My new favorite drink!

YUM!

I've been making some simple syrups for making "mixed" drinks.  This is my new favorite:  raspberry with cilantro and ginger.  The flavor combo may sound a little weird, but it's really good!  Here's how you make it:

1 cup sugar

1 1/2 cups water

element for flavoring  (I made two syrups - one with a half pint of raspberries and one with about 1/2 cup of chopped cilantro and 2 Tbsp minced ginger)

Pour the water and sugar into a saucepan and heat on stovetop just until boiling.  Reduce heat and simmer for about 5 minutes, sugar should be dissolved.  Mix in flavoring element(s).  Cool to room temperature.  Strain and refrigerate.

After it cooled, I added about 1 Tbsp cilantro ginger syrup and about 2 Tbsps raspberry syrup.  I muddled some raspberries at the bottom of the glass with the syrup, added ice cubes and about 2/3rds club soda to 1/3 tonic water ( I used diet tonic).  It's pretty good!!!

I don't really miss alcohol -  well, sometimes I do, but for the most part, it has been pretty easy to avoid it.  I have had some sips from Chris's wine or beer, if we're out, but that's about it.  I have read some research that suggests that having two to three glasses of wine per week in pregnancy does not show any adverse affects.  I'm not sure that I'll have full glasses of wine, since I haven't so far, but these syrups really help a girl feel like she's having a special drink, even if there's no alcohol in it. 

Another favorite is Cascal:  http://www.cheerscascal.com/.  The only place that sells it in the Twin Cities is Whole Foods, and I don't go there very often, but it is good for pretending you're having wine when everyone else is having the real thing.  It's pretty good, too. 

The best NA beer is Bitburger Drive:  http://www.bitburger.com/bitburger_beers/bitburger_drive/product_bitburger_drive/index.html

Clausthaler is also pretty good:  http://us.clausthaler.com/cms/startordner/1401_a6809u7.html

So, these are my recommendations for non-alcohol drinks.  I'm becomming a connoisseur!