text: Good Food | 5 summer cocktails that are actually (almost) good for you
  Tequila doesn't exactly do a body good. But sipping a late-summer marg can be a good thing, giving you a much-needed moment or two to sit still, sip, and recharge.
  When you do imbibe, why not spike your hootch with health-boosting ingredients that help counter some of the liquor's less-than-ideal effects, like antioxidant-packed berries or vitamin-heavy honeydew?
  We went to the some of the city's hottest healthy restaurants to get recipes for refreshing summer cocktails you can make at home—all of which contain fresh, seasonal ingredients that, yes, you can feel totally good about. (Or scoot out of the office a little early, and let a pro make one for you.) —Lisa Elaine Held
  Fresh pea juice is the star of this mojito spin-off that's made with fruit-of-the-moment yuzu and better-for-you-than-white-sugar organic agave.
  1 ounce organic mint "juice" (a blend of mint and water)
  Sarma Melngailis' raw food landmark is known for its sake-based cocktails made with good-for-you ingredients. This sweet and spicy summer libation provides vitamins, minerals, and even some fiber thanks to its fresh melon base.
  2. Blend the flesh of one honeydew melon with a tiny bit of water, a dash of lemon or lime juice, and a few sprigs of cilantro, yielding a smooth, runny puree. (It's best to do this in a Vitamix blender, so you don't end up with small specks of cilantro, but if you do, that's okay, too! They're only cocktails after all.) You may also want to add a touch of agave nectar, coconut nectar, or other sweetener, to taste.
  Leave it to a master chef like Daniel Boulud to come up with maybe the perfect late summer cocktail, full of watermelon, pineapple, lemon, and lime juice. It's like a refreshing, alcoholic multi-vitamin.
  Make the most of all those berry baskets you got at the farmers' market with this antioxidant powerhouse of a cocktail. Bubbly bonus! The Cava adds a slight summer sparkle.
  Gotham is home to greenmarket-obsessed chef Alfred Portale, so it's no surprise that his twist on a margarita includes some green—in this case, avocado, giving it a dose of good, healthy fats.
  2. Shake and strain! (Gotham's big on serving this drink in Nick & Nora martini glasses, like the one shown here.)
  Tagged: healthy cocktails, healthy restaurants, vegan restaurants Share This:
  Love the sound of the summer spritzer. Berries are my fave and I have basil growing in my garden — perfect!