Summer Cocktails and Mocktails
Mocktail was a bad word well into my thirties. Who needs a cocktail without booze? Now I know the answer: lots of people, often including me.
My days of seriously declaring, “It’s five o’clock somewhere!” are long gone. As I find myself balancing a growing business and life with two kids, not to mention an entrepreneur husband, I also find myself sipping on non-alcoholic drinks. Well, at least until the kids go to bed! The bonus is that I can share the mocktail versions of my drinks with my little ones and anyone else who’d rather skip alcohol.
These three drinks are among my favorite that taste just as good without alcohol as they do with. They’re all frozen because, well, who doesn’t need a frozen drink to cool out in the summer heat. And they’re all easy to make because your KitchenAid® Blender does all the work. Literally. Throw the ingredients in, hit “mix” and then drink up. Boozy or not, these drinks will keep you—and the whole family—sipping all summer long.
Though I love spiced rum, white rum is the way to go when you make a Pina Colada. This Chai-Spiced Pina Colada has all the fragrant flavor of spiced rum even when made with white rum or no rum at all.
Chai-Spiced Pina Coladas
Makes 2 cups
INGREDIENTS
1/2 cup pineapple juice
1 chai tea bag, non-caffeinated if sharing with children
1/4 cup coconut cream (such as Coco Lopez)
1/4 cup fresh pineapple, plus more for garnish
1 1/2 cups ice cubes (amount may vary depending on size of cubes or if using crushed ice)
DIRECTIONS
1. Heat the pineapple juice to just boiling. Remove from heat and steep the chai tea bag in the juice for at least 3 minutes. Discard tea bag.
2. Add chai-spiced pineapple juice, coconut cream, fresh pineapple and ice cubes to your KitchenAid® Blender and “mix” until frothy. Pour into glasses, garnish each with a piece of pineapple, and serve immediately.
Blackberries are a common addition to classic Mint Juleps, but lychees sweeten the deal. Without bourbon, this makes a mean smoothie. With, you’ve got a royally hued julep fit for the Derby… or poolside!
Blackberry Lychee Juleps
Makes 2 cups
INGREDIENTS
1 cup frozen blackberries, plus more for garnish
8 canned lychees
1/3 cup lychee syrup (from the can in which the lychees were packed)
2 loosely packed tablespoons fresh mint leaves, plus more for garnish
1 1/2 cup ice cubes (amount may vary depending on size of cubes or if using crushed ice)
DIRECTIONS
1. Add all ingredients to your KitchenAid® Blender and “mix” until frothy. Pour into glasses, garnish each with a defrosted blackberry and sprig of mint, and serve immediately.
This drink was inspired by my love for the combination of strawberry and basil. To keep the basil a background note, though—it needed to compliment, not compete with, the signature mint flavor of a classic Mojito—I use it to flavor the simple syrup that sweetens this drink. This is an absolute favorite in my house.
Strawberry Basil Mojitos
Makes 2 cups
INGREDIENTS
For the Basil Lime Simple Syrup
(makes about 1 cup of syrup)
1 cup water
1 cup sugar
1 cup fresh basil leaves
Peel of 1/2 a fresh lime, cut into 1/2” pieces
Juice of 1 fresh lime
For the Mojito
1 1/2 cups frozen strawberries
1/4 cup basil lime simple syrup
Juice of 1 lime
1 tablespoon mint leaves, plus more for garnish
1 1/2 cup ice cubes (amount may vary depending on size of cubes or if using crushed ice)
DIRECTIONS
1. To make the Basil Lime Simple Syrup: Add all of the ingredients to a pot set over medium heat. Bring to a boil, then immediately turn heat to medium-low. Simmer for 5 minutes before removing from heat. Allow mixture to sit for at least 30 minutes. Strain syrup into a container with a tight fitting lid; allow to cool completely before sealing and storing in the fridge for up to 3 weeks.
2. To make the Strawberry Basil Mojito: Add strawberries, simple syrup, lime juice, fresh mint and ice to your KitchenAid® Blender and “mix” until frothy. Pour into glasses, garnish each with a sprig of mint, and serve immediately.
If you want to watch Stacie making these drinks in action, check out her video—and KitchenAid® Blender!—at One Hungry Mama.
*The Contributor of this post has been compensated by KitchenAid for this post, but this post represents the Contributor’s own opinion.*
