A festive drink can make gatherings with friends feel extra special or elevate a holiday meal. This Cranberry Thyme Spritzer makes the most of seasonal flavors and colors, with a little bit of sparkle. It’s the perfect drink to brighten up your winter.
This recipe is non-alcoholic (a “mocktail”), but you can add a small amount of the vodka of your choice. I like to keep in mind the 80/20 rule as I enjoy myself over the holidays and year-round.
We are developing more content regarding alcohol and hormones to share with you over the coming weeks. If you think you might be interested in committing to a Dry January (not drinking alcohol during the month of January) or just looking for more non-alcoholic options for your diet, bookmark this recipe to save for later.
Ingredient highlights
Cranberries – A quintessential winter flavor, cranberries also have an abundance of health benefits. They contain a compound called proanthocyanidin (or PAC), which has been studied for its anti-angiogenic effects in the treatment of various diseases, including ER+ cancers like ovarian cancer. (1) PACs are especially notable for their potential in supporting the healing of symptoms related to estrogen deficiency in mature women. (2) If you’ve completed Estrogen Reset or read my book Overcoming Estrogen Dominance, you know it’s possible to be estrogen-deficient and still experience Estrogen Dominance.
Thyme – Fresh thyme is an incredible herb with anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, antimicrobial, and antiseptic properties. Thyme is used by herbalists to help relieve respiratory issues. (3)
Cinnamon, orange, and ginger – A trio of fresh spices to add an anti-inflammatory zing and evoke the flavor of another holiday favorite: mulled wine.
- For Cranberry Syrup
- 1 ½ cups filtered water
- ⅔ cup fresh cranberries
- 2 small cinnamon sticks
- 1 sprig thyme
- 1 teaspoon orange zest
- 1-inch piece of fresh ginger, peeled and grated
- Ice
- 8 ounces sparkling water
- Orange slices
- Fresh thyme
- Raw honey to taste
- Heat ingredients for syrup over medium-low heat in a saucepan until cranberries begin to burst, about 7 minutes.
- Remove from heat and use a fork to mash cranberries, releasing their juice. Strain mixture into a glass jar or cup and chill for 1-2 hours.
- Add ice to two glasses. Pour syrup over ice and top with sparkling water. Garnish with thyme and orange slices.
Find even more hormone-balancing recipes in Overcoming Estrogen Dominance
In Overcoming Estrogen Dominance, my goal is to empower and give you the tools to take control of your hormones and health.
More than 70% of women experience estrogen dominance. The symptoms range from lumpy and fibrocystic breasts to thyroid nodules, hot flashes, fibroids, uterine polyps, painful, heavy or irregular periods to infertility and miscarriages, from mood swings to insomnia, weight gain to fatigue.
In Overcoming Estrogen Dominance, I give women a roadmap to reverse estrogen dominance using food, herbs, supplements and natural protocols to rebalance hormones. You’ll also find easy, hormone-balancing recipes that are free of gluten, dairy, soy, corn, eggs, and nightshades. These recipes are highly anti-inflammatory, low in sugar, and made with powerful medicinal ingredients to help heal your body naturally.
To get your copy of Overcoming Estrogen Dominance, go here.
Resources
- Kim, Kyu Kwang et al. “Anti-angiogenic activity of cranberry proanthocyanidins and cytotoxic properties in ovarian cancer cells.” International journal of oncology vol. 40,1 (2012)
- Izumi, Toru, and Masakazu Terauchi. “The Diverse Efficacy of Food-Derived Proanthocyanidins for Middle-Aged and Elderly Women.” Nutrients vol. 12,12 3833. 15 Dec. 2020
- Lorenzo, Jose M et al. “Understanding the potential benefits of thyme and its derived products for food industry and consumer health: From extraction of value-added compounds to the evaluation of bioaccessibility, bioavailability, anti-inflammatory, and antimicrobial activities.” Critical reviews in food science and nutrition vol. 59,18 (2019)
Hi, I’ve tried this and it is very tasty! I added some honey for sweetness…the ingredients image looks like there maybe honey or maple…but not in the list? Thank you so much for sharing.
Hi Liza, we’re so glad that you enjoyed the recipe. It’s been a favorite of ours as well. We don’t include honey in the recipe, but we love that you found a modification that works well for you. Enjoy! ~HB Support