New Years Drinks

One thing about this time of year is the constant celebration and for most people celebrating means throwing a few back. If you are old enough to do so and are responsible I see no problem with this, but the thing about it is that if you are trying to lose weight alchohol can certainly hold you back. Why you may ask? Well simply put most drinks are packed with tons of empty calories. Also when most people go out for an evening on the town they don't just limit themselves to one drink they normally have a few and before you know it you have consumed your daily allotment of calories and if you haven't eaten anything and the booze is the calories you have consumed chances are high you are also about to get pretty sick.

I'm not here to tell you not to drink because in all honesty I would be pretty sad if I didn't get to have a glass of champagne for New Years, but I am here to tell you that there are healthier options. A few weeks ago I posted a blog about low calorie cocktails and you should feel free to refer to that for recipes, but if you want some new one's to ring in the New Year with I am posting four more that you can tryo out. After you have triede these out please tell me which ones you suggest and which one's you do not.

I hope you all have a fun and safe New Years. How exciting is the New Year? It is a perfect time to forget about the things in the past that have held you back and simply start anew. I don't just mean this in terms of health and fitness. The previous statement can be applied to all aspects of one's life.

Everything that I have read says to limit one's alcohol intake to celebrations only and I think there is nothing better to celebrate than ringing in the New Year so feel free to try out these healthier drink options when you do!

Strawberry-Coconut Daiquiri
servings: 6 servings, about 3/4 cup each
prep: 10 mins
total: 10 mins
Ingredients:
2 1/2 cups chopped fresh or frozen (not thawed) strawberries, (about 12 ounces)
3 tablespoons of sugar
2 talblespoons of lime juicce
3 cups of ice cubes
3/4 cups coconut-flavored rum, such as Malibu
Directions:
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.
Nutritition Facts
Calories 112, Sodium 3 mg, Carbohydrate 12 g, 1 g, Potassium 113 mg, Daily Values: Vitamin C 70%

Salty Chihuahua
Servings: 4 servings
Prep: 10 mins
Total: 10 mins
Ingredients
Coarse salt (optional)
4 ounces of tequilla
2 ounces of orange flavored liqueur
3 cups of  grapefruit juice
4 grapefruit slices for a garnish
Directions
Wet the rim of 4 glasses with coarse salt if you want, fill the glasses with ice. Pour 1 ounce tequilla and 1/2  ouce liqueur into each. Top each with 3/4 cup grapefruit juice and stir. Garnish with a slice of gragefruit.
Nutrition Facts
Calories 188, Sodium 3 mg, Carbohydrate 23 g. Protein 1 g, Potassium 303 mg, Daily Values: Vitamin A 15%, Vitamin C 120%

Pomegranate Cosmos
Servings: 12 servings
Prep: 10 mins
Total: 10 mins
Ingredients
2 1/4 cups pomegranate juice
2 1/4 cups of vodka
1 cup of lime juice
3/4 cup Cointreau or Grand Marnier
1/4 cup ginger juice
2 tablespoons of sugar, preferably superfine bar sugar, plus more for the rims of the glasses. You will also need strips of lime zest for garnish.
Directions
1. Mix pomegranate juice, vodka, lime juice, Cointreau or Grand Marrnier (whichever you've selected), 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 thr rim of the martini glass into water and then in sugar. Strain the drink into the martini glass. Garnish with a twist of lime zest.
Tips:
Note, we use bottled ginger juice to add the taste of fresh ginger without the work of mincing or grating. Use it to flavor drinks, stir-fries, marinades or anywhere else you'd use fresh ginger. Find it in speciatly 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
Servings: 2 servings
Prep: 10 mins
Total: 10 mins
Ingredients
22 ounces of reduced sodium V8
1 teaspoon of horseradish
1 teaspoon of Worcestershire sauce
1 tablespoon of lemon juice
Freshly ground pepper
3 ounces of vodka
ice cubes
4 cooked shrimp
Directions
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 galsses with ice and divide the Bloody Mary between teh 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.

All (percent daily values) drinks are based off of a 2,000 calorie diet.

Happy New Year to you all :)