I love Imbolc. I’ve been celebrating it since before I even knew what it was. I’ve always struggled a bit in winter and I always felt like if I could just make it to February 1st, then I’d survived the hardest part of winter. Imbolc marks the midway point between the Winter Solstice and the Spring Equinox and embodies the energy of renewal, new beginnings, and the strengthening of the sun’s warmth and light. So what better way to celebrate Imbolc than with this bright, spicy, warming Ginger Citrus Sunshine Mocktail!
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- First and foremost, it’s delicious! Bright and sweet from the citrus, earthy and spicy from the herbs. It’s everything you could want in an herbal mocktail.
- It takes full advantage of the seasonal citrus fruits available this time of year, meaning it’s packed with vitamin C.
- The combination of ginger, turmeric, and black pepper gives it a spicy kick that will warm you from the inside out.
- You can easily scale it up and prepare it in advance if you’ll be serving a crowd.
- It’s bright, cheerful, and uplifting, embodying the sun’s warmth even if it’s cold and gray where you are.
Making The Ginger Citrus Sunshine Mocktail
This mocktail really captures the essence of the sun’s brightness and warmth with a combination of citrus juice and warming spices. It takes a bit of planning ahead since you need time to make and then cool the infusion. But after that, it’s as easy as shaking and serving. This Ginger Citrus Sunshine Mocktail is a perfect reminder that the light and warmth of the sun will dominate again.
The Ingredients
Ginger root – The main spicy kick for this mocktail recipe. I always have fresh ginger root in my fridge, which I find in the produce section of my grocery store. I haven’t tested this with dried ginger powder but you could try swapping fresh with ¼-½ teaspoon dried.
Turmeric root – Another deliciously warming spice, though this one can be a bit harder to find fresh at the grocery store. Specialty grocery stores should carry it (Good Earth, Whole Foods, Sprouts) and sometimes my local grocery store even has it. But if you can’t find it you can use ⅛-¼ teaspoon dried turmeric powder instead.
Black pepper – Turmeric’s BFF, I always include a bit of black pepper whenever I’m making a turmeric preparation because black pepper increases the bioavailability of turmeric significantly. It also adds even more spicy warmth to this herbal mocktail.
Grapefruit or orange – I’ve made this with both and actually prefer a combination. However, either one is delicious. Orange will make a slightly sweeter mocktail while the grapefruit has a slightly more bitter note to it.
Maple syrup or honey – I’ve only tested with these two options but any liquid sweetener should work fine.
Brown sugar – This is optional to add a sugar rim to the glasses. I love the brown sugar with the spices and citrus but any granulated sugar option would work.
Tonic or sparkling water – I’m a huge fan of tonic water so that’s my preference here. I also tend to like a slightly sweeter mocktail. But if you want to reduce the sweetness of this herbal drink, sparkling water is a great option. I imagine ginger beer would also be delicious but I haven’t tried that yet.
The Method
The base of this herbal Ginger Citrus Sunshine Mocktail is an infusion of ginger, turmeric, and black pepper. That means you’ll need to plan ahead so that the infusion has time to steep and cool before you mix up your mocktail.
In a small pot with a lid, combine the ginger, turmeric, black pepper, and water. Bring to a boil, then cover and immediately remove from the heat. Let cool to room temperature before moving on to the next step. Or you can place it in the fridge for up to 24 hours before using it.
To make the rimming sugar, combine the brown sugar, grapefruit zest, and another pinch of black pepper (optional) on a small plate. Mix together to combine evenly.
Moisten the rim of each glass with a bit of water or a wedge of citrus. Invert the glass onto the plate with the sugar mixture, making sure the sugar evenly coats the entire rim. Carefully fill each glass ¾ full with ice.
Add the cooled ginger infusion to a cocktail shaker or canning jar along with the grapefruit or orange juice and maple syrup. Top with ice, secure the lid, and shake vigorously for 20-30 seconds.
Strain evenly between the two ice-filled glasses. Top with tonic water or sparkling water and enjoy!
Let’s Talk Health Benefits
One of the best parts about making herbal mocktails is all the health benefits that these herbs generously offer.
Ginger Health Benefits
Ginger is a powerfully healing herb known for its immune-boosting, digestion-aiding, and anti-inflammatory properties. It helps with bloating, gas, and sluggish digestion by speeding up gastric emptying and improving nutrient absorption. Famous for easing nausea—whether from pregnancy, motion sickness, or chemotherapy—it can even soothe food poisoning and gastrointestinal infections. Ginger is a go-to remedy for colds and flu, warming you up, clearing mucus, and relieving congestion and sore throats. It’s also great for pain relief, reducing arthritis inflammation, soothing menstrual cramps, and easing sore muscles, especially when used in baths or foot soaks.
Turmeric Health Benefits
Turmeric is a versatile herb celebrated for its powerful anti-inflammatory and healing properties. It supports digestion, liver health, and detoxification while helping to soothe joint pain, arthritis, and even menstrual cramps. It’s known to benefit heart health by reducing inflammation and improving blood pressure. Turmeric can also help promote cognitive function and may be beneficial in preventing cancer and supporting blood sugar regulation. While turmeric isn’t easily absorbed by the body on its own, pairing it with black pepper increases absorption dramatically.
Black Pepper Health Benefits
Like ginger and turmeric, black pepper is a warming, stimulating herb that can help support circulation and digestion. But, for me, the most amazing benefit of black pepper is its ability to increase the bioavailability of our herbs and foods. Commonly paired with turmeric for exactly this reason, adding black pepper to meals and herbal preparations is a great way to ensure you’re getting the most out of the nutrients you’re eating and drinking.
Citrus Fruit Health Benefits
In addition to being a tasty winter treat, citrus fruits are packed with vitamin C, giving your immune system a boost and helping keep your skin healthy and bouncy. They’re also rich in other essential nutrients like B vitamins, potassium, magnesium, and antioxidants with anti-inflammatory benefits. Citrus fruits can even help prevent kidney stones by raising citrate levels in urine. While vitamin C won’t stop you from catching a cold, it can make symptoms less severe, making citrus fruits a delicious and health-boosting addition to your diet.
What is Imbolc?
Imbolc is a pagan holiday with roots in ancient Celtic tradition. It marks the midway point between the Winter Solstice and the Spring Equinox. The Catholic celebration of Candlemas and the American observance of Groundhog’s Day are modern-day customs connected to this transitional holiday.
The energy of Imbolc is all about renewal and the stirring of fertility all around us as the world begins to wake up from Winter’s quiet slumber. Imbolc is closely associated with Brigid, the Celtic goddess of fire, fertility, and home.
Ways to Celebrate Imbolc
Light candles to symbolize the warmth and light of the returning sun. And if you’ve got a space outside where you can build a fire, even better!
Make a simmer pot with energy-cleansing herbs like sage, chamomile, cinnamon, lemon balm, lavender, rosemary, and peppermint. If you can, open your windows for a while to allow any stagnant energy in your home to be swept away.
Take a walk in nature (device-free!) and notice any changes you see that indicate the plants are beginning to wake up. I always love seeing the beginnings of buds on my fruit trees at this time of year.
Journaling is a great way to turn inward and reflect on any intentions you’d like to bring forth and nurture during this transition into the abundance season of growth. Here are a few journal prompts to get you started:
- What habits, beliefs, or patterns no longer serve you and what could you do to let them go?
- How can you start to create space in your life for new opportunities and growth? What needs to be released in order to do so?
- What seeds of intention do you want to plant and nurture through the warm half of the year? What do you want to see grow in your life?
- What brings sunshine, warmth, and inspiration to your daily life? What brings you joy? How can you intentionally cultivate more of that in your life?
Get started on spring cleaning! Imbolc is the perfect time to give your living space a refresh, clearing out the things that you no longer need and doing any deep cleaning that will help you feel refreshed and ready to take on the more active energy of spring coming your way. Start with the room where you spend the most time or that feels like your personal sanctuary. And if you feel ambitious enough to tackle your whole house, go for it! A cleansed home is the perfect way to make space for the energy that comes with the return of spring.
Other Posts You May Like
- Nonalcoholic Spiced Elderberry Sangria: This nonalcoholic sangria recipe uses a strong spiced elderberry infusion to create a booze-free alternative that’s as good as the original.
- Wintry Nonalcoholic Spiced Blood Orange Pomegranate Smash: This nonalcoholic Spiced Blood Orange Pomegranate Smash is the perfect drink to celebrate new beginnings. It’s spicy, tart, not too sweet, and (best of all) easy.
- Rosemary Pear Mocktail: This delicious fall mocktail recipe combines pears and rosemary for a unique, herbal drink that’s perfect for this time of year.
- Rosemary-Infused Blackberry Smash Mocktail Recipe: This Rosemary-Infused Blackberry Smash Mocktail recipe is easy to make and takes full advantage of seasonal produce.
Ginger & Turmeric Sunshine Mocktail
Ingredients
- 1-inch piece of ginger root
- 1-inch piece of turmeric root
- Several grinds of black pepper basically a pinch
- ½ cup freshly boiled water
- 1 grapefruit or orange zested and juiced (about ½ cup juice)
- 1-2 tablespoons maple syrup or honey
- 2 tablespoons brown sugar
- Tonic or sparkling water
- Grapefruit or orange wedges to serve (optional)
Instructions
- In a small pot with a lid, combine the ginger, turmeric, black pepper, and water. Bring to a boil, then cover and immediately remove from the heat. Let cool to room temperature before moving on to the next step. Or you can place in the fridge for up to 24 hours before using.
- To make the rimming sugar, combine the brown sugar, grapefruit zest, and another pinch of black pepper (optional) on a small plate. Mix together to combine evenly.
- Moisten the rim of each glass with a bit of water or a wedge of citrus. Invert the glass onto the plate with the sugar mixture, making sure the sugar evenly coats the entire rim. Carefully fill each glass ¾ full with ice.
- Add the cooled ginger infusion to a cocktail shaker or canning jar along with the grapefruit or orange juice and maple syrup. Top with ice, secure the lid, and shake vigorously for 20-30 seconds.
- Strain evenly between the two ice-filled glasses. Top with tonic water or sparkling water and enjoy!
Notes
Leave a Comment