After years of watching her beautify homes on HGTV, you probably feel like you already know Christina Anstead - so it's only fitting that you spend your happy hour making her creations! As a longtime friend to our brand, we were so excited to have her take over our Instagram Live to share cocktail recipes from her new book, The Wellness Remodel: A Guide to Rebooting How You Eat, Move, and Feed Your Soul.
In the book, out now, she chronicles her health journey and shares what she’s learned about the importance of creating balance and prioritizing physical and mental self-care. She and nutritionist Cara Clark share simple cooking strategies built for the real world of working parents and busy weeknights, including sixty of their favorite recipes, complete with beautiful photos and easy-to-follow instructions.
We got a sneak peek from Christina herself on our Instagram as she took over to make three of her fave cocktails from the book. Wanna play bartender alongside her? Get that shopping list out and get prepped, here's what we were shakin' up...
Cranberry Lime Moscow Mule
Serves 1:
2 ounces top-shelf vodka or gin (omit for mocktail version)
1 ounce cranberry juice
1 (12-ounce) bottle ginger beer (nonalcoholic for mocktail version)
2 lime wedges
1 sprig rosemary, for garnish (optional)
Fresh or frozen cranberries, for garnish (optional)
Fill a copper mug (or mug of your choice) with ice and top with the vodka or gin and cranberry juice. Top off with the ginger beer and a squeeze of lime. Give the mixture a stir and garnish with the lime wedges and the rosemary and cranberries, if desired.
Tequila Citrus
Serves 1:
1 1/2 ounces clear agave tequila
1 cup sparkling water
Juice of 1/2 grapefruit or whole lime
Pour the ingredients over ice and sip!
Blackberry Bourbon Smash
Serves 1:
2 lime wedges
1 lemon wedge
6 fresh blackberries
2 sprigs mint or basil
Handful of ice
1 1/2 ounces top-shelf bourbon (Basil Hayden's is my favorite)
1 (12-ounce) bottle ginger kombucha or ginger beer
At the bottom of a glass, squeeze 1 of the lime wedges and the lemon wedge. Add 5 of the blackberries and 1 mint or basil sprig and muddle (the handle end of a wooden spoon or spatula works well for this). Fill the glass with ice and pour in the bourbon. Top off with the ginger kombucha or beer. Stir and garnish with a blackberry, lime wedge, and sprig of mint.
Christina also took the time to answer a few of our burning questions for her...get the scoop below!
Thanks for chatting with us, Christina! So what inspired you to write this book?
Since 2013, when Flip Or Flop first aired on HGTV, the questions I have been asked most have nothing to do with design! People have always asked me what my diet and exercise routine looks like...so I decided to write a book with my long time nutritionist/friend, Cara Clark, in the hopes of helping people achieve a balanced and healthy lifestyle.
Can you tell us a little about what we'll find in your book?
The book talks about how I met Cara and how much my life has changed since I started following a healthy meal plan. I also talk about my autoimmune issues, mediation, what I eat in a day, a 2-week cleanse, as well as my favorite home exercise routine and recipes.
We seriously don't know how you juggle it all! Any advice for all the busy working moms out there?
It’s so important to make yourself a priority! So many of us can get so wrapped up in taking care of others, we ignore our own needs.
As you know, your friend Monica founded L*SPACE with the idea that all the best things in life start with the letter "L"...love, laughter, light. So how do you find your "L" space, and what's your "L" right now?
LOVE is keeping me motivated. Love for my family, my friends, my job. Love is the driving force behind everything I do!
You can check out The Wellness Remodel now, available wherever books are sold including Amazon, Barnes & Noble, and Target.
Follow Christina on IG here!