15 Best Skinny Cocktails for the 4th of July
by ScrewingTheRules Dating Coach Laurel House
Let's face it, more than a holiday celebrating our Independence, 4th of July is all about BBQs and cocktails!
But, that doesn't mean that you have to destroy your diet. The reality is that, like hard candy, alcohol is an incredibly condensed form of calories. And while a margarita, pina colada, or full-bodied beer may seem appealing, ask yourself this: is "just one" measly drink really worth your entire workout?
Yes, the frustrating but true fact is that you could be downing more calories in one drink than in your entire meal. But, if you choose wisely, you won't.
What does alcohol have to do with fat?
…Empty calories. Why empty? Because they offer no nutritional benefits. That's an empty calorie- like candy. Those calories fast track into your bloodstream and, since they can be more than you are able to burn off, you start to pack those calories on as pounds. Other issues with alcohol when it comes to fat? Willpower. Or a lack thereof. When you're drunk, or even just tipsy, you might find it easier to forget about your healthy diet as you convince yourself that you really do "need" that entire pizza, bag of chips dipped in nacho cheese, and carton of ice cream. And then you wake up full the next am as the reality of what you did the night before takes over…
Thankfully, cocktails don't have to be such diet destroyers. There are bad and better options. Here's the breakdown of the average alcoholic beverages:
Daiquiri (8oz): 449 Calories
Pina Colada(12oz): 586 Calories + 57 Carbs, 5g Fat
Mai Tai(9oz): 620 Calories
Mud Slide(6oz): 556 Calories
Mojito (12oz): 280 Calories (substitute the sugar for Stevia and it's only 140 Calories)
Cosmopolitan (5oz): 200 Calories
Margarita (10oz): 550 Calories
Long Island Iced Tea (10oz): 543 Calories
Leffe Tripel (12oz): 248 Calories
Sierra Nevada Pale Ale: 200 Calories
Here are a few "skinnier" mixed drink options, all of which are between 100 and 200 calories:
1. Skinny Gingerito (a ginger mojito)
1½ oz. Rum
12 Mint leaves
4 Ginger slices
1 Lime- juiced
Top it off with SodaStream plus Diet Pink Grapefruit
Ice
***
Muddle mint, lime, ginger.
Add Rum. Muddle.
Add Ice. Shake!!!
Pour into a glass.
Add SodaStream Diet Pink Grapefruit
Drink!
2. Jalapeñita (a jalapeño margarita)
16 oz Patrón Silver
8 oz Patrón Citrónge
1 Jalapeño, sliced
8 oz Fresh Lime Juice
1 tbsp Truvia
Kosher Salt, Lime Wedges
Jalapeño Slices and Ice
***
Muddle jalapeño slices with lime juice.
Mix lime juice with truvia, Patrón Silver, and Patrón Citrónge in a pitcher.
Serve in salt-rimmed glasses with lime wedges and sliced jalapeños.
3. The Salty Bird
(Created by Lauren Schell)
.75 oz. Campari
1.5 oz. Brugal Anejo
1.5 oz. Fresh Pineapple Juice
.5 oz. Fresh Lime Juice
.5 oz. Simple Syrup
Pinch of Salt
***
Combine all ingredients
Shake and strain over fresh ice.
Garnish with a pinch of salt, dehydrated pineapple.
4. NOLET'S Silver Red Red Rose(mary)
1.25 oz. Nolet's Silver Dry Gin
.75 oz. Meyer Lemon Syrup
1 oz. Meyer Lemon Juice
Raspberries and Rosemary
***
Pour ingredients into a mixing glass with ice
Shake well
Strain into a coupe glass
Garnish with a fresh rosemary sprig and fresh raspberries.
5. Dry Artesian
2 oz. Brugal Extra Dry
.5 oz Simple Syrup
2 oz Soda Water
2 slices of cucumber (cubed)
2 slices of lemon (cubed)
4 Basil leaves
***
Muddle cucumber, Lemon, 3 Basil leaves, and Simple Syrup
Add Brugal Extra Dry and Shake
Top with Soda Water and 1 spanked basil
6. Lemony Drop
2 oz Bai5 Limu Lemon
2 oz Tree vodka (made form apples)
Squeeze fresh Lemon juice
***
Mix and serve up in a martini glass
Add a twisted lemon rind for some extra excitement
7. Orchard Flowers
1/2 oz G'Vine Floraison Gin
1/2 oz elderflower liquor
splash lime juice
3 oz Angry Orchard Traditional Dry Cider (seriously amazing)
Pour gin, elderflower liquor, lime juice & cider into mixing cup with ice. Stir until chilled. Strain into martini glass. Garnish with lime wheel.
8. Princess and the Pea (seriously… phenomenal drink!)
(Mixologist Derrick Bass, Willie Jane Venice, CA)
.
75 oz agave
.5 oz lime
.5 oz lemon
1.5 oz G'Vine Floraison Gin (made from grape spirit and vine flower)
1 oz pea puree (recipe below)
***
Pea Puree
1⁄2 bag frozen English peas Small handful ice1 cup water
Puree peas and ice in blender or food processor.
***
Slowly add water until smooth and desired consistency is reached.
Add ingredients to a shaker and shake
Strain into a coupe and garnish with a pea flower.
9. Coal Miner's Daughter
(Mixologist Derrick Bass, Willie Jane Venice, CA)
1 Spoon of macerated ginger (recipe below)
3⁄4 oz lemon juice
3⁄4 oz honey
1 1⁄2 oz Bourbon
Sprig of lavender
***
Peel ginger and cut into 1/4 in pieces. Boil thirty minutes Mash ginger together with sugar and lemon juice
Combine all ingredients into a cocktail shaker, and shake Strain into an old fashioned glass with a big ice cube Garnish with slapped sprig of lavender
10. The Skinny Dip (79 calories)
(Cameo Bar at Viceroy Santa Monica- mixologist Gary Cahill)
1 1/2 oz. Skinnygirl white cherry vodka
1/2 oz fresh lime juice
3 oz. SodaStream sparkling water
***
Pour Skinnygirl white cherry vodka & fresh lime juice into mixing glass
Vigorously shake over ice
Strain into rocks glass
Top up with SodaSpring sparkling water
Garnish with a lime wedge and cherry
11. Grapefruit Basil Martini (148 calories)
(Cameo Bar at Viceroy Santa Monica- mixologist Gary Cahill)
1 1/2 oz. 1911 Gin
3 oz. grapefruit juice
2 basil leaves
Splash of Laurent-Perrier Ultra Brut Champagne
***
Pour 1911 Gin & grapefruit juice into mixing glass
Muddle in basilleaves
Vigorously shake over ice
Strain into martini glass
Top with champagne
Garnish witha grapefruit wedge and spanked basil leaf.
12. Sparkling Daiquiri
½ a lime
1 tsp. simple syrup
Fill the rest of the glass with Malibu Sparkler
13. Tito's Handmade Vodka Afternoon Punch
1 1/2 (or more) oz Tito's Handmade Vodka
2 squeezes Crystal Light Liquid Blackberry Lemonade
2 oz OJ
14. Strawberry Sunsets (better than a mimosa any day)
5 oz Laurent-Perrier Ultra Brut Champagne
2 oz Suja "Spark"- Strawberry, Lemon, Tart Cherry, Cayenne juice
***
Mix and serve in a champagne flute
Rocks
***
George Clooney and Rande Gerber Casamigos Tequila "house of friends" is clean and smooth enough to simply sip. Plus, it's the lowest calorie way to enjoy tequila. No mixers, no chasers. Just enjoyment.
Happy 4th!
xx
Laurel
Laurel House is a Healthy Living and Dating Coach, 4x published Lifestyle Author, NASM Weight Loss Specialist, and nationally recognized Print and Online Magazine Writer covering travel, relationships, healthy food and fitness (New You, Women's Health, First for Women, Men's Journal, Elegant Bride, Fit, Spa, Fit Yoga, Playboy, etc). Beyond writing, she has appeared as an expert on television morning shows including E! News, Weekend TODAY, The Daily Buzz, Better.TV, Good DayLA, CBS, Fox, NBC, and ABC Morning News shows both locally and nationally, and her YouTube videos have received over 12 million views. Her 5th book "Screwing The Rules: The No-Games Guide to Love" will be released in December 2014 with Running Press.
