Cocktails Under 200 Calories

Not only do I encourage you to drink responsibly from a legal standpoint, but also from a health standpoint! With Summer time comes fruity cocktails which can quickly add calories (and Carbohydrates). Although the sugar content is not listed, fruit obviously has sugar which affects insulin levels. Therefore, if you choose to have one of these fruity cocktails, I would suggest eating some protein with it to keep insulin levels balanced.

Personally, I choose my calories/carbohydrates/sugars sparingly, therefore, I do not opt for any of these cocktails. However, if I did, I would choose the Strawberry-Coconut Daiquiri.

Blueberry-Lime Margarita

INGREDIENTS
2 cups ice
1 cup frozen blueberries
1 cup blueberry nectar
1/4 cup seltzer
2 tablespoons frozen limeade
1 tablespoon lime juice
3 ounces tequila, optional
1 lime wedge
Coarse salt
DIRECTIONS
1. Combine ice, blueberries, blueberry nectar, seltzer, limeade, lime juice and tequila, if using, in a blender and blend until smooth. Rub rim of 2 glasses with lime wedge and dip in salt. Divide the margarita between the prepared glasses and serve.
NUTRITION FACTS
Calories 125, Total Fat 1 g, Sodium 14 mg, Carbohydrate 29 g, Fiber 2 g, Potassium 147 mg.


Island Limeade

INGREDIENTS
3 cups boiling water
1/3-1/2 cup sugar
1 1/4 cups freshly squeezed lime juice
6 ounces dark rum
DIRECTIONS
1. Combine boiling water and sugar to taste. Stir until the sugar dissolves; chill. Add the lime juice to make limeade. Fill 4 tall glasses with ice and divide the rum among the glasses. Top with the limeade. Non-alcoholic variation: Omit the rum.
NUTRITION FACTS
Calories 182, Sodium 7 mg, Carbohydrate 23 g, Potassium 93 mg


Watermelon Gin Fizz

INGREDIENTS
5 cups diced watermelon, divided
6 ounces gin, divided
8 tablespoons lime juice, divided
1 1/3 cups ginger ale, divided
Lime wedges, for garnish
DIRECTIONS
1. Freeze 1 cup watermelon for garnish. Puree the remaining 4 cups watermelon. Strain; divide the juice among 4 ice-filled glasses.
2. Top each with 1 1/2 ounces gin, 2 tablespoons lime juice and 1/3 cup ginger ale. Garnish with the frozen watermelon and lime wedges. Non-alcoholic variation: Omit the gin.
NUTRITION FACTS
Calories 153, Sodium 4 mg, Carbohydrate 14 g, Fiber 1 g, Protein 1 g, Potassium 180 mg.


Blueberry Ginger Bellini

INGREDIENTS
1/2 cup blueberries
1 tablespoon minced ginger
1 tablespoon sugar
Juice of 1/2 lemon
2 cups blueberry juice
1/2 cup sparkling wine, divided
DIRECTIONS
1. Mash blueberries with ginger, sugar and lemon juice. Add blueberry juice and let steep for at least 5 minutes. Strain; divide among 4 champagne flutes. Top each with 1/2 cup sparkling wine.
NUTRITION FACTS
Calories 185, Sodium 23 mg, Carbohydrate 25 g, Protein 1 g, Potassium 25 mg.


Campari, Grapefruit & Pomegranate Cocktail

INGREDIENTS
1 1/2 cups grapefruit or orange juice
1 1/2 cups pomegranate juice
1 1/2 cups ice cubes, plus more for serving
3/4 cup Campari
6 twists of orange zest, or 6 thin slices of seedless orange
DIRECTIONS
1. Combine grapefruit (or orange) juice, pomegranate juice and ice cubes in a blender. Blend until the ice is very finely chopped and the mixture is foamy and pale pink. Transfer to a pitcher and stir in Campari. Serve over ice, garnished with a twist or slice of orange.
NUTRITION FACTS
Calories 145, Sodium 5 mg, Carbohydrate 26 g, Potassium 213 mg


Strawberry-Coconut Daiquiri

INGREDIENTS
2 1/2 cups chopped fresh or frozen (not thawed) strawberries, (about 12 ounces)
3 tablespoons sugar
2 tablespoons lime juice
3 cups ice cubes
3/4 cup coconut-flavored rum, such as Malibu (see Variation, above)
DIRECTIONS
1. Combine strawberries, sugar and lime juice together in a blender. Blend until smooth. Add ice cubes and rum and blend until frothy. Transfer mixture to a pitcher and serve.
NUTRITION FACTS
Calories 112, Sodium 3 mg, Carbohydrate 12 g, Fiber 1 g, Potassium 113 mg


Salty Chihuahua
INGREDIENTS
Coarse salt, (optional)
4 ounces tequila, divided
2 ounces orange-flavored liqueur, such as Cointreau, divided
3 cups grapefruit juice, divided
4 grapefruit slices, for garnish
DIRECTIONS
1. Wet the rims of 4 glasses and coat with coarse salt (if desired); fill the glasses with ice. Pour 1 ounce tequila and 1/2 ounce liqueur into each. Top each with 3/4 cup grapefruit juice and stir. Garnish with a slice of grapefruit.
NUTRITION FACTS
Calories 188, Sodium 3 mg, Carbohydrate 23 g, Protein 1 g, Potassium 303 mg


Pomegranate Cosmos

INGREDIENTS
2 1/4 cups pomegranate juice
2 1/4 cups vodka
1 cup lime juice
3/4 cup Cointreau, or Grand Marnier
1/4 cup ginger juice, (see Note)
2 tablespoons sugar, preferably superfine bar sugar, plus more for the rims
Strips of lime zest, for garnish
DIRECTIONS
1. Mix pomegranate juice, vodka, lime juice, Cointreau (or Grand Marnier), ginger juice and sugar in a large pitcher.
2. For each drink, fill a cocktail shaker halfway with ice, add 1/2 cup Cosmo mix, and shake until the shaker turns frosty and cold. Dip the rim of a martini (or highball) glass into water and then in sugar (to "sugar the rim"). Strain the drink into the martini glass (or over fresh ice in the highball glass). Garnish with a twist of lime zest, if desired.
Tips:
Note: We use bottled ginger juice (pressed gingerroot) to add the taste of fresh ginger without the work of mincing or grating. Use it to flavor drinks, stir-fries, marinades or anywhere you'd use fresh ginger. Find it in specialty stores or online at gingerpeople.com.
MAKE AHEAD TIP: Prepare through Step 1 and refrigerate for up to 1 day.
NUTRITION FACTS
Calories 188, Sodium 4 mg, Carbohydrate 17 g, Potassium 107 mg.


Bloody Mary with Shrimp

INGREDIENTS
22 ounces reduced-sodium V8
1 teaspoon horseradish
1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
1 tablespoon lemon juice
Freshly ground pepper, to taste
3 ounces vodka, optional
Ice cubes
4 cooked shrimp
DIRECTIONS
1. Shake V8, horseradish, Worcestershire sauce, lemon juice, Tabasco, pepper and vodka, if using, in a large glass jar with a tight-fitting lid. Fill two tall glasses with ice and divide the Bloody Mary between the glasses. Garnish each drink with 2 shrimp.
NUTRITION FACTS
Calories 78, Sodium 284 mg, Carbohydrate 17 g, Fiber 3 g, Protein 2 g, Potassium 681 mg.