Tonight is the start of the season for sugar overload. What to do? Spicy apple cider soda! A perfectly healthy drink that will satisfy your sweet tooth with a variety of delicious and healthy super spices including cinnamon and ginger.
While I love homemade Hot Apple Cider, I find that this naturally sweet, cold cider drink is a festive alternative to the customary hot cider beverage. And since you’ll still be mulling your cider on the stove to make this soda, your house will reap the wonderfully smelling aroma.
We all need a good nutritional boost during the holiday season when we are inundated with junk food and an abundance of sweets. I find that if I have something sweet to sip on it is easier for me to avoid the dietary pitfalls that leave me lagging.
Apple Cider Soda
Ingredients
- 1 quart organic apple juice
- 1 orange, sliced (leave peel on)
- 5 cinnamon sticks
- 1 finger length ginger, sliced (leave skin on)
- 2 quarts sparkling water
- ice cubes
Instructions
- Combine apple juice, orange slices, cinnamon and ginger in a medium pot and bring to a boil
- Reduce heat and simmer for 30 minutes
- Remove cider from stove and cool for 10 minutes
- Fill a tall glass with ice
- Pour ½ cup sparkling water into glass over ice
- Pour ¼ cup apple cider into glass
- Serve
Equipment
Spices can be superfoods and cinnamon is no exception. Cinnamon is a sweet and warming spice that is good for controlling blood sugar; it is also thought to boost brain function and improve colon health. Further, it has antimicrobial properties.
Ginger is spicy and pungent. I like to cook with fresh ginger and also use it in the homemade teas that I brew on the stove top (when the boys are coming down with a cold I make then Ginger Licorice Tea). Ginger has warming properties that make it an effective aid in digestion. It is also anti-inflammatory and immune boosting.
Cinnamon and ginger are two of my favorite spices –they are both healing, flavorful and delicious.
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Here’s hoping that this sweet drink with warming herbal properties helps to satisfy our sweet cravings during this holiday season. What strategies will you use to stay in balance during the holidays?
nicolette @ momnivore's dilemma says
I just made a batch of water kefir, and I think I now know what I am going to flavor it with…
:)
Lori @ Laurel of Leaves says
Wow–I will definitely be making this! Sounds delicious!
Christine @ Nourish the Budding Lotus says
This sounds delicious! I am looking forward to trying it out as I have been craving naturally sweetened beverages lately and love apple cider.
Dru says
This recipe is amazing! Every recipe of yours that I’ve tried has been a huge hit with my family, both gluten-free and non-GF members. I’m definitely trying this one! We’re addicted to apple cider, especially the locally made ones. I can only imagine how delighted everybody will be when I try this out.
You mentioned to leave the skin on the ginger- won’t that get in the way?
Thanks,
Dru
Keia says
Hello! This is my first time commenting but I have been receiving your recipes for a while now :) I just had a quick question about a recipe from your Almond Flour Cookbook- I made the apple cinnamon muffins a while ago and loooooved them. I wanted to make them again and was wondering if they freeze alright? There is just me and my husband and there is no way to finish all of them before they go bad. Should I just wrap them in plastic and foil to freeze? Thanks :)
alicia says
I have made just about every muffin in her almond cookbook. Once they have cooled, I put them in the fridge just to make sure they are cooled all the way, and then pop them in the freezer (yes, in quart size or gallon size freezer bags. My husband and I take a few out of the freezer each morning and reheat them for breakfast. It’s made our mornings so easy.
Amanda@EasyPeasyOrganic says
As an American expat living in the southern hemisphere, I crave these flavours at this time of year (even though it’s spring and it’s the subtropics). Warmth. Log fires. Books and blankets and cozy drinks. :)
Maegan says
This wil be made! I too adore ginger and cinnamon. We made your peppermint patties for a halloween party the other night and everyone loved them.
Malia says
This is a new company getting ready to open up in the next month or two & I’m really excited. It’s basically the equivalent of an on-line costco or sam’s club but ORGANIC & NON GMO foods. They look they they are going to have a lot to offer if they getting enough support. Anyway there is a video that explains it more but the reason I want you to look right away is because they are offering free 1 year memberships if you watch the presentation, but they will go away when they open, they are other options that you can pay for like costco & get added benefits but for those of you on a budget I wanted you to know about the free one. So check it out.
http://www.greenpolkadotbox.com/malia
Jamie S. says
Hi Elana,
This recipe sounds awesome. I have one question – about how big are your cinnamon sticks? I have two types in my pantry – one really long and one really short – so I want to be sure I have the right amount of cinnamon in there.
And I made your Paleo Pumpkin Bread last night. AMAZING! Hubby loved it as well. Actually, we love just about every recipe we’ve tried from your blog so thanks so much for all the great ideas.
Happy Halloween,
Jamie
Mom2my10 says
My mouth is literally watering! I must go to the store to get these ingredients. Thank you!