Recipes provided by Lily Holmberg, Gaia Herbs Education Director, dedicated home herbal enthusiast, creator of amazing herbal recipes, and all-around plant fan!
Are you trying to reduce or eliminate alcohol in your diet for health reasons? Or maybe you just prefer the taste of beverages without alcohol in them? Whatever your motivation, mocktails are a great choice that allows you to still be festive and lift your glass at parties and enjoy a celebratory drink—without any of alcohol’s negative effects.
One of our favorite ingredients for mocktails is Black Elderberry Syrup. Why? Because Black Elderberry has been used for centuries in traditional herbal remedies to support immune health.* To show our love for this immune-supportive superstar, we have shared two mocktail recipes below that feature Black Elderberry Syrup, providing an easy and downright delicious way to support your health and wellness.*
Gaia Herbs Green Berries & Bitters
You could sip a cup of plain green tea. Or, you could make this tasty, refreshing green-tea mocktail, which not only offers antioxidant support, thanks to the tea itself and our Black Elderberry Syrup, but also support for healthy digestion via our Sweetish Bitters formula.* Of course, you can turn to this drink for energy support, too, as the tea provides a little caffeine kick.
Watch the video below to see how Lily makes the Green Berries & Bitters mocktail and continue reading for the recipe.Ingredients:
- Organic green tea
- Gaia Herbs Black Elderberry Syrup
- Gaia Herbs Sweetish Bitters
- Citrus wheel
Instructions:
- Make one cup of green tea according to package directions. Allow it to cool to room temperature.
- To a cocktail shaker filled with lots of ice, add the green tea and one teaspoon of Black Elderberry Syrup.
- Shake, shake, shake until mixed and cold. Decant into a glass of your choosing.
- Add 10–20 drops of Sweetish Bitters, then stir gently.
- Garnish with a citrus wheel, and enjoy!
Beyond the Recipe
What makes the above Gaia Herbs supplements not only healthy additions to the beverage but also great elements of a wellness routine?
Black Elderberry
As mentioned above, Black Elderberries have an extensive history of use during seasonal immune challenges.* They are abundant in flavonoid-rich compounds, which are thought to exert antioxidant protection on cells.*
Gaia Herbs Black Elderberry Syrup is Certified USDA Organic and made with only organic Elderberries that are hand-picked at peak ripeness and fresh-pressed shortly after harvest. Our formula concentrates the juice from 14.5 grams of Elderberries into a single, tasty teaspoon.
Learn much more about Black Elderberries, and find other delectable recipes made with our Black Elderberry Syrup, here.
Herbal Bitters
Although their taste isn’t at the top of everyone’s list of favorite flavors, bitter foods and herbs, especially greens, have long been used as digestive aids.* It might surprise you to know that historically, herbalists have considered Turmeric to be a bitter herb and food as well.
Our Sweetish Bitters formula combines Turmeric with Milk Thistle, Wild Yam, Dandelion root, Gentian root, and other herbs to support digestion, especially in those occasional times—like a holiday party or birthday dinner—when you overdo it with food and drink.*
Gaia Herbs Four-Leaf Clover
We call this recipe the "Four-Leaf Clover" because you can help make your own good fortune with this mocktail! This tasty beverage is flavored with the leaves of piquant green herbs of your choosing. The addition of our Black Elderberry Syrup means the drink provides antioxidant and immune support, while mixing in our Red Clover Supreme formula lends the beverage the ability to help support your lymphatic system and skin.*
Ingredients:
- Organic culinary herbs/greens of your choosing (mint, cilantro, basil, dill, rosemary, Dandelion leaves, etc.)rinsed
- Gaia Herbs Black Elderberry Syrup
- Gaia Herbs Red Clover Supreme
- 8-12 oz chilled sparkling water
Instructions:
- Add 1 or more types of clean herbs (ideas above) and ice (optional) to a glass and slowly pour cold sparkling water over the leaves.
- Add one teaspoon of Black Elderberry Syrup and gently stir to combine.
- Add 10-20 drops of Red Clover Supreme and gently stir again. Enjoy!
Beyond the Recipe
Meet your new favorite herb for healthy skin.*
Red Clover
Red Clover is a nutritionally complex herb, so it is best taken in its unadulterated form, as an extract or tea, to obtain its benefits. It has been traditionally used in both ways to support the lymphatic system (alterative) and for immune support, healthy skin, and proper endocrine function.*
Our Red Clover Supreme liquid extract harmoniously blends Red Clover with Burdock root, Yellow dock, Licorice, Nettle leaf, and other herbs to help maintain lymphatic function and skin health.* It is a rich source of naturally occurring plant phytoestrogens.
Bonus Recipe!
Looking for even more fun mocktail ideas? Watch our bonus footage to see how Lily whips up her favorite and simple-to-make herbal immune "shot."We hope these delicious mocktails help nourish your health and your spirit. Cheers!
These recipes serve as alternative dosage regimens to supplement your diet. and wellness routine.