Just in time for Easter, here are four great non-alcoholic drink recipes perfect for the entire family, adapted from a post on beverageuniverse.com:

Virgin Mojito

 Who can resist a refreshing and delicate mojito cocktail? The non-alcoholic, or virgin option offers a one of a kind experience that will convert any skeptic and will leave them savoring this energizing spring beverage. Here’s the famous mocktail recipe:

 Ingredients:

  • 1 tablespoon of sugar; 
  • fresh minty leaves;
  • lime;
  • Syfo Original Seltzer
  • A handful of crushed ice;

Preparation: 

  1. Muddle the minty leaves and a wedge of lime. You’ll sense the great refreshing aroma all around you. 
  2. Add the sugar (you can use agave instead, or any other sweetener of your choice, I prefer brown sugar) and mash it up. 
  3. It’s time to freeze the aroma – fill the glass with crushed ice.
  4. Finally, add seltzer and stir your Easter elixir. 

Virgin Sangria

Are you warming up? Here’s another shortlisted mocktail for your Easter celebration: a Virgin Sangria! Sangria lovers, behold, here’s the recipe:

Ingredients:

  • 2 cups of water;
  • 2 black tea bags;
  • 2 cinnamon sticks;
  • ½ cup of sugar;
  • 3 cups of pomegranate juice
  • 1 cup of orange juice;
  • 1 medium orange, sliced into thin rounds;
  • 1 medium lemon, sliced into thin rounds;
  • 1 medium lime, sliced into thin rounds;
  • 1 medium apple, cored and cut into 1/2-inch chunks;
  • 3 cups Syfo Original Seltzer.

Preparation: 

  1. Boil the water and pour it over the tea bags and cinnamon sticks. Let them steep for a few minutes and remove the teabags. 
  2. Add sugar and stir so that it could dissolve quicker; 
  3. Use a pitcher to mix in the tea, cinnamon sticks, pomegranate juice, orange juice, and sliced fruits. Place it in the fridge to cool down for at least an hour. 
  4. Before serving add the carbonated water. And don’t forget to add ice to your Easter beverage. 

 Shirley Ginger

 Shirley Temple is a classic non-alcoholic cocktail. But to spice it up a bit we’ve picked a recipe that modifies this famous mocktail into a Shirley Ginger- an ideal option for all the ginger beer aficionados at the Easter celebration. 

Here’s how to make it. 

Ingredients:

Preparation: 

  1. Mix all liquid ingredients – the ginger beer, the club soda, the lime juice, and the grenadine in a pitcher and stir well.  
  2. Put ice cubes in tall glasses and pour the mixture in.
  3. Garnish with lime slices and/or maraschino cherries and enjoy. 

Rhubarb-Lime Mocktail

 Have you ever tried a rhubarb? How about rhubarb bitters in a mocktail? The final recipe on our Easter Mocktails list will help you catch up with the trends. If you cannot find fresh rhubarb you can use a frozen one, your drink will still be just as delicious as refreshing, no worries there. 

Ingredients:

  • 2 tablespoons of fresh lime juice;
  • 4 tablespoons of basil syrup;
  • 3 dashes of rhubarb bitters; 
  • 1 cup of Syfo Original Seltzer;
  • Ice cubes;
  • Rhubarb stems for decoration;

Preparation:  

  1. In a shaker add the ice cubes, lime juice, basil syrup, and rhubarb bitters and shake vigorously. 
  2. Strain the cooled liquid in a rock glass and top with the seltzer. 
  3. Garnish with the rhubarb stems. 

Delicious Drinks for Love This Valentine’s Day

Bring a sparkle to your Valentine’s Day celebrations with these delicious drinks made from Syfo Seltzer and Naturally Flavored Sparkling Waters.

Liquid Lust

Set the mood this Valentine’s Day with this tantalizing cocktail. Made with sliced fruit and rose-infused tequila, this mouth-watering cocktail is perfect for a day (or night) of romance. Enjoy one with the one you love this Valentine’s Day.

Liquid_Lust_drink

INGREDIENTS:
  • 1/2 bottle of ROSANGEL Tequila
  • 1/2 bottle of White Wine
  • 1/3 cup of White Sugar
  • 1 oz of Orange Juice
  • 2 oz of Cranberry Juice
  • 2 Oranges (sliced)
  • 1 Lemon (sliced)
  • 1 Lime (sliced)
  • 1 bunch of Grapes (sliced)
  • 1 Apple (diced)
  • 1/2 liter of chilled Syfo Original Seltzer

 

 

PREPARATION:

Combine all ingredients and stir. Serve over ice and enjoy!

Recipe adapted from nochelatina.com.

 

Cherub’s Cup

Here’s a recipe that’s perfect for everyone in love, for Valentine’s Day or at any time of year:

Cherub

Ingredients:

1 part St. Germain elderflower liqueur 2 parts vodka, citrus vodka, or Hendricks Gin

3/4 part fresh lemon juice

optional 1/4 shot simple syrup

1 part muddled strawberry

Top with Syfo Original Seltzer

Strawberry for garnish

Preparation:

Shake and strain over fresh rocks in a collins glass. Top with Brut Rose or Brut Champagne or Syfo Original Seltzer. Garnish with a strawberry.

 

Make Believe Champagne

While you’re celebrating this Valentine’s Day, have this non-alcoholic drink on hand for toasting.

Ingredients:
  • 1 (1-liter bottle) Syfo Original Seltzer, chilled
  • 1 (1-liter bottle) ginger ale, chilled
  • 1 (24-ounce) bottle unsweetened white grape juice, chilled
  • Ice cubes

 

 

Preparation:

In a large pitcher combine the seltzer, ginger ale, and white grape juice. Pour over ice cubes in chilled champagne glasses or wine glasses.

Makes 20 servings.

Nutritional facts per serving (1/20 of recipe):

Calories: 37, total fat: 0g, saturated fat: 0g, cholesterol: 0mg, sodium: 14mg, carbohydrate: 9g, fiber: 0g, protein: 0g, vitamin A: 0%, vitamin C: 0%, calcium: 0%, iron: 1%

Recipe provided by Better Homes and Gardens – BHG.com a member of the Home and Family Network for the best of cooking, gardening, decorating and more. (c) 2003 Meredith Corporation. All Rights Reserved.

 

The start of the New Year is traditionally a time of renewed focus and new beginnings, so that makes it a perfect time to refocus on your health, especially this year. Here are a few simple steps you can take, gathered from sources around the Web, that can help you get off to a healthy start in 2022 and help to put the stress of 2021 behind.

Get a good night’s sleep — According to the American Sleep Foundation, about two-thirds of Americans say their sleep needs are not being met during the week with 15 percent reporting less than six hours per night. Between 7 to 9 hours of sleep per night is considered optimal for good health.

Eat protein for breakfast – When you rise from that restful sleep, try having a protein-rich breakfast. According to a study published in The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, eating a protein-rich breakfast may help control appetite and curb the urge to snack in the evening. It can also improve alertness, energy and performance throughout the day.

Take time during your day to release stress – According to the Mayo Clinic, simple meditation exercises during the day that can be done practically anytime and anywhere can bring both a sense of calm and balance. This can benefit both your emotional well-being and your overall health.

Exercise for at least 90 minutes a week – According to this article on Discovery Health, you don’t need to exercise for hours a day or run a marathon to get the weight loss, cardiovascular and overall heath benefits. Studies have shown that walking as little as 10 minutes a day increases the heart’s oxygen consumption rate by more than 4 percent while helping to reduce weight, blood pressure and cholesterol levels.

Make the switch to healthy beverages – Sugary soft drinks have been associated with weight gain, diabetes, heart disease, dental problems and even depression. A move toward healthy beverages can improve your overall health and keep you hydrated. We recommend Syfo of course.

Thanksgiving is the holiday that gathers family and friends for a day of feasting and giving thanks.  Much planning goes in to the preparation of Thanksgiving dinner, but what about the beverage menu? Below are delicious recipes to add to your menu this season.

 

Cranberry Thanksgiving Punch

 

fresh-cranberry-ginger-orange-punch-thanksgiving-drinks

Ingredients:

  • 2 bottles of chilled cranberry juice
  • 2 containers of lemonade or orange juice concentrate
  • 1 bottle of Syfo Seltzer or Syfo Tangerine-Orange Sparkling Water

Preparation:

Mix all of the ingredients right before serving.  For an extra flavor boost, you can try a cranberry juice blend such as cranberry apple, cranberry blueberry or cranberry grape.

Acknowledgement: Based on a recipe idea from punchbowl.com.

 

 

Orange, Rosewater, and Mint Sparkler

 

orange-rosewater-mint-sparkler-table-thumb-625smIngredients:

  • 1/4 cup mint leaves (about 25 leaves), loosely packed and removed from their stems
  • 6 ounces (3/4 cup) fresh orange juice (from 2 medium oranges)
  • 2 drops rosewater
  • 6 ounces (3/4 cup) Syfo Original Seltzer

 

 

Preparation:

Muddle the mint leaves gently in a mixing glass. Add orange juice, rosewater, and seltzer, stir gently to combine. Pour the sparkling orange juice mixture into two ice-filled Old Fashioned glasses and serve immediately.

Acknowledgement: Photo and recipe from seriouseats.com

 

 

Pear Rosemary Cocktail

 

Ingredients

  • 6 to 10 pears
  • 12-16 fresh rosemary sprigs
    • 4 cups of vodka
    • ½ cup of sugar
  • 1 ½ cups of pear nectar
  • 4 cups of Syfo Peach- Pear Sparkling Water

 

 

 

Preparation

To prepare pear infused vodka, place pears in a large 48 ounce jar to fill. Pour vodka over the pears to fill, then seal the jar. Allow the pear- vodka mix to sit at room temperature for about 2 weeks (Hint: if infusing your own vodka isn’t your style, pear vodka such as Absolut can be found at most stores).

To make your simple syrup, heat sugar and 1 cup of water in a saucepan over medium to high heat, and stir until the sugar has dissolved. Add rosemary springs and remove from heat. Allow the mixture to cool for 30 minutes. Remove the rosemary sprigs and continue to cool the mixture completely.

Fill glasses with ice. Combine 2 ounces of vodka, 1 ounce (2 tablespoons) of simple syrup, and 1.5 ounces of pear nectar. Top with ½ cup of Syfo Peach- Pear Sparkling Water and garnish with rosemary springs.

Acknowledgement: Photo and recipe from marthastewart.com

 

Thanksgiving Brunch Tonic

 

tonic copysm Ingredients

  • 1 cup of sugar
  • 1 cup of water
  • 4 fresh rosemary sprigs
  • 4 cups of chilled cranberry juice cocktail
  • 2 cups of fresh orange juice (use about 6 oranges)
  • 3 cups of chilled Syfo Original Seltzer

 

 

Preparation

Combine sugar and water in a small saucepan; bring to a boil. Reduce heat, and simmer 4 minutes or until sugar dissolves. Add rosemary; simmer 5 minutes. Remove from heat. Pour sugar syrup into a bowl; cover and refrigerate overnight.

Uncover sugar syrup; remove and discard rosemary sprigs. Combine the sugar syrup, juices, and soda in a large pitcher. Serve immediately over ice.

Acknowledgement: Photo and recipe from myrecipes.com

Things are heating up in the Southeast and across the country, just in time for the Fourth of July weekend. The heat and increased outdoor activities that go with the holiday weekend and the summer can be a dangerous combination, as people sometimes don’t realize the dangerous health effects heat can have if they don’t take the proper precautions. So here are some basic tips for handling the heat from University of California Davis (spoiler alert: they include drinking beverages like Syfo):

Drink before you’re thirsty —  Thirst is often the first sign of dehydration. Experts recommend those who work outdoors drink one quart of water per hour. Those who work indoors should consider setting a “water alarm” to remind them to stay hydrated.  The same can be said for anyone engaging in outdoor or indoor activities. Pay attention to your thirst.

Acclimate yourself to the heat —  It can can take time for your body to acclimate itself to the heat in the summer months. The UC Davis article quotes an expert as saying that you need to be mindful that your water requirements will increase with the heat.

Skip the caffeine —  Environmental physician Sheri Belafsky says: “It’s tempting to reach for a soda or iced tea on a warm day to quench your thirst. But people aren’t aware that the caffeine they’re consuming is doing the exact opposite of what they need. It’s dehydrating.” Instead, she recommends opting for herbal iced tea that’s decaffeinated, sparkling water, or creating your own “spa water” infused with fresh fruit.  (We recommend Syfo Naturally Flavored Sparkling Waters of course.)

Exercise indoors or limit activities during the coolest parts of the day — As the Noel Coward song goes, only mad dogs and Englishman go out in the midday sun, meaning it’s foolish to ignore the physical demands of the midday heat. As sports medicine physician  Brandee Waite  says in the UC Davis piece: “People who exercise regularly often don’t consider the effects of heat on their performance and overall health. Make sure to plan your outdoor physical activities during the cooler morning and possibly evening hours.”

Wear breathable fabrics —  Try wearing lightweight cotton, linen or a blend that feels cool to the touch and is breathable. Avoid synthetic fabrics like polyester that don’t allow the body’s natural cooling system to work. If you’ll be in and out of buildings with air conditioning, experts suggest wearing light layers.

Take regular timeouts amid outdoor activities —  “Schedule a minimum of 10 minutes in the shade for every hour of exercise or activity,” Waite told UC Davis. “Children, older people and those who are less fit need more rest.” She notes that youngsters aren’t always aware that they need rest periods and water breaks.

Know your personal risk —  “Certain populations are more vulnerable to the heat,” Belafsky said. “including people with chronic kidney disease or diabetes for example. It’s important to understand how extreme temperatures affect your medical condition.” Belafsky in the UC Davis article also shared that common medications can impact a person’s ability to stay cool or hydrated. Thyroid medication and diuretics that treat blood pressure can cause excessive sweating and salt depletion that leads to dehydration. Beta-blockers for heart conditions can impair sweating, which makes it hard for the body to cool itself.

So be prepared, stay hydrated and cool this Fourth of July and throughout the summer with Syfo. Our products contain no sodium, preservatives, artificial sweeteners or any other additives. With four delightful all-natural flavors, Syfo is a great way to stay hydrated this weekend and throughout the year.

Happy Fourth everyone!