Recipe: spiced cran-apple mocktail

Recipe: Spiced cran-apple tea mocktail

The holidays are here, so what better time to impress your guests with your mixology skills while also looking out for their oral health?

This festive mocktail recipe combines warm spices, cranberries and apples to create a slightly tart refresher that’s both healthy and alcohol free. You’ll create a drink worth toasting to — and a home that smells like a cozy winter wonderland!

Cranberries contain polyphenols that help keep bacteria from sticking to teeth.
Ginger has gingerols that help prevent gum infections and disease.
Herbal teas, such as those with ginger or lemongrass, can battle cavity-causing bacteria.

Ingredients:

10 cups of water

6 large apples, sliced

½ cup fresh cranberries

4 cinnamon sticks

1-2 whole star anise

1 teaspoon ground ginger

4 cinnamon herbal tea bags

Directions:

Pour the water into a large pot. Add apples, cranberries, cinnamon sticks, anise and ginger.
Bring the mixture to a boil over medium heat.
Add the tea bags. Steep according to the instructions on the tea packaging.
Remove the tea bags from the pot.
Reduce the heat to medium low and simmer for two hours, or until the apples are soft.
Mash the apples and cranberries and continue to simmer for an additional hour.
Strain the mixture into a large bowl and return the liquid to the pot.
Serve. Garnish with fresh mint, cranberries, cinnamon sticks or whole star anise if desired.