Healthy Holiday Drinks

The Top 10 Holiday Drink Guide!
 
Calories add up quickly….especially in specialty coffee drinks and alcoholic beverages! 
 
Over the holidays, it’s really important to make sure we keep an eye on what we’re eating and drinking to avoid that dreaded holiday weight gain. 
 
I’ve compiled a list of a few favourite lower calorie holiday drinks. All of these recipes taste great without busting your waistline!
 
These are recipes that a few of our clients love…all while still helping them to maintain their weight and their goals over the holiday season!
 
Enjoy the Recipes and feel free to pass along!
 
Cranberry Kombucha Mule

• 4oz. Kombucha (ginger or gingerberry)
• 2oz. Kombucha (cranberry)
• 1.5oz. Vodka
• ½ Fresh Lime Juice

Directions: Mix all ingredients in a glass and enjoy!
  
Holiday Pear Cosmo

• 1 tsp. Maple Syrup
• ¼ cup Pear Juice (preferably organic-fresh or bottled)
• 1 cup sparkling water
• 1 ½ ounces of Organic Vodka
• 1 pear as garnish

Directions: Mix all ingredients in a glass and enjoy!
 
Spicy Spiked Cider

• 1 tsp. Whole Cloves
• 2 Whole Cinnamon Sticks
• 2 Whole Star Anise
• Juice of an orange
• 4 cups Apple Cider
• ¾ cup Spiced Rum (Suggested Capt. Morgan)
• 1/3 cup Granulated Sugar (for the rim- optional)
• 2 tsp. Ground Cinnamon

Directions:
Heat cloves, cinnamon sticks and star anise in large saucepan, over medium heat. Toast spices lightly in pan for 1 minute.  Add the orange juice and apple cider, simmer, but do not allow to boil, for 10 minutes.  Prepare cinnamon sugar, add sugar and cinnamon in a small bowl and mix well. Pour on plate.  Lightly coat rim of glass with the cinnamon sugar.  Remove cider from and heat and allow to cool, add rum. Strain, ladle the cider over ice and serve.
  
Winter Sea Breeze Holiday Cocktail

• 1 oz. Vodka
• 1 oz. Grapefruit juice
• ½ oz. Tonic Syrup
• 2 oz. Soda Water
• 12 Pomegranate Seeds
• 3 Mint Leaves (for garnish)

Directions: Add vodka, grapefruit juice, and tonic syrup to ¾ full glass of ice. Lowball Glass is good size.  Stir. Add soda water and garnish with pomegranate and mint leaves.
 
Holiday Pomegranate Mojito

• ⅓ cup pomegranate juice, light
• 1 tbsp. lime juice
• 1 oz rum, preferably white
• ¼ tsp stevia or to taste
• ½ cup champagne
• ice
• pomegranate arils for decoration

Directions:  Add pomegranate juice, lime juice, rum and sugar to glass and mix. Fill glass with ice and top off with champagne. Garnish with pomegranate arils.
 
Pomegranate and Rosemary Gin Fizz

• 1/4 cup gin
• 1 Tbsp fresh lemon juice
• 1 Tbsp rosemary simple syrup (1 cup water, 1 cup sugar, 1 sprig rosemary. Boil water until sugar dissolves, remove from heat, add rosemary and let sit for 15-20 minutes. Remove rosemary and refrigerate simple syrup)
• 2 Tbsp pomegranate juice
• Club soda, chilled
• Rosemary sprigs and pomegranate arils for garnish

Directions:  Add gin, lemon juice, simple syrup, pomegranate juice and ice to shaker and mix. Shake at least 10-12 times, then pour into lowball glass.
Top with club soda and gently stir.  Garnish with rosemary and spoonful of pomegranate arils.
 
Healthier Eggnog

• 6 cups of coconut milk
• 6 egg yolks
• ¼ cup spiced rum or brandy
• 1 tablespoon of vanilla
• ¼ cup honey or a few drops of stevia extract
• ½ teaspoon ground nutmeg
• ½ teaspoon of ground cinnamon

Directions: Warm the coconut milk and vanilla in a medium saucepan. Whisk the egg yolks, sugar and spices in a together in a large bowl.   
 
Slowly add half of the coconut mixture to the egg yolks to warm it and then add the whole mixture back into the saucepan.  At a low heat, whisk until the eggnog begins to thicken.  Stir in rum or brandy and serve hot or cold.
 
Low Calorie Cranberry Margarita

• 2 oz. Lime Dasani Sparkling Water
• 1 shot of tequila
• ¼ cup Minute Maid Cranberry Juice
• 2 tbs. Lime Juice
• Lime and Cranberries for garnish

Directions:  Add cranberry juice, tequila, and lime to glass of ice. Fill with sparkling water of choice. Garnish with cranberries and lime wedges.
 
Cranberry Limoncello Spritzer

• 3 tbs. Limoncello Lemon Liqueur
• 2 tbs. White Cranberry Juice
• 3-4 tbs. Sparkling Water
• 5-6 Frozen Cranberries

Directions:  Add Limoncello and cranberry juice to glass of ice. Add sparkling water and stir gently. Add cranberries.
 
Christmas Sangria

• 2 bottles of Pinot Grigio
• ¾ cup Sparkling Apple Cider
• ¼ cup sugar
• ¼ cranberries, halved
• ¾ cup cranberries, whole
• 1 Granny Smith Apple, chopped
• 3 Rosemary Sprigs

Directions:  Add all ingredients to large pitcher and stir. Be sure sugar dissolves. Refrigerate for a minimum of 4 hours. Then serve over ice.

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