Fresh Veggie Based Cocktails

Who says that getting a daily serving of greens can’t be fun? The craze of veggie-based cocktails isn’t going away any time soon. Cocktail connoisseurs are relishing in the invigorating and lighter flavors that vegetable cocktails bring to the table. They’re perfect for those who are trying to cut back sugar in their diet.

Mix up one of these veggie-based cocktail recipes, and we’re willing to bet that you’ll start seeing your local produce section in a whole new light.

Snap Pea and Mint Cocktail

The crisp taste of mint is paired with snap peas often in gourmet cooking, so naturally they are a great fit. The pisco balances the drink with distinct floral notes and an earthy taste.

Ingredients

• 1½ oz Pisco Porton
• ½ oz lime juice
• ½ oz simple syrup
• ¼ oz Green Chartreuse
• 8-12 snap peas (removed from the pods)
• Mint leaves
• Teqava Cucumber Lime Sparkling Cocktail

Directions

1. Muddle 4 leaves of mint, peas, lime juice, and simple syrup in the bottom of a mixing glass. Take care not to mash too much, as the mint may become bitter.
2. Add remaining ingredients except the seltzer and shake with ice.
3. Double strain into a Collins Glass filled with ice.
4. Top with seltzer or sparkling cucumber. Garnish with sprigs of fresh mint and a snap pea pod.

Frozen Cucumber and Green Chartreuse Daiquiri

This frozen cucumber daiquiri requires you chill the glass’s base before hand, as the daiquiri will dilute less when you add the ice.

Ingredients

• 8 oz White Rum
• 4 oz freshly squeezed juice from 4 limes
• 1½ oz Green Chartreuse
• 2 oz simple syrup
• 2 cucumbers, cut into 1/2-inch rounds
• 4 cups Ice cubes
• 4 cucumber spears and lime zest for garnish

Directions

1. At least 1 day before you’d like to serve the cocktail, combine rum, lime juice, Green Chartreuse, and simple syrup in an airtight container.
2. Store in the freezer for at least 8 hours. Pour pre-chilled base into blender with cucumber rounds and ice. Blend until even in texture.
3. Pour into serving glasses, garnish each drink with a cucumber spear and lime zest, and serve.

Carrot Moscow Mule

• ⅔ cup ginger ale
• ½ cup vodka
• ½ cup carrot juice
• 2 dashes angostura bitters
• Squeeze of lime juice
• Ginger beer
• Cocktail stick, 1 carrot and 1 lime for garnish

Directions

1. Fill 2 tall glasses with ice. Divide the ginger ale, vodka, carrot juice, angostura bitters and lime juice between the glasses.
2. Top up with ginger beer to fill the glasses.
3. To serve, peel the carrot and then use a vegetable peeler to peel ribbons. Create twists of lime zest.
4. Thread the carrot ribbon onto cocktail sticks and add a twist of lime zest.

The Hot Pink

This is an outstanding way to enjoy beets, especially if you enjoy a good beet salad with horseradish and cider vinegar dressing. It requires a little prep work, but boy is it worth it! This recipe makes 1 drink, but also yields 1 cup of shrub syrup, which you can save, as it is enough for about 20 drinks.

Ingredients:

For the shrub syrup:

• 6 oz celery, sliced ¼ inch thick
• 1 medium beet (~ 4 oz), peeled and grated
• 1 tbs grated fresh horseradish, tightly packed
• 1 cup granulated sugar
• ¼ tsp salt
• ¼ cup apple cider vinegar

For the hot pink cocktail:

• ¾ oz beet, celery, and horseradish Shrub
• 2 oz gin
• 3 oz seltzer

Directions

For the shrub syrup:

1. Combine the celery, beets, horseradish, sugar, and salt in a quart jar. S
2. hake to combine and refrigerate for 72 hours, shaking once a day to help dissolve the sugar.
3. Strain the mixture through a fine mesh sieve, pressing the solids to extract as much of the syrupy liquid as possible.
4. Discard solids and add the vinegar to the syrup.
5. Refrigerate until ready to use.

For the cocktail:

1. Fill a cocktail shaker with ice. Add shrub syrup and gin.
2. Shake until chilled, about 20 seconds.
3. Strain into an ice-filled highball glass, top with seltzer, stir to combine, and serve.

That’s it for now! Don’t forget that the best spirits and mixers can be found at a Spec’s near you.

Enjoy!