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I don’t know about you, but in Central Oregon, we’ve had quite a heat wave. My car said the temperature was 104 yesterday. My car can be a bit dramatic (we have that in common), but still, this part of the country just isn’t set up for three figure temperatures. Most houses around here don’t even have air conditioning.
So what do I do to cool down? Well, for one, I’ve been spending a lot of time swimming laps, training for my first triathlon (T minus 1 month!). But with guests in the house this week, I decided to take it upon myself to bless them with a plethora of summer sippers to help us beat the heat. Aren’t I a good hostess?
There was a couple of criteria for these cocktails. First, they needed to be delicious. Second, for the benefit of everyone here, they needed to be healthier than normal. Personally, I aimed to keep each cocktail at four points or less on my Weight Watchers Freestyle plan (and I succeeded, most of my recipes are only 3 points!). We got a little creative with the ingredient list, using Truvia, a naturally-derived sugar alternative, and diet ginger beer, diet tonic, and flavored kombucha.
I made:
- Skinny G&T (3 points)
- Perky Paloma (4 points)
- Blackberry Basil Mule (3 points)
- Grapefruit Kombucha Gimlet (3 points)
Wondering how they turned out? They were awesome.
Here’s four recipes for low calorie cocktails, four points or less on Weight Watchers, that you and your guests will love this summer.
Perky Paloma
- Total Time: 5 minutes
- Yield: 1 serving
Description
Step aside, margarita. This tequila-based cocktail is apparently the national drink of Mexico. It’s refreshing, light, and oh so festive. Salted rim optional.
Ingredients
Instructions
In a glass, combine Tequila, Stevia, juice from half a lime and fresh grapefruit juice. Stir well. Top it off with diet club soda and ice, and garnish with a grapefruit wedge.
- Prep Time: 5 minutes
- Category: cocktails
- Method: stirred
- Cuisine: happy hour
Skinny Gin & Tonic
- Total Time: 5 minutes
- Yield: 1 serving 1x
Description
One of the lowest calorie cocktails possible, aside from just drinking straight liquor (which I don’t really recommend!) is the gin and tonic. Its light, bubbly, and refreshing.
Ingredients
1.5 oz gin (I use Tanqueray)
3 lime wedges
4 oz diet tonic water
Instructions
Mix all ingredients together with ice in the glass of your choice. Garnish with more limes.
- Prep Time: 5 minutes
- Category: cocktails
- Method: on the rocks
- Cuisine: happy hour
Blackberry Basil Mule
- Total Time: 5 minutes
- Yield: 1 serving 1x
Description
While a Moscow Mule is traditionally served with mint and lime, this version is full of summer flavor, with blackberry and basil leading the charge. The diet ginger beer is the perfect thing to take it up a notch.
Ingredients
1/4 cup blackberries
1 TB basil leaves, chiffonade or minced
½ lime
1.5 oz vodka
½ cup diet ginger beer
½ TB Truvia optional (add sweetener as needed. my berries were so sweet I didn’t need any!)
extra basil and lime wedge for garnish
Instructions
Mix the berries, basil leaves, vodka, Stevia, and lime juice in the glass of your choice. Muddle the berries using a muddler tool. Top it off with ginger beer. Shake vigorously in cocktail shaker with ice and strain. Pour into a festive glass and garnish. Voila!
- Prep Time: 5 minutes
- Category: cocktails
- Method: stirred
- Cuisine: happy hour
Grapefruit Kombucha Gimlet
- Total Time: 5 minutes
- Yield: 1 serving 1x
Description
A gimlet is traditionally a gin-based cocktail. Grapefruit masks gin in a dangerously wonderful way. This grapefruit kombucha, which is lower points than juice, is also great for gut health since its a fermented tea product. I love the added sweetness and the bit of fizz it brings.
Ingredients
1/4 cup Grapefruit kombucha (or flavored Kombucha of your choice)
1.5 oz. gin
juice of half a lime
1 tsp. Truvia
Grapefruit wedge
Instructions
Pour all ingredients into cocktail shaker. Shake vigorously with ice and strain into a chilled glass. Garnish with grapefruit slice.
- Prep Time: 5 minutes
- Category: cocktails
- Method: shaken
- Cuisine: happy hour
