Having a nightly cocktail (Pete is a masterful maker of The Manhattan,) has been a little ritual in our house since we moved in together. Forgoing raising a glass after a long day was never something I enjoyed, or even wanted to admit I was willing to do…but at some point along my Ayurvedic education, I started to recognize that a few of the symptoms my body was showing were *likely* directly related to this innocent, but important nightly occasion. At some point in time, I started taking inventory before I committed to the nightly cap; how was my digestion? Was my body hot? My system stressed? How was my sleep? When the chips were stacked against me, I passed and started making something celebratory without alcohol instead.
Everything EVERYTHING is medicine in Ayurveda, so it’s not the question of giving up alcohol all together so much as it was determining the what, when, how and why that were right for my body. My Ayurvedic hunches were right and I watched as my sleep improved, recovery from training quickened, digestion normalized, skin cleared, mood balanced and body was at ease when I enjoyed alcohol only when I knew my body was harmonized enough to handle it. Having this skill in my backpocket made it much easier when I found out last summer that I was pregnant. More than ever, recognizing when my body can handle a single glass of wine with dinner (the warming and stimulating effect is actually very helpful for sluggish pregnancy digestion) has been critical. And, finding sweet, special bevy’s to make and share has been a little side hustle — enter this Saffron and Blood Orange Spritz. It’s just as good without alcohol as it is with a little splash of the sauce (yes, I’ve tried both!) and so it’s a lovely drink to make if you’re pregnant, cutting back, or simply not in the mood to for a drink. And particularly in those times when you’re raising a glass – to an accomplishment, or the end of the year and the beginning of the next, no one wants to be drinking a glass of water.
It turns out, enjoying a refreshing, pretty something can benefit our well-being far more than an alcoholic bevy or glass of wine, by actually balancing, refreshing and revitalizing us. And sometimes, a glass of something celebratory is the cure to what ails us. (This little article will help you determine what’s what!)
The recipe below makes a simple, special non-alcoholic bevvy that can be zhooshed up with a bit of booze or wine if you wish, or enjoyed solely for its sparkling superpowers with saffron being the most super ingredient of them all.
Enticing, exotic and sweet, saffron is a storehouse of antioxidants and various nutrients like vitamin A, folic acid, B12, copper, iron, calcium, potassium, manganese, magnesium and zinc. These delicate strands from the stigma of crocus flowers are recognized and used in Ayurveda as a medicine for balancing all three doshas, regulating blood pressure, improving memory, bolstering reproductive health, reducing inflammation, improving digestion, boosting metabolism, reducing fatigue, increasing energy and regulating blood sugar.
Citrus juice is no slouch either. It’s no accident that nature ripens citrus fruits in the winter time. The sour and sweet tastes of citrus soothe the nervous system and balance Vata – the dosha that governs winters cold, rough, dry, mobile environment. Citrus juice is particularly potent during times of exhaustion or stress as well.
Stir up a batch of this Saffron and Blood Orange Spritz for your next gathering, or scale it back to a glass for yourself to boost your next celebration – in more than just mood!
That's ok, just sign up or log in to see this recipe.