Here I go, here I go, here.I.go.again, girl what’s my weakness? Kombucha! <- Salt-n-Pepa reference, anyone? Circa 1993?
Crickets.
The other day, an Idea Wombat flew out of the sky, frapped me in the noggin, and it dawned on me I could use kombucha to replace alcohol for all sorts of mocktail recipes.
What’s that you say? You’ve never heard of an Idea Wombat? They’re the dardnest creatures.
What’s that you say x2? Wombats can’t fly? Trust me, they do when they’re uplifted by ideas.
What’s that you say x3? What sort of language is, “frapped?” That would be Frenglish.
Let’s get cereal.
Now that the weather’s warming up, I have sangria and mimosas on the brain. I’ve been thinking: healthy cocktails + fresh fruit + juice. Using kombucha in place of alcohol results in an all-people-friendly beverage to spruce up any gathering. Minus all the refined sugar, minus all the hangover, plus all the fizz, plus all the probiotics.
In all my years of brewing kombucha, I had never thought to make sangria-like mocktails out of it until just now. While I was developing recipes for my cookbook, Delicious Probiotic Drinks, I was thinking about what flavors I could add prior to bottling the kombucha, as opposed to things I could do with the bevvie post-brew. Now that hindsight is 20/15, I’ve been drumming up thoughts of kombucha smoothies, mocktails, and duh: salad dressing.
Can I ask you a question? What do you call a kombucha mocktail with juice and fruit? Wine-less Kombucha Sangria? Kombucha punch? Kombuchajito? Bucholitan? Mimocha? Buchosa? Is it reeeeeeally technically a mocktail, since there is a small amount of alcohol in kombucha? I need thoughts, people!
You’re still stuck on the Idea Wombat concept, aren’t you?
Moving forward…
This clean, bubbly, healthy drink is a perfect for replacement for soda, sugar-laden cocktails, sugary juice, or sports drinks. Since summer is headed our direction, it’s always smart to have an arsenal of healthier beverages to enjoy with friends and family. I’m picturing Martha Stewart serving her guests crumpets and kombucha mocktails outdoors on extremely expensive patio furniture. You were picturing the same thing? We must be cut from the same Idea Wombats.
A few weeks ago, I came across Health-Ade kombucha in the grocery store, right next to all the other kombuchas. I’m always up for trying new kombucha, so I snagged a bottle and have been hooked ever since. Their kombuchas are super fizzy (dry, and light-bodied, if you will), and they make all sorts of unique flavors, such as pomegranate, carrot, cayenne, lemon-ginger, apple, plum, and even beet. BEET?! I know…it’s like these people know me or something. The fact that their kombucha has a lot of fizzy spunk to it makes it perfect for the mocktailing.
I used Health-Ade’s Original (unflavored) kombucha for these mocktails, but you could also use one of their flavored varietals. To give this bevvie a tropical flavor, I used 100% orange mango juice from Whole Foods, and added fresh strawberries and mango. It turns out super crisp, like a healthy probiotic-rich carbonated fruit punch you in the facetrap.
I’m now thinking up all sorts of kombucha mocktail concoctions, such as pineapple juice and fresh kiwis, pomegranate juice and mixed berries, apple juice and fresh pears. I mean…you can really just get carried away with this bloomin’ kombucha mocktail thing.
A basic formula you can use is 2 cups of 100% juice for every 32 ounces of unflavored kombucha, plus 4 cups of fresh fruit (or more or less, whatever’s your bag, baby). Any thoughts on kombucha concoctions? Any Idea Wombats, if you will? You want to flick me in the nose? I’ll stop.
Bottoms up!
Strawberry Orange Mango Kombucha Mocktails
Ingredients
- 2 (16-ounce) bottles Original Kombucha unflavored
- 2 cups 100% orange-mango juice
- 1 ripe mango peeled, pitted, and chopped
- 2 cups fresh strawberries chopped
Instructions
- Add all ingredients to a large pitcher and stir. Serve over ice and enjoy!
Nutrition
If you’re unfamiliar with the health benefits of kombucha, be sure to check out my post on 10 Things You Need to Know About Kombucha. If you’re nursing or pregnant, consult your doctor before drinking it and also ask your pediatrician before giving it to your children.
If you brew your own kombucha at home, check out these flavored kombucha recipes:
JULIA GOOLIA
Hi Julia. Thank you for this recipe. I am breastfeeding so I will be drinking mocktails this holiday season! I tried yours and it’s great! I hope that you don’t mind, I included your recipe in my latest blog. You can see it here: https://omdetox.com/10-healthy-mocktail-recipes-for-the-holidays/
Merry Christmas
My friends rave about Kombucha but I have yet to make it myself and this is the PERFECT recipe to try! It looks so refreshing and delish
Liked your recipe a lot. Looking forward for some more mocktail recipes. Keep up the good work.
This is a great recipe!
I just LOVE your blog!
Have a great day!
http://www.everythingthatshomemade.blogspot.com
Sometimes a girl just wants a cocktail that isn’t a cocktail…that’s where these kombucha mocktails come in! Pass me a glass and I straw and I’ll be set for life.
I scrolled down to leave a comment and then got sidetracked by your list of other yummy kombucha recipes *swoon*. This recipe is ingenious – and delicious! Can’t wait to try it 🙂
No crickets here. Squirrel is a huge fan of the Salt-n-Pepa. Totally got that one. Mmm, kombucha mocktails? These are total summer sipping beverages. Pinned.
Oh this is brilliant. I love it. So many gorgeous colors. And thanks for the laugh – your post cracked me up! Salt-n-Pepa till we die!!!!
I have a confession, I don’t drink nearly enough kombucha! And I have never had the idea to mix it with other delicious things to make fruity, healthy drinks! The weather is getting so warm here already that I’m in desperate need of cold drinks to enjoy while I’m locked up in the house with the AC on full blast 🙂
Yeeehawww this is definitely a great way to acclimate to kombucha. It seriously tastes like soda…so bubbly…so sweet…you won’t even know it’s healthy. Hope you enjoy and stay cool!
I love this! I hope an Idea Wombat comes into my life soon–looks like he (it?) really helped you out 😉
Those cheeky little Idea Wombats…what would we do without them?
Chillin’, chillin’, mindin’ by biznis! Yes. Kombuchahito! Love that new word. Since my friends are in the prime babay making years, I see kombucha-tails (a woo woo) coming very in handy!!
Kombuchahito – there we go! Yes, this bevvie is perfect for the folks who are stearing clear of alcohol – just remember women shouldn’t drink it while nursing or preggers. 😀
Love these healthy drinks that are also delicious! I don’t find them too often though!
OMG love Health-Ade brand kombucha! Will be keeping an eye out for any salad dressing recipes!
http://thatumamilife.wordpress.com – a clean eating bento blog.
Omg, idea wombat?! I love it! I’m totally going to use that in my future work meetings, totes profesh, right?! I would like to guzzle these on a porch with the sun beating down on us, cool?! xo