With all the vegan talk being passed (and ignored) around the water cooler nowadays, I'm always asked one question pertaining to my trading in cow's milk for cashew milk and bacon cheese for beet avocado burgers. That question is why? Quite honestly my answer is always the same in that I tried it for a day and one day became three, then three became a week, then that week became a month. Now, November 1st made six months. Has it been hard? Not as hard as I thought, since I decided that I would just roll with it and delve into the culinary creativity of vegan cuisine. The inner foodie in me has loved being adventurous, but I also realized that the transition was also more smoother for me than for some since I already ate relativity healthily prior to my May 1st induction. While yes I enjoyed the brine of bacon and thought a meal without meat was incomplete, I for some time had very much relished in the kick of kale, the pop of haricot vert and the crunch of a crudité with hummus.
So while at a Health and Wellness Showcase a couple months ago, I found another product which would keep me on the healthy mark. See, I'd always had a small glass of a tablespoon of raw apple cider vinegar in warm water before bed since mid 2016, however it was always a mind over matter situation where I put the health benefit before the sharp stinging taste. How happy I was to discover Up Mountain Switchel at this showcase that conveniently made it delicious and beneficial to combine a nice drink with a healthy way to think.
Switchel has an odd history in this country as having starting out as a molasses and water concoction then being remixed over time with everything from vinegar, ginger and rum. However, take the odd pairings out of the equation and cue up Up Mountain Switchel. Born in Vermont, the company combines raw organic apple cider vinegar, fresh ginger, pure grade-A maple syrup and fresh Berkshire mountain spring water into a wonderfully flavorful drink that is as quenching as it is cleansing. Up Mountain Switchel keeps the ingredients simple and readable with non-GMO and certified kosher, vegan and organic ingredients that are sourced sustainably and ecologically with glass bottle packaging, low waste management and certified fair trade. What's also commendable about the brand is that a portion of the proceeds for every bottle sold goes to support the Stronghold Society whose mission is to create a future where youth of Native and non-native communities are able to share the power of indigenous knowledge to inspire strength of mind, body and spirit.
Up MountainSwitchel takes the stigma out of drinking apple cider vinegar and replaces it with a quality refreshing beverage in five edifying varieties of Original, Lemon, Cayenne, Yerba maté and a Sparkling Switchel called 'Swizzle'. It's feels good to drink something that you can understand, is good for you and appeals to your sensibilities. For more information on Up Mountain Switchel, the brand history and their cause visit DrinkSwitchel.com. In the meantime, I'm just going to sit back, relax and enjoy my switchel so I can have one more reason to give as to why I eat, and drink, so clean and am loving it.
