Improves Alertness

This is probably the main reason why we drink coffee. Caffeine, the stimulant in coffee, improves alertness and concentration, but its effect is especially great among people who do not get enough sleep.

Improves Our Mood

Studies have found that caffeine improves our mood. People report feeling happy and energized after consuming caffeine.

Improves Athletic Performance

Caffeine is known to improve performance in a variety of types of aerobic exercise—such as running, ball games, and swimming.

Acts as a Pain Killer

Caffeine can relieve pain, especially headaches. While we feel a headache, the blood vessels in the brain dilate, and caffeine causes the blood vessels to constrict. That is why many painkillers also contain caffeine.

Helps Bowel Activity

If after drinking coffee you feel the need to visit the bathroom, it is not by chance. Caffeine promotes the contraction of the intestinal muscles and thus affects intestinal motility.

The post Why You Should Drink More Coffee appeared first on thedancingcucumber.com.

According to Johansen, there’s no such thing as a gendered drink, and both men and women can enjoy her cocktails depending on their particular taste. “I grew up in Norway and we didn’t have these gendered ideas of what an ‘appropriate’ drink for a woman was,” she explained in an interview with Khoollect. “If you wanted a beer, you drank a beer. If you wanted a whisky, you drank a whisky. Both my parents love whisky (my mother’s more of a bourbon drinker, but she’s a fan of a whisky sour with scotch) and over the years I just tried whatever they had.”

A whiskey-gal herself, her relaxed approach to both cooking and drinking has attracted an impressive following. With some 13k followers on Instagram and pieces published on esteemed publications like The Times, Sunday Times, and Marie Claire, Johansen clearly knows what she’s doing. Having trained at Leiths School of Food and Wine in London, she also worked in several of the UK’s top restaurants and went on to do her Masters in the anthropology of food at SOAS food studies center at the University of London.

Her book, Spirited, is a must have for cocktail lovers.

The post Signe Johansen’s Cocktails are Unique, Elegant, and Fresh appeared first on thedancingcucumber.com.

Raspberry Peach Lemonade

All you have to do is add some raspberries and peaches to your lemonade mix. You actually don’t even need a recipe to make this one. It is one of the most refreshing drinks to help you battle the heat.

Watermelonade

If watermelon is your favorite fruit as well, don’t pass up on this delicious twist of the classic lemonade. Just like the title says, it includes plenty of watermelon, some sugar, and freshly squeezed lemon juice.

Lavender Honey Lemonade

It sounds like the perfect summer refreshing mocktail. Simply add some lavender to the freshly squeezed lemon juice and sweeten it up with honey. The end result is fabulous.

Mint Limeade

Another great way to escape from the classic pattern is to change the lemons with limes. They are just as delicious when transformed into a cold drink. This drink looks very much like a virgin mojito, which is another reason why you’ll love it.

The post Tasty Twists On The Classy Lemonade appeared first on thedancingcucumber.com.

Ingredients:

This sangria recipe is made with red wine, but if you have some white left at home, you can also give it a try. The first thing you need is a 750ml. bottle of red wine. The fruit list includes 1 lemon, 1 orange, 1 apple. If you love berries feel free to add some blueberries and strawberries. You will also need 2 tablespoons sugar, 1 1/2 oz brandy and 2 cups club soda. Some people prefer to do it with ginger ale.

Instructions:

The sangria recipe will take you around 5-10 minutes to prep. All you have to do is cut all the fruits on tiny pieces, except for the lemons and oranges. You will need a large pitcher to put the wine in. Squeeze the lemons and the oranges together with the wine. Put the chopped fruit in, together with the sugar and brandy. Cover the pitcher and leave it in the fridge overnight. Add the soda right before you pour it.

The post The Perfect Summer Sangria Recipe appeared first on thedancingcucumber.com.

Chai Tea Latte

Chai tea has numerous proven health benefits. If you want to get rid of coffee, but still need that extra energy, this is the first drink you should go for.

Yerba Mate

Yerba matte is one of the best coffee alternatives for all caffeine addicts. This drink is packed with a number of healthy nutrients that are great for your body. You can have it hot, cold, and even add flavors.

Ginger Tea

Ginger tea is a great coffee alternative, considering that it gives a morning boost similar to your favorite drink. Aside from that, it will also protect you from inflammation. The taste might be a bit different to what you’re used to, but you’ll start loving it with time.

Matcha Cappucino

Matcha contains caffeine, but it’s also extremely healthy. The best thing about this miraculous powder is that it slowly releases caffeine, which leads to long hours of energy. It’s rich in the amino-acid L-theanine, that boosts the memory.

Kombucha

Kombucha is one of the top trending drinks among health-addicts at the moment. It provides a number of benefits including regulating the blood pressure, detox, improved digestion, boosted energy levels and more.

https://www.instagram.com/p/BkaQstulPoC/

The post 5 Healthy, Energizing Coffee Alternatives appeared first on thedancingcucumber.com.

Beets By J

A fresh and (almost healthy) tonic style cocktail created by California barman, Josh Goldman, is a perfect treat on a hot summer’s day. Made with fresh beet juice, citrus-infused agave syrup, and añejo tequila, this beets (see what we did there?) a boring cocktail any day of the week.

Frozen Cucumber Margarita

You’ve had cucumber water but have you enjoyed a cucumber margarita? The freshness of this ambiguous fruity vegetable (seriously, what is it?), pairs perfectly with Blanco tequila, as the coolness of the cucumber lowers the heat of the alcohol. Add a splash of St-Germain for a sweet and floral lift.   

Celery Margarita

Celery takes center stage as opposed to being an understudy for most cocktails (take that Bloody Mary.) The celery shrub is added to fresh celery juice, sugar, and rice vinegar to create a tangy syrup. Add to Blanco tequila, fresh lime, and pineapple juice to create an aperitif or meal accompaniment.   

The post Unexpectedly Delicious Margarita Recipes That’ll Give You A Daily Dose Of Vegetables appeared first on thedancingcucumber.com.

The next time you crack open your favorite bottle of Whiskey, bear in mind the Whiskey Devil that could be living under your sink!

According to legend, this tiny prankster feeds off of bartender meanness and to banish him, you must be generous with your measurements.

For a Whiskey Devil-free life, two fingers pour at a minimum, while thinking happy thoughts.

Remember, Devil is Lived spelled backward and you haven’t lived until you’ve tried the Whiskey hack in step two.  

Step Two: Have A Ball With Ice Ice Baby

Ice cube trays are so old-fashioned. Don’t you want to open your freezer door and be greeted with a Christmas-esque scene of ice water balloons?

Yes, you may have to remove your frozen food to make room, but it’s totally worth it.

1. Simply fill some balloons with water (small enough to fit in your glass)
2. Hang the balloons in your freezer overnight (use a skewer or chopstick to hold them up so they dangle)

Amaze your friends (or your cat) with these ice balls that will keep your drink cooler for longer, while enhancing the flavor of the Whiskey.

Added bonus, you’ll look like a total boss.

The post How To Hack Whiskey For A Better Taste Experience In 2 Steps appeared first on thedancingcucumber.com.

Improves Alertness

This is probably the main reason why we drink coffee. Caffeine, the stimulant in coffee, improves alertness and concentration, but its effect is especially great among people who do not get enough sleep.

Improves Our Mood

Studies have found that caffeine improves our mood. People report feeling happy and energized after consuming caffeine.

Improves Athletic Performance

Caffeine is known to improve performance in a variety of types of aerobic exercise—such as running, ball games, and swimming.

Acts as a Pain Killer

Caffeine can relieve pain, especially headaches. While we feel a headache, the blood vessels in the brain dilate, and caffeine causes the blood vessels to constrict. That is why many painkillers also contain caffeine.

Helps Bowel Activity

If after drinking coffee you feel the need to visit the bathroom, it is not by chance. Caffeine promotes the contraction of the intestinal muscles and thus affects intestinal motility.

The post Why You Should Drink More Coffee appeared first on thedancingcucumber.com.

According to Johansen, there’s no such thing as a gendered drink, and both men and women can enjoy her cocktails depending on their particular taste. “I grew up in Norway and we didn’t have these gendered ideas of what an ‘appropriate’ drink for a woman was,” she explained in an interview with Khoollect. “If you wanted a beer, you drank a beer. If you wanted a whisky, you drank a whisky. Both my parents love whisky (my mother’s more of a bourbon drinker, but she’s a fan of a whisky sour with scotch) and over the years I just tried whatever they had.”

A whiskey-gal herself, her relaxed approach to both cooking and drinking has attracted an impressive following. With some 13k followers on Instagram and pieces published on esteemed publications like The Times, Sunday Times, and Marie Claire, Johansen clearly knows what she’s doing. Having trained at Leiths School of Food and Wine in London, she also worked in several of the UK’s top restaurants and went on to do her Masters in the anthropology of food at SOAS food studies center at the University of London.

Her book, Spirited, is a must have for cocktail lovers.

The post Signe Johansen’s Cocktails are Unique, Elegant, and Fresh appeared first on thedancingcucumber.com.

Raspberry Peach Lemonade

All you have to do is add some raspberries and peaches to your lemonade mix. You actually don’t even need a recipe to make this one. It is one of the most refreshing drinks to help you battle the heat.

Watermelonade

If watermelon is your favorite fruit as well, don’t pass up on this delicious twist of the classic lemonade. Just like the title says, it includes plenty of watermelon, some sugar, and freshly squeezed lemon juice.

Lavender Honey Lemonade

It sounds like the perfect summer refreshing mocktail. Simply add some lavender to the freshly squeezed lemon juice and sweeten it up with honey. The end result is fabulous.

Mint Limeade

Another great way to escape from the classic pattern is to change the lemons with limes. They are just as delicious when transformed into a cold drink. This drink looks very much like a virgin mojito, which is another reason why you’ll love it.

The post Tasty Twists On The Classy Lemonade appeared first on thedancingcucumber.com.

Ingredients:

This sangria recipe is made with red wine, but if you have some white left at home, you can also give it a try. The first thing you need is a 750ml. bottle of red wine. The fruit list includes 1 lemon, 1 orange, 1 apple. If you love berries feel free to add some blueberries and strawberries. You will also need 2 tablespoons sugar, 1 1/2 oz brandy and 2 cups club soda. Some people prefer to do it with ginger ale.

Instructions:

The sangria recipe will take you around 5-10 minutes to prep. All you have to do is cut all the fruits on tiny pieces, except for the lemons and oranges. You will need a large pitcher to put the wine in. Squeeze the lemons and the oranges together with the wine. Put the chopped fruit in, together with the sugar and brandy. Cover the pitcher and leave it in the fridge overnight. Add the soda right before you pour it.

The post The Perfect Summer Sangria Recipe appeared first on thedancingcucumber.com.

Chai Tea Latte

Chai tea has numerous proven health benefits. If you want to get rid of coffee, but still need that extra energy, this is the first drink you should go for.

Yerba Mate

Yerba matte is one of the best coffee alternatives for all caffeine addicts. This drink is packed with a number of healthy nutrients that are great for your body. You can have it hot, cold, and even add flavors.

Ginger Tea

Ginger tea is a great coffee alternative, considering that it gives a morning boost similar to your favorite drink. Aside from that, it will also protect you from inflammation. The taste might be a bit different to what you’re used to, but you’ll start loving it with time.

Matcha Cappucino

Matcha contains caffeine, but it’s also extremely healthy. The best thing about this miraculous powder is that it slowly releases caffeine, which leads to long hours of energy. It’s rich in the amino-acid L-theanine, that boosts the memory.

Kombucha

Kombucha is one of the top trending drinks among health-addicts at the moment. It provides a number of benefits including regulating the blood pressure, detox, improved digestion, boosted energy levels and more.

https://www.instagram.com/p/BkaQstulPoC/

The post 5 Healthy, Energizing Coffee Alternatives appeared first on thedancingcucumber.com.

Beets By J

A fresh and (almost healthy) tonic style cocktail created by California barman, Josh Goldman, is a perfect treat on a hot summer’s day. Made with fresh beet juice, citrus-infused agave syrup, and añejo tequila, this beets (see what we did there?) a boring cocktail any day of the week.

Frozen Cucumber Margarita

You’ve had cucumber water but have you enjoyed a cucumber margarita? The freshness of this ambiguous fruity vegetable (seriously, what is it?), pairs perfectly with Blanco tequila, as the coolness of the cucumber lowers the heat of the alcohol. Add a splash of St-Germain for a sweet and floral lift.   

Celery Margarita

Celery takes center stage as opposed to being an understudy for most cocktails (take that Bloody Mary.) The celery shrub is added to fresh celery juice, sugar, and rice vinegar to create a tangy syrup. Add to Blanco tequila, fresh lime, and pineapple juice to create an aperitif or meal accompaniment.   

The post Unexpectedly Delicious Margarita Recipes That’ll Give You A Daily Dose Of Vegetables appeared first on thedancingcucumber.com.

The next time you crack open your favorite bottle of Whiskey, bear in mind the Whiskey Devil that could be living under your sink!

According to legend, this tiny prankster feeds off of bartender meanness and to banish him, you must be generous with your measurements.

For a Whiskey Devil-free life, two fingers pour at a minimum, while thinking happy thoughts.

Remember, Devil is Lived spelled backward and you haven’t lived until you’ve tried the Whiskey hack in step two.  

Step Two: Have A Ball With Ice Ice Baby

Ice cube trays are so old-fashioned. Don’t you want to open your freezer door and be greeted with a Christmas-esque scene of ice water balloons?

Yes, you may have to remove your frozen food to make room, but it’s totally worth it.

1. Simply fill some balloons with water (small enough to fit in your glass)
2. Hang the balloons in your freezer overnight (use a skewer or chopstick to hold them up so they dangle)

Amaze your friends (or your cat) with these ice balls that will keep your drink cooler for longer, while enhancing the flavor of the Whiskey.

Added bonus, you’ll look like a total boss.

The post How To Hack Whiskey For A Better Taste Experience In 2 Steps appeared first on thedancingcucumber.com.