Kombucha Kocktail

HELLO PARTY PEOPLE!!

I’m currently flying from O’Hare to Laguardia. I am STILL in disbelief that I’ll be living in the Big Apple this summer… OR should I say the Big Kale..

HA. HA.

I tried… ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

I’ve been spending too much time with the old man; my dad jokes have been on FUEGO lately…

This summer, I will be interning at F Factor and Nourish Snacks. The F Factor program is an approach to diet that focuses on combining lean proteins with high fiber carbs to lose or weight or lead a healthy lifestyle. This company was founded by one of my RDN crushes, Tanya Zuckerbrot! She has worked in private practice in Manhattan for over 20 years and has been a contributor to NBC Today, CBS News, CBS Early Show, Live with Kelly, The Dr. Oz Show, The View, Rachael Ray, Good Morning America, on Telemundo. Additionally, she is the Dietitian for the Miss Universe Organization! HOW COOL – right?!

At Nourish Snacks, I will be a marketing intern. Nourish Snacks is a company founded by Joy Bauer. Joy is the host of NBC’s Health + Happiness and the nutrition expert for the TODAY show. She is also a monthly columnist for Women’s Day magazine and the nutritionist for the New York City Ballet.

She is another one of my RDN crushes…!!

Aside from the two internships, I’ll be taking a couple online classes, but MEH, those aren’t as fun to talk about.

And guess what? I have a third gig…  because ya know, two internships and two online classes aren’t enough.

Take a guess what it is… I bet you a trillion bucks that you won’t guess…

** DRUM ROLL PLS **

I’ll be snapping pics of deodorant!!

WHAT A COLLEGE GAL WILL DO FOR SOME EXTRA CASH – amiright??!

Long story short – I had a class project in my Social Media in the Life Sciences class. This project was a collaboration with a startup in the Madison area. At the end of the semester, the founder offered me a gig – take pictures of their deodorants around NYC…

I told him that he doesn’t really know what he is signing up for. I can snap 50 pictures of a Overnight Oats mason jar, no problem. Give me some deodorants with the different backgrounds in NYC and I’ll snap ENDLESS pics. The limit does not exist when it comes to photos taken.

So, I packed up a few ( about 20 ) extra deodorants in my rose gold suitcase.

A perk of this gig is that it will force me to get off my booty and explore the city – and I’ll hopefully bring some good scents to this city too.

Aside from my internships and exploring the city, I am SO PUMPED to meet up with my ( oldest ) brother tonight!

We are having family dinner at Porter House and then I plan to hit the bars ( preferably karaoke or a piano bar ) with my big bro. B/c ya know, I’m 21 now and can get into bars… hehe.

My younger-older brother, Evan, won’t be with us because he is doing a post-graduation trip with some friends from school. In honor of Evy, we might order a couple vodka sodas with muddled orange.

Evan loves muddled oranges SO much that I bought him a muddler for his graduation gift.

I KID U NOT.

My mom taught me that practical gifts are the best gift, and I think that an orange muddler is pretty practical. When he enters the real world, I’m sure he would appreciate a nice muddled drink after a long day at work. 😉

Muddled drinks are FAB because they:

1. Are lower in cals & sugar compared to a cocktail prepared with juice
2. WON’T give you that killer hangover that you may have experienced with other sweet drinks ( I’m talking to you, Smirnoff Ices !! )

In honor of my 21st and fam reunion in NYC, I created a healthier cocktail recipe that will detox you while you retox. 😉

This cocktail is low cal, low sugar, and good for the gut. My secret ingredient is Healthade’s apple flavored kombucha.

Kombucha is made from sweetened tea that’s been fermented by a SCOBY. Kombucha ( which I like to call “BOOCH” ) is absolutely FAB because…

♡ Booch aids in detoxification: it is rich in healthy bacteria and yeasts ( the GOOD stuff ) that regulate gut flora – this reduces beta glucuronidase production which helps toxins move through the intestines.

♡ Booch aids in liver function: Kombucha protects against liver toxicity in animals

♡ Booch helps with arthritis: booch is rich in glucosamine, which relieves arthritis pain.

♡ Booch aids in digestion and gut health : Kombucha is a probiotic bevvie that promotes a healthy gut. Gut healthy is the hot topic in current nutrition research. Current research shows that gut health correlates to obesity, immune health, inflammation, among many other things.

IT IS A TEA FROM HEAVEN.

My mom and I enjoy sipping on pink lady kombucha in a wine glass if we are skipping out on wine. Because they are both fermented, they give off a similar bite.

BUT – if we would like to add a splash of special, we will swap out the wine glass for a “Kombucha Kocktail” glass 😉

Recipe:

1/4 orange – muddle

50 mL Titos

1 cup pink lady apple Kombucha

handful of ice

Directions:

Muddle the orange. Add a handful of ice, then pour Titos followed by the pink lady apple booch. Serve immediately!

This drink is SO refreshing and has a nice subtle citrus taste.

Let me know what you think!!

xx hails