Healthy Cocktails sans Alcohol

When we first began dating, my fiance and I were bar hoppers. We loved going from bar to bar in the South End or the Back Bay. Heck, we even met at a bar: Vox Populi on Boylston Street.  We weren’t the sloppy drinkers that you saw spilling out of the bars at 1am.  We just really enjoyed good cocktails and good conversation.

When I decided to train for fitness competitions at the beginning of this year, I learned alcohol was not on my “clean eating” nutrition plan. Talk about lifestyle change!  As difficult as it was for me to adjust, I felt my friends and fiance had an even harder time adjusting. They always apologized for drinking when I eyed their Flirtinis and Vodka Tonics. It wasn’t judgement people, it was jealousy!

Instead of lamenting my alcoholic beverages, I got creative at cocktail hour. Here are some non-alcoholic beverages to fit your healthy living lifestyle.

Virgin Mary
4 oz. tomato juice
2 dashes lemon juice
1/2 tsp Worcestershire Sauce
Season with Tobasco, celery salt and pepper to taste

Tropical Colada
3/4 cup pineapple juice (unsweetened)
1 tsp lime juice
1/2 banana
2-3 packets of sweetener (try Stevia)
1/4 tsp coconut extract

Place all ingredients in blender. Top with ice cubes and blend for a frozen treat.

Mango Mojito
8-12 fresh mint leaves
1 tbsp lime juice
ice
1-2 oz mango puree (mashed ripe mango)
4 oz soda water
agave nectar (low glycemic natural sweetener)

Muddle mint and lime juice in glass. Top glass with ice. Add mango puree and soda water. Sweeten with agave nectar to taste.

~~JT