Prepping for Summer is no fun at all, but enjoying the summertime is heaven. While many people are watching what they eat and amping up their workout regime, you can still indulge if you do it right. These cocktails aren’t your typical sugary and calorie-loaded concoctions…each cocktail below has a health component to it, whether it’s low calorie or made with cucumber juice, it’s sure to keep you on track for Summer.
Pineapple Jewel Cocktail (Courtesy of Canard Inc.)
2 pineapple wedges
2 oz. mint tea-infused Beefeater gin*
1 oz. elderflower syrup
splash of grapefruit juice (to taste)
splash of soda water
*4 green tea mint teabags (try Lipton Clear Green or Eden Organic Sencha Mint Green Tea)
*1 750ml bottle of Beefeater Gin (light floral-juniper nose complements mint of tea)
Pour gin in a large pitcher, add tea bags and then cover the pitcher. Leave in a warm place (on the counter should work) overnight. The infused gin can then be returned to the bottle and kept for future use. Muddle pineapple wedges in large shaker by pressing firmly (no crushing, mashing or piercing) with a muddler. Next, add infused gin, elderflower syrup, and grapefruit juice to muddled pineapple. Shake well and pour into chilled martini glass. Top with soda water to add sparkle.
Smirnoff Sorbet Mango Daiquiri Scandal (Courtesy of Smirnoff Sorbet)
1½ oz. Mango Passion Fruit SMIRNOFF SORBET Light
1 oz. simple syrup
1 oz. fresh lime juice
Build in stemless wine glass over ice and garnish with a mango wedge or lime wheel. Calories-131 Carbohydrates-16.3 G; Protein-0 G; Fat-0 G; Per 4.5 oz serving.
Green Bee (Courtesy of Blue Ice Organic Wheat Vodka)
2 oz. Blue Ice Organic Wheat Vodka
1 oz. honey syrup (half honey, half hot water)
juice of 1 half lemon
5 organic mint leaves (or enough to cover the palm of your hand)
Muddle or tear mint into a mixing glass. Add ice, vodka, honey syrup and lemon juice and shake hard. Strain into a chilled cocktail glass and garnish with an edible flower or lemon zest.
Skinny Local (Courtesy of Camarena Silver Tequila)
2 oz. Camarena Silver Tequila
½ lemon, quartered
8 mint leaves
1 tablespoon of sugar free sweetener
3 oz. soda water
Muddle lemon, mint and sweetener in a mixing glass. Add tequila and ice. Shake and pour all contents of shaker into a tall glass. Top with soda water and stir gently.
Coco Colada (Courtesy of Shellback Spiced Rum)
1½ oz. Shellback Spiced Rum
½ oz. pineapple juice
2 oz. coconut water
½ oz. light orange juice
orange wheel garnish
Build in highball glass over fresh ice. Stir. Garnish with orange wheel. 127 calories.
Aura (Courtesy of Julio Torres)
2½ oz. Iichiko Silhouette
1 oz. saffron and thyme syrup*
½ oz. lime juice
*1 cup simple syrup
*3 oz. water
*½ tsp. saffron
*2 sprigs of thyme
Add all of the saffron and thyme syrup ingredients together in a saucepan. Bring to a boil and cook for 10 minutes. Set aside to cool.Add all ingredients into a shaker with ice. Shake vigorously and strain into rocks glass with fresh ice. Garnish with a thyme sprig.
Partida Margarita (Courtesy of Partida Tequila)
1 ½ oz. Partida Blanco
1 oz. fresh squeezed lime
¾ oz. Partida 100% Organic Agave Nectar
¾ oz. water (to cut the agave nectar)
Shake all ingredients with ice in a shaker. Strain over fresh ice into a Margarita glass or Old-Fashioned glass.
The Broken Berry (Courtesy of Broken Shed Vodka)
1 part Broken Shed Vodka
1 part Soda Water
Two barspoons of berries
Pour all over ice and garnish with mint and limes.
Sultry Spring Bloom (Courtesy of Niccole Trzaska, Pucker Vodka)
1 ¾ parts Pucker Watermelon Wow Vodka
2 parts cucumber juice
splash fresh lime juice
¾ part simple syrup
watermelon candy slice
Combine all ingredients in a shaker over ice. Shake and strain into a chilled highball glass. Garnish with a watermelon candy slice.
Basil Hayden’s Bees Knees (Courtesy of Rob Floyd, Basil Hayden’s)
2 parts Basil Hayden’s Bourbon
¾ parts fresh lemon juice
1/2 part honey
1 slice fresh ginger
Muddle ginger in a mixing glass. Add remaining ingredients with ice and shake. Strain into a rocks glass. Garnish with basil leaf.
