Festive Drinks

T'is the season to eat, drink and be merry! By definition merry means cheerful, not nursing a heavy head from a night you can’t remember. So here it is, my festive drinks blog. If the nasties of a three day hangover and a Boxing Day spent cranky isn’t enough to make you rethink, hopefully these delicious recipes will. Trawling the internet I’ve come across these tasty treats that still ooze all things Christmas; the warmth and sweetness of a mulled wine, the smell of cinnamon and spiced apple and the milky textures of an Eggnog. You’ve spent weeks planning the festivities, cheers to remembering every smile, every mouthful of the Christmas roast and every conversation with a loved one.

Non Alcoholic Mulled Wine (Courtesy of BBC Good Food)

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Ingredients

·        500ml pomegranate juice

·        25g golden caster sugar

·        handful of frozen blackberries

·        250ml apple juice

·        1 cinnamon stick

·        1 star anise

·        4 cloves

·        3 black peppercorns

·        1 orange, quartered

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Method

Put the pomegranate juice, sugar, blackberries and apple juice in a saucepan. Add the cinnamon, star anise, cloves, peppercorns and orange. Heat gently until simmering. Taste for sweetness, then strain into heatproof glasses.

Non-alcoholic Eggnog

Courtesy of: https://www.asweetpeachef.com/non-alcoholic-eggnog/

·        add almond milk, honey, egg yolks, cinnamon, and nutmeg in a blender and blend for approximately 1 minute or until smooth;

·        pour the mixture from the blender into a saucepan and add cloves;

·        cook the eggnog on medium heat for 10-15minutes;

·        once the eggnog thickened, add vanilla extract;

·        use a fine mesh strainer to remove cloves;

·        transfer the eggnog into an airtight container and place it in the fridge to chill for at least 6-8 hours or overnight.

·        to make the eggnog even more cinnamony and nutmegy, sprinkle a little cinnamon and a little nutmeg before serving.

This non-alcoholic eggnog lasts for 3-4 days in the fridge if stored properly in an airtight container.

You can also freeze eggnog and store it in the freezer for up to 6 months, though this will cause a little change in the creamy texture.

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Gingerbread Hot Chocolate

Courtesy of https://www.mygorgeousrecipes.com/gingerbread-hot-chocolate/

Ingredients

·        1 cup full-fat milk

·        1/2 cup milk chocolate pieces or chocolate chips

·        1 tsp cocoa powder

·        1 tsp light brown sugar

·        1 tsp mixed spices

·        1/2 tsp ground cinnamon

·        1/2 tsp ground ginger

·        1/8 tsp nutmeg

·        1 star anise

·        cream (optional)

Instructions

·        Pour the milk in a pan, add the cocoa powder, sugar and the spices, and bring to a boil.

·        Add the chocolate pieces, and stir well, until the chocolate is melted.

·        Transfer to a cup and top with cream.

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Interested in planning for Dry January? Check out our Drink Less Hub

The information and advice within this blog are not intended to replace any medical advice, with all our clients we seek to address their individual needs and circumstances - this includes any adaptations required for long- or short-term health conditions and medications. Please seek medical advice if you have any health conditions before considering a lifestyle change. If you would like to address any of the content of this blog, please email us at hello@oneyoulincolnshire.org.uk