Good For You Cocktails (as seen in New York Lifestyles Magazine)
By Daryn Mayer, you fortified™
Spring is a great time for parties and entertaining. Whether it’s brunch, a barbecue, or just a get together with friends, delicious and appetizing food and drinks should be the center of every celebration.
We are what we drink and eat. How can we toast to our good health and imbibe our way to radiant skin?
Gluten-free vodkas can have many health benefits when consumed in moderation, which is no more than one cocktail per day for a healthy adult woman. So if it’s only going to be a single drink, why not make it a special one?
Research shows that consuming vodka in moderation can help reduce stress, which can be beneficial to your mind, body, and skin. Vodka’s medicinal properties have also been shown to reduce your risk of developing heart disease, and could possibly reduce your risk of ischemic stroke (when the arteries to your brain become narrowed or blocked) and your risk of diabetes.
Unlike vodkas that are made from wheat and grain, consuming a gluten-free vodka may help to prevent against side effects such as bloating, upset stomach, and abdominal pain for those with Celiac disease or sensitive digestion.
So as we celebrate springtime, here are some savory libations that, when consumed in moderation, can have a myriad of healthful benefits.
Cheers to your good health.
A Step in Thyme 
2 oz. Crushed pomegranate seeds
2 Thyme sprigs
½ oz. Lime juice
½ oz. Agave
1/2 Orange wedge
2 oz. Gluten-free, corn-based vodka
1 Egg white
In a cocktail shaker muddle the pomegranate with the orange wedge. Add all the ingredients, but hold the ice. Give the concoction few hard shakes. Then fill with ice to the top and give it a few more hard shakes. Strain into a cocktail glass that you can rim with salt if you choose to do so.
Its healthful benefits:
- Pomegranate seeds are rich in Vitamin C and K, which helps to promote collagen and elastin production for youthful skin. They also help to protect against diseases like cancer.
- Thyme is rich in Vitamin C and A helps to boost your immunity.
- Egg whites are rich in protein, which can be good for muscle building and fat burning.
- Orange peels contain flavonoids, which have been proven to de-accelerate the growth of cancer cells.
- Lime juice contains limonoids, which may protect against cancers of the skin, breast, mouth, lung, colon, and stomach.
Tomato Oyster Cocktail 
4 oz. Tomatoes blended
2 Kale leaves
1 tsp. Cayenne
1 oz. Lime juice
2 oz. Gluten-free, corn-based vodka
Dash Worcestershire sauce
1 tsp. Fresh ginger
1 tsp. Turmeric
1 tsp Sea salt
3 Shucked raw oysters
Blend tomatoes, oysters and kale together. Pour into mixing cup add ice to the top. Fill with the rest of the ingredients. Shake ingredients well and pour into mason jar or glass of choice.
Its healthful benefits:
- Tomatoes contain large amounts of lycopene, an antioxidant that is highly effective in foraging cancer causing free radicals.
- Kale boosts the health of your skin because of its vitamin C content, which helps you make the collagen needed for skin strength.
- Lime juice helps to promote healthy skin and improved digestion.
- Cayenne pepper helps to stimulate your metabolism. It’s rich in Vitamins C & E, as well as several antioxidants, all of which help to reduce the appearance of acne and promote flawless skin.
- Ginger is an antioxidant rich spice that increases blood circulation and helps cut down on toxins by fighting off free radicals to promote youthful looking skin.
- Oysters contain unique nutrients and minerals, which help boost metabolic activity, enhance the rejuvenation and growth for tissue, aid in the healing of wounds, and promote healthy growth.
Chocolate Almond Highball 
2oz. Almond milk
1/2 Orange wedge muddled
1½ oz. Gluten-free, corn-based vodka
1½ oz. Shaved dark chocolate
Combine all the ingredients in the cocktail glass. Strain into a highball glass on the rocks garnish and with shaved dark chocolate.
Its healthful benefits:
- Almond milk contains Vitamin E, an antioxidant known to protect the skin from harmful free radicals and help make the skin healthier and younger looking.
- Almond milk is also high in Vitamin B2, also known as riboflavin and B3 known as Niacin. Riboflavin helps to oxygenate the skin tissue while Niacin helps hydrate the skin by trapping moisture in cells.
- Dark chocolate contains powerful antioxidants that help protect your skin from free radical damage; keeping it soft, supple, and youthful.
- It also contains great sun protection properties that help shield your skin from harmful UV rays, which helps to prevent against skin cancer.
Garden Martini 
4 oz. Gluten-free, corn-based vodka
1 Lime squeezed
6 Slices of seedless cucumber muddled or pureed
3 Sprigs mint
Place all of the ingredients in shaker and add one cup of ice. Shake for 1 minute. Strain and pour into martini glass, garnish with one cucumber slice and lime.
Its healthful benefits:
- Cucumbers are a natural detoxifier that helps eliminate toxins from your body. They also contain the skin friendly nutrients of magnesium, potassium, and silicon:
- Magnesium helps to minimize fine lines and wrinkles.
- Studies have shown that potassium can have a positive impact of tissue regeneration, cell growth, and an overall balanced metabolism.
- Silicon prevents the skin from becoming flabby and restores the natural glow of the skin.
- In addition to containing limonoids, the vitamin C and flavonoids in lime juice help to rejuvenate the skin, keep it shining.
- Mint leaves act as a natural digestive aid. When your body processes food easily, it’s able to rid itself of the toxins that can have an impact on your skin and well being.
So you can imbibe your way to a healthier you. Just remember to drink responsibly and include healthful ingredients that not only taste great but will help to fortify you inside and out.
Recipes developed with Manhattan based Mixologist, Blanca Yungaicela. for you fortified™