Muddled Bluberry & Basil Kombucha Floats

I have found my official beverage/dessert/pick-me-up for the summer! And it's so incredibly simple you might laugh. Or you might smack your head for not having thought of it before now! I love kombucha and I love some good vegan ice cream. So, I put the two together into a float! To add some fresh summer flavor I muddled some blueberries and basil in the bottom of the glass. And voila! You have a simple summer treat that satisfies your sweet tooth and gives your gut a good dose of healthy probiotics.

Do you guys like kombucha? I think it went through a bit of a fad phase (or maybe it is still in one) but it's for a good reason. In case you are not familiar with it, kombucha is fermented tea. The fermenting process allows for the growth of beneficial bacteria and yeast in the tea aka probiotics. I'm sure you've seen that term floating around the interwebs. Eating foods containing probiotics, or even taking probiotic supplements is important because we need bacterial diversity in our digestive system to be optimally healthy. By eating fermented foods that contain natural, beneficial bacteria, we are able to boost both the amount and variety of bacteria in our gut. As the majority of our immune system is in the gut, the health of our gut is very important. If you are ever experiencing digestive and immune issues, give probiotics a try. Aside from kombucha, you can try other fermented foods like miso, tempeh, pickles, sauerkraut, kimchi, and kefir.

Through my experience I've found that I'm pretty particular about my kombucha. I prefer one that is low in sugar and very fizzy (this means it has fermented longer). If you're in Texas, I recommend Kickin' Kombucha (made in Houston), Kosmic Kombucha (made in Austin), or Holy Kombucha (made in Fort Worth). I used to love Buddha's Brew (made in Austin), but it's become a bit too sweet for me nowadays. I think it's definitely a good brand to try if you are new to kombucha and may not be used to the taste.

For my float, I used Holy Kombucha's Moondance variety that contains citrus, ginger, and turmeric. I would definitely recommend a low sugar kombucha for your float as you are going to be pouring it over ice cream. I would also recommend something with a realtively neutral flavor profile that will go well with the blueberries and basil. But, it's your float and therefore totally up to you! To keep it local and represent Texas goods, I used Nada Moo's vegan vanilla ice cream which is made in Austin. And, to take it a step further, the blueberries were from Edom and the basil was from my backyard. Huzzah! Let's make a float!

Look Ma! My first GIF!

Muddled Blueberry & Basil Kombucha Floats

enough blueberries to cover the bottom of your glass (a small handful)
4 or 5 fresh basil leaves
1 scoop vegan vanilla ice cream
8 to 10 oz of kombucha (about half of a standard bottle)

Put the blueberries and basil in your glass. Using a muddler or the bottom of a wooden spoon or spatula, mash up the blueberries and basil until all of the blueberries have been smashed and released their juices. Add the scoop of ice cream on top of the berries. Pour the kombucha over the ice cream until the foam reaches the top of the glass. Garnish with a couple of blueberries or a basil leaf if you want, then Enjoy! You can either sip it through a straw or use a spoon. Makes 1 float.