The Best Skinny Spring Mocktails (or Cocktails)

With everything still going on in the world, it’s hard to believe its almost Memorial Day right? While we can’t travel and attend big Memorial Day BBQs like we used to, we can still get in the summer spirit with some cocktails (or mocktails) that absolutely scream SUMMER.

I created these cocktail recipes for Zoom happy hours with friends (inspired by the cocktails at one of my favorite SF restaurants, The Tipsy Pig) and while they are DELICIOUS with booze, they’re also just as good without it!

I had never been a big ‘mocktail’ person before quarantine – typically I either just want water, or I want a real cocktail. But when quarantine hit and all the days started blending together, I quickly realized how easy it was to slip into the pattern of opening a bottle of wine for dinner when every day felt like a Friday.

And no judgments if you have been drinking more than usual – it’s a global pandemic – we’re all trying to figure this out.

BUT I know I 100% don’t feel my best when I’m drinking regularly, so I’ve been trying to stick to saving any alcohol for the weekends, and keeping the weekdays clean – same as I did pre-quarantine.

Because while alcohol can be relaxing the moment, it has a host of downstream side effects (which I’m sure we all know). But one interesting effect that I learned recently while researching sleep, is how alcohol affects GABA.

GABA is the main inhibitory neurotransmitter in the brain – a fancy way of saying it’s of the main compounds that helps us feel  R E L A X E D  and  C A L M  by putting the ‘brakes’ on the activity in our brain.

You know that relaxation buzz you get on your first drink? That’s because alcohol acts on the brain’s GABA receptors, producing the same effect. Benzodiazepines such as Xanax also work GABA receptors – pretty crazy right?

So while GABA is great for feeling relaxed and calm, boosting GABA through alcohol has a downside, especially for sleep. The GABA boost while drinking will help you fall asleep as GABA continues to suppress excitatory neural activity, but once all that extra GABA is metabolized, it’s recycled into Glutamate, the brains main excitatory neurotransmitter. This is why we often wake in the middle of the night, have more restless sleep, etc. after drinking. And sleep is SO important for our health – it affects our hunger levels the next day, our immune system, and our hormones.

All of which is a LONG winded way to say: mocktails have been my go-to for the weekdays during quarantine. It’s the perfect placebo effect really – it gives me the ritual of making a ‘cocktail’, it tastes DELICIOUS, and it gives me the perfect evening drink to switch it up from my Hydroflask of water I sip on all day.

These are my two favorite flavor combos, but feel to experiment! Muddle your favorite fruit with your favorite herbs and see how it turns out!

STRAWBERRY MINT LIME

WHAT YOU NEED

• 2-3 frozen strawberries
• Juice of one lime
• Couple sprigs of fresh mint leaves
• 1-2 droppers liquid stevia
• Tiny pinch of pink salt
• Sparkling water
• Optional: 1.5oz (1 shot) vodka

HOW TO DO IT

1. In a medium-size glass (I love mason jars for these), add the frozen strawberries, mint, stevia, salt (and vodka if adding) and MUDDLE! Note: I love having the strawberry chunks and mint leaves in my drink, but if you’re not into that, use a cocktail shaker to strain at this step!
2. Fill the glass with ice, and pour over sparkling water to fill
3. Use a cocktail stirrer to stir until fully mixed and ice cold – ENJOY!

CUCUMBER BASIL LEMON 

WHAT YOU NEED

• 2-3 Slices of cucumber (peeled)
• Juice of one lemon
• Few fresh basil leaves
• 1-2 droppers liquid stevia
• Tiny pinch of pink salt
• Sparkling water
• Optional: 1.5oz (1 shot) gin

HOW TO DO IT

1. In a medium-size glass (I love mason jars for these), add the peeled cucumber slices, stevia, salt (& gin if adding) and muddle. THEN add the basil and  *briefly* muddle – basil is a sensitive herb and can quickly become bitter if you over muddle! Note: I love having the cucumber chunks and basil leaves in my drink, but if you’re not into that, use a cocktail shaker to strain at this step!
2. Fill the glass with ice, and pour over sparkling water to fill
3. Use a cocktail stirrer to stir until fully mixed and ice cold – ENJOY!

Have you guys tried any new cocktail or cocktail recipes since quarantine started?