Melissa's Tips:
- You can cut another 100 calories per drink by having the non-alcoholic version of the recipes below.
- Remember, "moderation" means one drink per day for women and two drinks per day for men.
- The extra calories don't just come from the drinks themselves, but from the extra food you might be tempted to eat that night and into the next day.
For more information on nutrition and health, visit www.EatRight.org or follow Melissa on Twitter at @MelissaJoyRD.
Magical Low-Calorie Margarita
Source: Hungry Girl cookbook by Lisa Lillien
Makes 1 serving
Ingredients:
6 oz Diet Lemon-Lime Soda
1 1/2 oz Tequila
1 packet (two 5-calorie servings) Sugar-Free Powdered Lemonade Drink Mix
2 tblsps Lime Juice
5 to 8 Ice Cubes or 1 cup Crushed Ice
Optional: Lime Wedge (for garnish)
Directions:
Stir all ingredients together, except for the ice.
For a frozen drink, place mixture in a blender with the ice and blend until smooth; or simply pour mixture over ice and enjoy.
If you like, serve with a lime wedge.
If you don't like your drinks super-sweet, use just half of the lemonade drink mix.
Nutrition: 115 calories, 0g fat, 55 mg sodium, 2g carbs, 0g fiber, <0.5g sugars, 0g protein.
Chocolate "Moo"tini
(this might not be much lower in calories, but it is packed with more nutrition and tons of chocolate flavor!)
Ingredients:
1 oz 2% milk
1.25 oz Creme de Cocoa
1.25 oz White Chocolate Liqueur
Directions: Add all ingredients to mixing tin full of ice, and shake vigorously.
Strain into a martini glass, and serve chilled.
Source: National Dairy Council
Mango Mojito
4 oz Santa Cruz Organic Mango Lemonade
1 1/4 oz Rum (Golden or White)
2 oz Soda Water
Crushed Ice
Fruit Slice (Mango, Pineapple, or Lime)
Directions:
Combine lemonade, rum or bitters, soda water, and crushed ice in a cocktail shaker.
Shake gently and pour into a tall glass.
Garnish with fruit slice.
Nutrition: Calories 151; Total Fat 0g; Cholesterol 0g; Sodium 13 mg; Carbohydrates 17g; Fiber 0g; Protein 0g.
Source: Today's Diet & Nutrition, December 2011
Pina Colada Freeze
Source: Hungry Girl cookbook by Lisa Lillien
Makes 1 serving
Ingredients:
1 1/2 oz Coconut Rum
1 1/2 oz Sugar-Free Calorie-Free Coconut Syrup
1/4 cup Fat-Free Vanilla Ice Cream
1 tblsp Canned Crushed Pineapple In Juice
1 No-Calorie Sweetener Packet
5 to 8 Ice Cubes or 1 cup Crushed Ice
Directions:
Place all ingredients in a blender.
Blend on high speed for about 30 seconds (until mixture is smooth and completely blended).
Nutrition: 156 calories, <0.5g fat, 41 mg sodium, 18g carbs, 0.5g fiber, 12g sugars, 2g protein.
Kickin' Cranberry Cosmo
Source: Hungry Girl cookbook by Lisa Lillien
Makes 1 serving
Ingredients:
5 oz Diet Ocean Spray Cranberry Spray Juice Drink
1 1/2 oz Vodka
1 tsp Lime Juice
5 to 8 Ice Cubes
Optional: splash of diet lemon-lime soda, lime wedge (for garnish)
Directions:
Combine vodka, cranberry juice drink, and lime juice.
Stir thoroughly.
Combine mixture with ice, put it in a shaker (or some other glass with a lid), cover tightly, and shake well.
Strain drink into a large martini glass.
If you'd like, top with a splash of soda and garnish with a lime wedge.
Nutrition: 100 calories, 0g fat, 32 mg sodium, 2g carbs, 0g fiber, 1g sugars, 0g protein.
Wicked Good White Russian
Source: Hungry Girl cookbook by Lisa Lillien
Makes 1 serving
Ingredients:
1 1/2 oz Vodka
1 1/2 oz Light Vanilla Soymilk
2 tsp Sugar-Free Calorie-Free Vanilla Syrup
2 tsp Coffeemate Fat Free French Vanilla Powdered Creamer
1 tsp Instant Coffee
4 to 6 Ice Cubes
Directions:
Dissolve creamer and coffee in 1/4
cup of warm water.
Add soymilk and syrup.
Stir well.
Add vodka and ice.
Stir and enjoy.
Nutrition: 140 calories, <0.5g fat, 42 mg sodium, 8g carbs, 0g fiber, 4g subars, 1g protein.
Slammin' Slimmed-down Strawberry Daiquiri
Makes 1 serving
Ingredients:
1 1/2 oz Rum
1 packet (two 5-calorie servings) Sugar-Free Powdered Drink Mix (Any Strawberry Blend)
3 Frozen Strawberries
1 tblsps Lime Juice
5 to 8 Ice Cubes or 1 cup Crushed Ice
Directions:
Dissolve drink mix into 4 ounces of water.
Stir thoroughly.
In a blender, combine drink mixture with all other ingredients.
Blend to desired consistency.
Pour, add a straw, and slurp that baby up!
Nutrition: 121 calories, 0g fat, 10 mg sodium, 4g carbs, 0.5g fiber, 2g sugars, 0g protein.
