The Manitoba Driver > Non-alcoholic drinks help keep the season safe and fun

The Manitoba Driver, from Manitoba Public Insurance
December 2007

542 words
Non-alcoholic drinks help keep the season safe and fun

Christmas is a time of celebration, when folks from all walks of life gather together with friends and family to share in the holiday spirit. But in this time of good cheer, it’s important to remember it’s never OK to drink and drive. There are a number of things you can do to avoid it, including:

having a designated driver;
calling a family member or a friend for a ride home;
calling a cab or Operation Red Nose (if available); or
staying overnight.

Another option is not drinking alcohol.

Whether you’re hosting or attending a party, staying sober over the holiday season doesn’t have to be boring. The following recipes feature all the flavour and variety of traditional holiday drinks, with none of the alcohol. For more examples, go to the Manitoba Public Insurance website, www.mpi.mb.ca, and type in ‘Punch Recipes’ in the search engine.

Mock Mulled Wine
Nothing warms the cockles on a cold winter’s night like a hot, spicy drink.

4 c grape juice
2 c water
1 c sugar
2 dozen whole cloves
4 cinnamon sticks
Peel of 1 orange and 1 lemon
2 ½ c hot lemonade
Nutmeg to taste

Heat the water and add the sugar, cloves, cinnamon, nutmeg and peel. Boil for five minutes and simmer for five more. Strain this syrup into a large pot and add the lemonade; heat until gently bubbling. Add the grape juice and simmer on low heat until you serve. Your home will smell delicious!

Safety Belt Punch
This recipe packs a flavour punch and is festive enough for any gathering. Serve in a punch bowl with frozen whole cranberries. Add the sparkling juice just before serving to keep it fizzy.

Ice cubes
3 tbsp minced fresh ginger root
8 c cranberry cocktail
8 c non-alcoholic sparkling apple juice or cider, sparkling mineral water or club soda

Stir ginger into cranberry cocktail. Cover and refrigerate for at least four hours and for up to one day. Strain through a fine sieve and discard ginger. Place ice in punch bowl and pour the strained cranberry cocktail over it. Pour in sparkling juice and serve immediately.

Mint Merit
The chocolate/mint combination is a holiday classic!

3 c milk
3 peppermint tea bags
¼ c granulated sugar
¼ c unsweetened cocoa powder
Small candy canes (for garnish)

In a saucepan, combine 2 ½ cups of the milk with the tea bags and heat on medium just until steaming. Remove from heat, cover and let steep for five minutes. Remove tea bags, squeezing gently. In a bowl, combine sugar and cocoa. Whisk in remaining cold milk until smooth. Whisk into saucepan and return to medium heat. Heat, stirring often, until steaming. Pour into mugs and serve with candy canes as swizzle sticks.

No Fault Pina Colada

1/2 c unsweetened pineapple juice
1/4 c coconut cream (canned)
3 tbsp heavy cream
1 c crushed ice
Pineapple slices or sticks
Fresh mint sprigs

Mix together pineapple juice, coconut cream, cream and some of the crushed ice until smooth. Add remaining crushed ice. Pour over more crushed ice in highball glasses or serve in coconut halves. Garnish with pineapple and mint. Serve with straws.

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Non-alcoholic drinks provide a safe and tasty option for designated drivers and other holiday party-goers.

Photo courtesy of Manitoba Public Insurance