Hangover Cures
Katrina Caraboolad

Ever feel like Taio Cruz’s song “Hangover” is the theme song to your life? If so, read on. Most people have the case of the Mondays, but if you’re a Syracuse University student, there’s also a “case of the Wednesdays”. As Syracuse students, like to go out to relieve stress and make us feel like normal human beings, but the constant drinking on Thursday, Friday, and Saturday [insert more days here] can be nonetheless brutal. So today, if you’re feeling sub-par, I suggest getting a hold of one of these drinks to brighten up your day so you can at least pretend like you want to be in class.

On the top of the hangover drink list is “Hair of the Dog”. It’s a common phrase that the best cure is the “hair of the dog that bit you”, and what’s a better way to cure a hangover than more alcohol, right? Mix 6 ounces of Bulldog Gin, ½ ounces of fresh lemon juice, 2-3 dashes of Tabasco sauce and a slice of chili pepper to help calm your stomach.

Next on the list is Gatorade. The popular sports drink is formulated to rehydrate your body with carbohydrates and electrolytes to help you regain what your body lost last night. Not only is the drink delicious, but it also fortifies your body with minerals to help get you out of bed and off to class.

Lastly, if you’re feeling ambitious, try Jonathan Stewart’s Hangover Remedy drink. It includes:

1000 milligrams vitamin C
one B complex vitamin
600 milligrams N-acetyl-cysteine or “NAC”
400 milligrams Ibuprofen
one over-ripe banana
5-6 frozen strawberries
1/4 cup wild blueberries
1/4 cup frozen or fresh pineapple
about 1 1/2 cups cold vanilla soy milk
1/2 cup orange juice
a dash of salt
a dash of cayenne
about 100 ounces clear, filtered water

Blend together and enjoy your hangover-free day! 

Chocolate Martinis
Lindsay Barton

Italians eat dinner late and keep the party going until the wee hours of the morning. The country is known for it’s wine, but not everyone is a vino. Mixed drinks have risen in popularity, thanks to a regular influx of tourists. The martini, however, is a staple that won’t be leaving anytime soon. Read on to see how easy it is to make one yourself!

Ingredients
1 pear, cut in half
bittersweet chocolate, finely chopped
ice
2 oz vodka
1 ½ oz chocolate liqueur

Directions
Us the pear half to rub the rim of the martini. Dip the rim of the martini in the chocolate. Then fill a cocktail shaker with vodka, ice and chocolate liqueur. Shake well and strain into the prepared martini glass. Serve immediately and enjoy with your closest friends! 

Drink Away Your Sickness
Katrina Caraboolad

As we get deeper into spring, you’d think the sunshine and happy faces would make everyone’s winter sicknesses disappear. Rather, the drastic weather changes have thrown off our body’s equilibrium and now it seems everyone is sick. The past few days, while I was bored and sick in my apartment, I experimented with a few different drinks in the hopes of finding a cure for my sore throat and aching body.

After trying different types of tea, I discovered Pomegranate Green Tea by the Republic of Tea. Green tea is full of antioxidants and is known for its benefits:  helping lower cholesterol, burn fat and prevent diabetes, strokes and dementia. The pomegranate flavor is a sweet addition to the bland green tea flavor and it keeps your taste buds alive. The hot tea was not only soothing to my whole body but it helped break down the mucous (ew!) in my throat.

The second drink I discovered is best to drink at night, which is suggested in its name, the “Dreamy Nighttime Drink”. To make this drink, heat 1 cup of milk in the microwave until the milk begins to foam (about 3 minutes). Then stir in 1 teaspoon of honey, 2 drops of vanilla extract and sprinkle the top with some cinnamon. The warm milk will calm your body and the honey will coat your throat so you can have a pleasant night’s sleep.

Photo courtesy of Google Images

Drinks: A Powerful Blend
Katrina Caraboolad

Need a powerful start to your day? How about a midday snack boost? Check out Freshëns’ all natural yogurt and smoothies that contain no high fructose corn syrup and no trans fat. Not only are all smoothies fortified with 100 percent of vitamins A, C, D, E and 25 percent of calcium, but they also offer additional boosters such as protein, B vitamins for energy and green tea to help you get your day on track. Some of my favorite flavors include Maui Mango, Peach Sunset and Pineapple Paradise, which all share a tangy but sweet flavor. Their use of Truvia, a zero-calorie, all-natural sweetener, allows you to enjoy the sweet delight of smoothies without the excess sugar.

In addition to smoothies, Freshëns offers frozen yogurt that can be eaten plain or with toppings, as well as in the form of shakes and “blasts”. Comparable to a McFlurry from McDonalds, fro-yo blasts combine your choice of Oreos, Reeses Pieces, M&Ms or Cookie Dough to be “blasted” into the frozen yogurt for a mixture of creamy and indulgent goodness. The best part about Freshëns frozen yogurt is that it has no fat, so you can make yourself a healthy snack with fruit, or splurge and get a blast with your favorite candy toppings (and still have it be healthier than a McFlurry).

Let’s face it, frozen yogurt is all the rage, so why not join in on the trend? Get your yogurt fix and head on over to food.com or other cafes around campus to explore your options—you’ll be pleasantly surprised!

Photo courtesy of Google Images.

Drinks for Spring Break
Katrina Caraboolad

Whether you’re bronzing your body on the beach, or hibernating in your home, these top 5 spring break drinks are sure to give you a good time, and they taste amazing too!

1. Mojito

- 3 fresh mint sprigs
- 2 tsp sugar
- 3 tbsp fresh lime juice
- 1.5 oz light rum
- Club soda

2. Sex on the Beach

- ½ oz. black raspberry liqueur
- ½ oz. melon liqueur
- ½ oz. vodka
- 1 oz. pineapple juice
- Splash of cranberry juice

3. Sangria

- 1 bottle red Spanish table wine

- 1/2 cup orange juice

- ¼ cup simple syrup, or more to taste (equal parts sugar and water, heated until sugar dissolves, then cooled)

- Orange slices

- Lemon Slices

- Apple slices

- 1/4 cup of raspberries

- 8 ounces of sprite or 7 up or you can substitute carbonated water

4. Pina Colada

- 3 oz. light rum
- 3 tbsp. coconut cream
- 3 tbsp. crushed pineapples

5. Bloody Mary

- 2 oz. vodka
- 4 oz. tomato juice
- ½ tbsp.. lemon juice
- 1 splash Worcestershire sauce
- A few dashed of Tobasco
- 1 tsp. horseradish