Super Sippers

If you choose to avoid alcoholic beverages, it’s easy to make a quick, flavorful substitution.   If you feel thirsty, drink bottled water or a soft drink instead of another alcoholic beverage.  Remember: Alcohol actually has a diuretic effect.  Here are a couple of suggested drinks that can get rid of your thirst during summer and help warm you up in cold weather.

Hot-weather thirst quenchers:

• For a subtle citrus flavor in ice water, add slices of lemon, lime, or orange. Or add fruited or floral ice cumbers: freeze fruit juice or edible flowers in your ice cube trays.
• Combine one 6-ounce can of grapefruit juice or cranberry-mango cocktail concentrate with two 12-ounce bottles of chilled club soda. Serve with a sprig of fresh mint. Serves four.
• Make a fruit smoothie. In a blender, puree berries, sliced kiwifruit, mango, or pineapple chunks, and frozen limeade concentrate. Perhaps add a little fresh mint. For convenience, try canned and frozen fruit for smoothies!
• Create your own shakes. In a blender, puree melon chunk s or peach slices with buttermilk, crushed ice, and a touch of ginger or cinnamon until smooth.
• Use silken tofu as a great nondairy alternative in a creamy shake. Add a little juice and frozen fruit; puree until smooth.

Cold-weather belly warmers:

• Simmer cranberry-apple juice with cinnamon, cloves, allspice, and orange peel for about twenty minutes. Strain. Stir in fat-free dry milk powder and vanilla extract. Heat through.
• Add anise seeds, ground cinnamon, and ground cloves to ground coffee. Prepare hot coffee using the spiced ground coffee. Lighten with warm milk.
• Scoop praline or chocolate-swirl frozen yogurt into a mug. Pour hot cocoa or coffee over the top. Stir with a cinnamon. Stick.

Enjoy drinking!