One of the most most common New Year’s Resolutions worldwide is to become more healthy. Whether this means increased mental, spiritual, or physical health (maybe all three) will depend on the person. However, if we’re talking about physical health, the typical first step is to join a gym. This action shows great initiative, but will it last all year long??? Probably not. Don’t get me wrong, I will always consider becoming more active as positive behavior in relation to the human body, but in this particular case I’m thinking of something a bit more specific to help you reach your goals for 2018…something that I know to be a challenge and will, unfortunately, go against a popular trend in society, but in the end provides you with a greater sense of stability in every area of your life, most especially your health. And without further ado, this mysterious something I’m referring to is the amount of alcohol you consume on a daily basis.
No one ever addresses their alcohol intake when trying to become healthier and I am constantly shocked by this fact. Come on people, have you seen what alcohol does to the human body? I have two words for you…beer belly. Now I understand that there are lots of different types of alcohol that won’t give you such a curvy physique, but they all still have the potential to make you feel absolutely dreadful the next day (and possibly longer). When you’re filled with regret over the amount of alcohol you consumed and can feel it pulsing through your head in sharp, consistent waves of pain are you going to get up, go to the gym, and honor the commitment you made to become healthier?? Or are you going to stay in bed and sleep off that miserable headache you now have thanks to one too many drinks you had the night before??
If we’re all being honest with ourselves right now, it would probably be the latter. Therefore, not only is alcohol bad for your body, but it’s bad for your ability to commit to your fitness goals, as well. You begin creating habits for yourself that do not honor your New Year’s Resolution or your personal goals and for what? A headache and some regret the next day? Ohhh yeah, that sounds like tons of fun…Not! Personally, I believe alcohol has been placed upon a pedestal and needs to be stripped of it’s overrated status.
Not to mention, alcohol has been proven to make medical conditions, such as epilepsy, worse by increasing seizure activity and interacting poorly with the majority of pharmaceutical medications. Without fail, I see alcohol consumption create more problems than it fixes in the lives of those around me who have chosen to make it a priority. So, if you’re looking for a drink that is healthy for every aspect of your life and completely free of cheap, synthetic ingredients, check out this Strawberry Lime Margarita Recipe!
The best part? You don’t have to wait until five o’clock to drink it! Since it is 100% free of alcohol, you can drink it with any meal, although I strongly recommend waiting until lunch because the sugar component might be a bit much for breakfast.
I recently served these margaritas as an after-dinner dessert and they were a hit! Everyone loves dessert, but when you serve it up in a salt-rimmed glass complete with a lime wedge and strawberry slice for decoration, no one can resist! My favorite part (besides the taste) is that this recipe is appropriate for people of all ages so no matter what the occasion may be, these margaritas will be the perfect choice! Cheers!
Ingredients:
- 20 oz frozen strawberries
- 24 oz homemade lemon-lime soda (3 cups)
- 12 oz homemade frozen limeade concentrate (1 1/2 cups)
- 2 cups orange juice
- Sea salt & 1 lime wedge (for rim of glass)
- Fresh limes & strawberries (for decoration)
Directions:
- Begin by making your lemon-lime soda and limeade concentrate as directed in the recipe links above. Place both in the refrigerator until ready for use. 45 minutes before you’re ready to make your margaritas, measure 1 1/2 cups of limeade concentrate into a covered glass container and place in freezer.
- Next, prep your margarita glasses by using a lime wedge to completely coat the rim of each glass with lime juice. Put a decent amount of sea salt into a bowl big enough to dip the rim of each glass. Evenly coat the rim with sea salt. Slice fresh strawberries into halves and a lime into 2 cm thick slices. Cut a single line into one side of each lime and strawberry to place on the rim for decoration (see picture above for example). Once fully prepped, place glasses in refrigerator until ready for use.
- Place frozen strawberries and homemade lemon-lime soda in blender. Blend together on high until fully combined and smooth. No one wants a chunky margarita!
- Pour strawberry/lemon-lime soda mixture into a large pitcher (at least 1 gallon) and stir in the limeade concentrate. If your limeade has become a little too frozen, try a warm water bath. This will loosen the limeade out of its container and make it easier to mix with the strawberry mixture already in the pitcher.
- Add 1 cup granulated sugar (organic, preferably) and stir to combine. Add only enough water to fill your pitcher. It is okay to have some of the 2 quarts of water left over. Stir well until combined.
- Fill each prepped margarita glass and serve immediately.
