While not exactly health food, these excellent cocktails are far less fattening than the typical versions made with sugar, simple-syrup, cream, pre-packaged mixers, soft drinks, diet soda, dulce de leche, and/or coconut cream. Absolutely any drink can be lightened with the addition of water, club soda, flavored tea, or coconut water—the more the better—and all cocktails are best served over rocks or crushed ice. Bloody Mary
1 oz vodka 6 oz tomato juice (V-8, Clamato, or equivalent) 1 tsp fresh lemon juice 1 tsp fresh lime juice 1 tsp horseradish 2 dashes Worcestershire sauce 1 pinch celery salt 1 pinch kosher salt 1 pinch ground pepper 1 dash hot sauce (or to taste)
~ ~ ~ If desired, wet the edge of the glass with lime, then dip in celery salt or kosher salt mixed with ground pepper Add all ingredients to the glass and stir well; serve over rocks Garnish with a celery stick that still has the leaves attached or a few cherry tomatoes on a skewer For other optional garnishes, see suggestions under party drinks Brambleberry
1.5 oz gin 2 oz blackberry tea 1 TB crème de cassis 1 tsp fresh lime juice 5 blackberries
~ ~ ~ Place 3 blackberries on the bottom of a chilled double old-fashioned glass, then fill with ice Shake gin, tea, crème de cassis, and lime juice with crushed ice, then strain into the glass Garnish with 2 blackberries threaded onto a cocktail pick and a wedge of lime Blackberry teas are made by Lipton’s, SeaChange, Hansen’s, Republic of Tea, Taylor’s and others Cosmopolitan Fizz
1.5 oz vodka 1.5 oz 100% cranberry juice 1.5 oz club soda 1 tsp fresh lime juice 1 TB orange liqueur
~ ~ ~ Shake with crushed ice, then strain into a chilled martini glass with rocks Garnish with a curl of orange peel and/or lime wedge on the rim Daiquiri
1.5 oz rum 1 TB lime juice 1 cup lemon tea or stevia sweetened lemonade 2 drops liquid Stevia
~ ~ ~ Shake with crushed ice, then strain into a chilled martini glass over rocks Garnish the rim with a wedge of lime Note: Bigelow, Twining’s, and Lipton all make excellent lemon teas ~ ~ ~ Variation: Frozen Strawberry Daiquiri
1.5 oz light rum 1/2 cup strawberries (fresh or frozen) 1/2 cup ice 2 tsp orange liqueur 2 tsp lime juice
~ ~ ~ Put all ingredients into a blender pitcher and whirl on high until well mixed and frothy Garnish with a large strawberry, a lime wedge, and/or a sprig of mint Gimlet
1.5 oz gin or vodka 1.5 oz soda water 2 drops liquid stevia 1 TB freshly squeezed lime juice
~ ~ ~ Shake with crushed ice, then strain into a chilled martini or double old-fashioned glass Garnish with a lime wedge on the rim or a spring of parsley Gin and Tonic
1.5 oz gin Squeeze of lime 4 oz club soda + 2 dashes bitters OR 4 oz Zevia or Fever Tree light tonic water
~ ~ ~ Add all ingredients to the glass and stir well; serve over rocks Garnish with a lime wedge or celery stick that still has the leaves attached Lemon Drop Martini
1 oz gin or vodka 1 TB orange liqueur 1 TB club soda crushed ice 2 oz lemonade sweetened with half stevia, half sugar OR 2 tsp lemon juice + 2 drops liquid stevia
~ ~ ~ Put everything into a pitcher or cocktail shaker and stir or shake with ice, then strain into a martini glass Garnish with lemon wedge Negroni
1 oz gin 1 oz sweet red vermouth 1 oz Campari 3 oz club soda
~ ~ ~ Serve with rocks Garnish with a twist of orange peel on the rim Sea Breeze
1.5 oz vodka 4 oz unsweetened cranberry juice 1 oz club soda 1 oz unsweetened ruby red grapefruit juice 2 drops liquid stevia (if not quite sweet enough)
~ ~ ~ Combine all ingredients in an ice-filled cocktail shaker and shake until well combined and chilled Strain into an ice-filled Collins glass Garnish with lime slices or twists Tequila Sunrise
2 oz tequila 4 oz orange juice 1 oz unsweetened cran-raspberry juice 1 oz club soda
~ ~ ~ Pour the tequila, orange juice, and club soda into a highball glass filled about half way with ice and stir Slowly pour the cran-raspberry juice around the inside edge of the glass; it will sink slowly, creating the sunrise effect Garnish with orange slices or twists ~ ~ ~ Variation: Frozen Raspberry Sunrise
2 oz tequila 4 oz orange juice 1/4 cup frozen raspberries 1 oz unsweetened cran-raspberry juice 1 oz club soda
~ ~ ~ Put the frozen raspberries and club soda into a blender and process until smooth and slushy Pour the tequila and orange juice into a highball glass filled about half way with ice and stir Slowly pour the raspberry slush around the inside edge of the glass; it will sink slowly, creating the sunrise effect Garnish with orange slices or twists Tom Collins
1.5 oz gin 1 tsp fresh lemon juice 2 drops liquid stevia 3 oz club soda
~ ~ ~
Stir everything together in a Collins glass filled with ice
Garnish with orange slices or twists
