
1. Add all fruit, sugar and most of the mint (leave a few leaves to garnish) to a sturdy bowl and crush with the end of a rolling pin or a wooden spoon
2. Leave for 15 minutes and then strain the juice from the fruit into a tall glass filled with ice
3. Top with ginger beer and garnish with mint leaves to serve
Artwork by Anna Jay
Mango Mocktail
50ml orange juice
50ml pineapple juice
½ mango skinned and cut into chunks
Juice of ½ lime
Very cold water
Glacé cherry to garnish (optional)
1. Place orange juice, pineapple juice, lime juice and mango chunks into a blender
2. Once blended pour into a tumbler over ice, top off with cold water and garnish with glacé cherry
Artwork by Anna Jay
Moscow Mare
165ml ginger beer (or half a standard can)
Juice of ½ lime
50ml sparkling water
1 lime wedge (to garnish)
1. Fill a tumbler half way with crushed ice
2. Pour all ingredients over ice and stir together
3. Garnish with lime wedge to serve.
Artwork by Anna JayLike what you see? How about some more R29 goodness, right here?
This New, Healthier Bacon Is A Game-Changer