Kombucha Moscow Mule

I don't drink often, but when I do, Moscow mules or Mojitos are my drink of choice. The copper mug for Moscow mules are not the only reason I enjoy the drink (if you know me, my wedding and kitchen was/is mostly copper).  I love the fresh mint in both drinks and how you can change the flavor with fruit. Mojitos are sweetened with simple syrup, so I usually tell them "Mojito without the syrup". Moscow mules are usually sweetened with ginger beer and makes the drink.  One original 10 oz Moscow mule = 320 calories, 21g sugar! That is crazy for me, I barely eat or drink that much added sugar in a day, let alone a single sitting.
I have been looking for an alternative to regular ginger beer. I found a lower calorie and lower sugar ginger beer (below) which tastes pretty good. An even healthier choice is ginger kombucha. The Recipe Redux theme for this month was to create gut-health mocktails or cocktails. Since it is Memorial Day Weekend and the start of summer, it is the perfect time to find a healthy drink for my go-to this summer. GT's Gingerade kombucha was the replacement for ginger beer and I added lime La Croix seltzer. The vodka is the only thing that is not healthy, but a delicious cocktail is nice once in awhile...so why not make it healthy?

Kombucha Moscow Mule

Serves: 2 

1 serving=138 calories, 2.2g sugar

Ingredients:

• 4 oz Vodka
• 6 oz Ginger Kombucha (I used GT's Gingerade)
• 4 oz Lime Seltzer (I used La Croix)
• 1 lime, juice
• Mint springs

Directions:

1. In each separate copper mug, pour vodka, Kombucha, and seltzer. 
2. Squeeze lime juice into drinks.
3. Garnish with mint springs and lime wedge.
4. Enjoy!

If you love ginger beer, I found this lower calorie and lower sugar one called: Fever-Tree...there are only 8g sugar in each bottle!

Healthier BBQ/Picnics 

With Memorial Day and summer approaching, I challenge you to make this your healthier one yet! So many BBQs, picnics, parties, alcohol, and unhealthy food will surround you. Be mindful of what you place in your mouth (drinks and food). Don't skip the gatherings, just make small changes. You will feel much better, look better in summer wear, and have more energy! Here are a few tips you can think about this weekend and see what works best for you during gatherings surrounded by food and drinks.

•  Bring a dish a healthy dish (you never know who else is trying to eat healthy) ex: veggies & hummus, fruit, veggies to grill, salad
• Bring a healthy drink (like the recipe above)
• Drink a ton of water (1 glass between alcohol drinks to limit alcohol)
• Find an active game to play (ex: volleyball, spike ball, bball, a local run, etc.)
• Place your food on a small plate, sit and eat at a table.
• Chat with everyone AWAY from the food table
• Enjoy special treats with 2 bites and walk away.
• Focus on the people there, not the food.