It's safe to say that 2020 has brought us the most unique summer in modern history. While we've had to re-imagine many of our favorite summertime activities, one thing hasn't changed — fruity, refreshing beverages are still the perfect treat on a hot day! Whether you're sitting solo by a pool or eating outdoors with your quarantine crew, creating healthy versions of festive summer cocktails is a great way to show friends and family how delicious fresh, organic ingredients can be.
This summer I've been enjoying a mocktail that I coined The Strawberry Basil Breeze. This blended, frosty concoction is the perfect drink for warm summer afternoons and evenings. It's also packed with ingredients that support our immune systems, which we know is more important than ever.
In this mocktail, I include a generous dose of WishGarden's newly relaunched immune-support formula, Kick-Ass Daily Immune With Elderberry & Astragalus. This blend of nourishing herbs provides gentle support for a healthy immune response and is safe to take long term. Consistently nourishing (but not over-stimulating) our immune system is key to creating a healthy internal balance. The main herb in Kick-Ass Daily is Astragalus which has been used as an immune tonic in Chinese medicine for thousands of years. This formula also includes Echinacea, burdock, nettle, Red Clover, cleavers, and Hawthorn.
Other immune supporting ingredients in this mocktail include:
Strawberries — Did you know that strawberries offer better Vitamin C concentration than oranges?! They are one of our best widely available food sources of Vitamin C. Strawberries are also high in antioxidant content
Coconut water — Rich in minerals and electrolytes to promote hydration, recovery and boost energy on those hot summer days
Raw or Manuka Honey — Honey is really one of the miracle foods of nature. Not only is it delicious, but it is also rich in phytonutrients, free radical scavengers and healthy microbial balance support.
At WishGarden we love mocktails because they make Herbalism fun, relaxing, and delicious. They give us a creative way to incorporate herbs into our daily lives that's different from the hot teas and tinctures we're all used to. Creating mocktails with herbal remedies is especially great for people who want the benefits of herbs but have a hard time with the taste of tinctures. I think you could convince pretty much anyone to get their daily dose of herbal immune support with this delicious drink.
Strawberry Basil Breeze Recipe
(makes 2 servings):
Ingredients:
- 1 heaping cup frozen strawberries (remove stem, slice in half and freeze or buy pre-frozen)
- 4-5 ice cubes or crushed ice
- ½ cup coconut water
- 1 tablespoon raw or manuka honey
- 6 fresh basil leaves
- ¼ teaspoon pure lemon juice or squeeze of ¼ of a lemon
- 5 full dropperfuls of Kick-Ass Daily Immune
Instructions:
- Add strawberries, ice, coconut water, lemon, honey and basil to a blender. Blend on high until smooth.
- Add Kick-Ass Daily and blend on a low setting for about 10 seconds
- Pour into two glasses and garnish with berries and basil leaves
The Daily Immune Builder tastes pretty good as far as herbal tinctures go and will work well in all sorts of mocktails. Mix it with kombucha or juice with sparkling water if you don't have the above ingredients on hand. Some of my favorite options are Wild Tonic Raspberry Goji Rose kombucha or Santa Cruz Organic Strawberry lemonade.
The video below takes you through the whole process. Enjoy!
Jamie McKeown has a BA in Film from the University of Michigan and studied herbalism with Julie James at Green Wisdom Herbal Studies in Long Beach, CA. She is a holistic health coach as well as the Los Angeles Sales Rep & Educator for WishGarden.
For educational purposes only. This information has not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. This information is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease, or sell any product.
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