Holiday Cocktails
I adore the holiday season! There’s nothing like spending quality time with your loved ones, celebrating each other, laugh your face off and fill your belly up! And if your family is anything like mine, we also enjoy a good little cocktail, or two! So I though I’d share with you some of our go-to drinks of the season!
“This actually is my mom’s and my favorite holiday happy hour cocktail!”
Quebecois 75
A French Canadian twist to the classic FRENCH 75, a super simple cocktail that requires few ingredients and is perfect for the celebratory toast of Christmas and New Year’s Eve. Or for any other occasion, really. This actually is my mom’s and my favorite holiday happy hour cocktail!
INGREDIENTS :
2 oz of gin. My family enjoys Bombay Sapphire or the Quebecois gin, Ungava. There are so many amazing gins these days!
1/2 oz of lemon juice.
1/2 oz of maple syrup.
2 oz of sparkling wine. Cavas are perfect for this! I love Champagne but find it too pricey for mixed drinks.
Pomegranate seeds. Optional but delicious! Pomegranates are in season right now, plus, they bring antioxidants to the party!
* If you would like to make this a “mocktail”, simply use non-alcoholic sparkling wine. As for the gin, you can substitute it with The Spirit of Gin, a non-alcoholic alternative created by The Free Spirits Company!
DIRECTIONS :
Place 2-3 ice cubes in a cocktail shaker and add the gin, lemon and maple syrup to it.
Shake shake shake it!
Pour it in your favorite cocktail glass. I love the old fashion champagne coupes. They are so chic!
Top with the sparkling wine.
Garnish with a spoonful of pomegranate seeds.
Cheers, Sip and Enjoy!
“This latte is totally in season, delicious, not too sweet, and can obviously be enjoyed whiskey free.”
Whiskey Pumpkin Spice Latte
Yes that’s right, and it is delectable! Perfectly enjoyable on Christmas morning while opening presents or the morning of January 1st to celebrate the new year with a boom! This latte is totally in season, delicious, not too sweet, and can obviously be enjoyed whiskey free.
INGREDIENTS FOR THE LATTE :
1/2 cup of strong espresso.
1 1/2 tbsp of pumpkin spice puree. Can be adjusted to taste.
1/2 cup of frothed milk. I enjoy using oat milk for a creamy, dairy free option.
Maple syrup to taste.
1 oz of Whiskey.
A dash of cinnamon.
*If you are not a coffee drinker, you can switch out the coffee for black tea. I love Pique Tea! Their Fermented Pu’er Black Tea is a great option for this drink. It is also full of probiotics and perfect for your gut health! Enjoy 5% off when using the code “KIMKLEAN”.
DIRECTIONS FOR THE LATTE :
In a large mug, mix the espresso, pumpkin puree, maple syrup and whiskey together.
Froth your warmed milk and incorporate it to the coffee/pumpkin mixture.
Add a dash of cinnamon on top.
INGREDIENTS FOR THE HOMEMADE PUMPKIN SPICE PUREE :
2 cups of pureed squash. I love using Buttercup Squash for this. It’s flesh is sweet and gets very soft. Butternut Squash is also a great option.
A pinch of salt.
1/4 tsp of black pepper.
1/4 tsp of clove.
1/2 tsp of cinnamon.
1/2 tsp of nutmeg.
1/2 tsp of turmeric.
1/2 tsp of ginger.
1/2 tsp of vanilla extract.
1 tbsp of maple syrup.
*All of these spices are anti-inflammatory and help support a healthy immune system.
DIRECTIONS FOR HOMEMADE PUMPKIN SPICE PUREE :
Preheat the oven at 400ºF.
Cut the squash in half. Watch out for your fingers! Squashes are tough to cut through. Do NOT try to cut the stem, simply cut around it with a knife and pull the squash open with your hands.
Remove the seeds and stringy flesh with a spoon.
Season the inside of the squash with a pinch of salt.
Put a piece of parchemin paper on a baking sheet and place the both halves, flesh down.
Bake for 45-60 min, until the flesh is soft and easily scoopable.
Put the soft flesh in a blender and mix until it becomes a smooth puree.
Transfer 2 cups of the puree into a bowl and incorporate the rest of the ingredients et voilà!
Enjoy in good company!
PRO TIP!!
Freeze individual portions of your pumpkin spice puree using an ice cube tray. That way, you can make the pleasure last longer and only use what you need that morning for your lattes.
Cheers to you and your family and friends. May this holiday season be filled with love and joy, bliss and laughter.
Love & Light
Kim
Top 5 Winter Essential Oils
I find essential oils to be magical! Not only do they brighten up a room with their enveloping aroma, but they also have properties that support the wellbeing of your body and your mind. This is the exact reason why I felt drawn to study aromatherapy and am now an essential oil specialist.
And so, in this video, I am sharing with you my top 5 essential oils to keep by your side during the winter months. They boost your immune system, support your respiratory system and and help keep your spirits up! I am also suggesting different ways to incorporate these oil so that you can fully enjoy their wonderful benefits!
Lymphatic Drainage, The “Healthy” Massage
Beauty and health often seem to be two parallel worlds that have absolutely nothing in common. What if there was a beauty trend that not only helped your body to purify itself and stimulate your immune system but also to “debloat” and reduce the appearance of cellulite!? Here comes, the lymphatic drainage!!
“The lymph therefore plays a major role in your immune system.”
First things first, what is the lymphatic system? It is a system a vessels similar to your blood vessels that transports lymph from your tissues to your bloodstream. Lymph is simply plasma that left your blood vessels to feed your cells nutrients and grab your cells’ waste. The liquid then enters your lymphatic vessels, gets filtered by your lymph nodes where white blood cells attack viruses, bacterias, heavy metals and other cellular waste collected to finally go back into your bloodstream. The lymph therefore plays a major role in your immune system.
Unlike the circulatory system, the lymphatic system does not rely on the heart to pump the lymph. Heavy legs sensation, cellulite and stretch marks are all signs of poor lymphatic circulation. Physical activity, aka muscle contraction, helps to prevent the lymph from being stagnant. Some massage techniques also help with lymph movement. Yep, relaxing while eliminating toxins! Sign. Me. Up!
Most spas offer the Lymphatic Drainage, a massage that consists in long, light movements. It’s nothing like a “deep tissue” that breaks down the knots. Here, it’s all about being gentle and the results can be quite impressive! Flavia Lanini is an expert and has developed her own technique mixing contouring and draining. Celebrities such as Selena Gomez, Kris Jenner and Hailey Beiber love her and frequent her spa, the Flavia Lanini - Beauty Institute, located in West Hollywood, Los Angeles. After a single session, your water retention has evaporated and your body is completely sculpted! Such treatments are definitely a treat and can cost a pretty penny. Thankfully, there are some techniques you can do at home.
“This technique is energizing and practiced in the morning before jumping in the shower.”
Dry brushing, for exemple, consists of - wait for it! - brushing your dry skin with a brush made of natural sisal fibers. This technique is energizing and practiced in the morning before jumping in the shower. It activates your circulation and helps reduce cellulite while gently exfoliating your skin. The drainage paddle is a little different. It massages your oiled skin, tones, detoxifies, sculpts and reduces inflammation.
In order to practice these techniques at home, you have to start by activating your lymph nodes by applying gently pressure 75 to 100 times over your armpits, collarbone and groin areas. The goal of this massage is to move the lymph towards your lymph nodes through movements going from your hands to your armpits, from your feet to your groin and from you torso down to your groin. Repeat these movements 5 to 10 times, applying moderate pressure and there you have it! A massage by you, FOR you! Take your time and indulge in this precious self-care moment.
A lymphatic drainage massage offers benefits far beyond aesthetics. It allows you to feel rested or invigorated, to have smooth skin, to get rid of water retention and puffiness, to boost your immune system while eliminating harmful toxins. This is what we call self-care at it’s finest.
Love & Light
Kim
