Skinny Cocktails Archives - Page 2 of 3

A Skinny Valentine Cocktail

Usually one to embrace winter, I have found my patience wearing thin with this season’s dreary weather. Really, how many grey days can a person’s sanity handle? I long for sunshine and warmer temperatures. With no meetings or errands to run on Tuesday afternoon, I found myself upstairs at Smokey’s Bar, searching for temporary solace in an afternoon delight. I felt the need to concoct something festive to lift my spirit. Something red for Valentine’s Day, perhaps….

While at the grocery store earlier this week, I purchased Ocean Spray’s diet Cran-Cherry juice. I know what you’re thinking… How dare I purchase an artificially sweetened fake juice with dye! I purchased it because I haven’t found a suitable healthy alternative yet. I could drive for an hour to visit a healthier grocery store, but that’s rarely an option because of time. Besides, hopefully, my body can handle a few ounces of chemicals every now and then. Some days, the chemicals are the least of my worries. A bit of whipped vodka took the edge off of the tart cherry flavor and sent me into relaxation mode.

The first sip was amazing. If only I’d had chocolate covered cherries to go along with it! Thank goodness for the few Hershey’s kisses I found in the pantry. I’d definitely found warmth and sunshine in that festive seventy- calorie cocktail. I firmly believe that everything is better in a martini glass! Notice the precious cheese board and knife set. That was in my February PopSugar Must Have Box! (There will be a post on that soon!) Could there be a better way to spend an hour? This girl thinks not.

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Cheers to love, happiness and low-calorie valentine cocktails!

Categories: Healthy Living, Skinny Cocktails

Couch-to-5K and Creepy Caramel Apple Martini

It is an amazingly beautiful Sunday afternoon in eastern North Carolina. The sky is bright blue and there is a hint of chill in the crisp, fall air. It’s the perfect day to start the Couch-to-5K program! Wanting to become a runner, I downloaded the app a couple of days ago. I am going to need baby steps. In fact, I could run much better if someone were in front of me, dangling chocolate. Or, better yet, maybe someone should chase me with an axe. Either way, what better time to start than today? I’m not sure that one of my knees will be overly excited about embarking on this new endeavor. However, I am going to try and we’ll see how it goes! If you see me lying on the side of the road, please give this girl a little help ( or CPR) if needed.

After my run, I may reward myself with a sip of a caramel apple martini. I needed (really, I did) another Halloween cocktail recipe, so I concocted this one earlier in the week. I thought I’d share the fantastic-ness. If you missed the Candy Corn Martini, you can find that recipe here.

Creepy Caramel Apple Martini

Ingredients

4 ounces of Sour Apple Martini Mix ( I prefer sugar, calorie free Baja Bob’s mix)

1/2 ounce Vodka

1/2 ounce Butterscotch Schnapps

Caramel Syrup ( I prefer Walden Farm’s sugar free syrup)

Karo White Syrup

Halloween Sprinkles

Directions

Dip the edge of the glass in Karo syrup. (I poured it onto a flat plate.)

Rim the edge of the glass with sprinkles.

Add a little caramel syrup to the bottom of the martini glass.

Combine the martini mix, vodka, and schnapps with ice.

Shake, shake, shake until chilled.

Pour the mixture into the martini glass carefully, so as to not disturb the caramel.

Enjoy!

A jigger is a great thing. This large end measures 1 ounce, the small end measures 1/2 ounce.

Do you have any Halloween drinks you’d like me to add to the blog? Email me at kathij72@gmail.com!

Categories: Skinny Cocktails

A Sexy Alligator

It’s been a damp, dreary Monday. It’s been one of those days that makes me want to put on my cozy flannels and crawl into bed, far from the depths of society. I’ve been thinking that a Sexy Alligator would make me feel, at least, a little more cheerful. And no, I’m not referring to Ashton. Instead, I am dreaming of that tasty, green martini that we made a few weeks ago at Smokey’s Bar. After the stress of writing seven notes to parents, I have more than earned one! Sometimes, a day like today requires an adult concoction. If you are feeling that way, I highly recommend a dose of this…..

A Sexy Alligator

Ingredients:

1 oz. Malibu Coconut Rum

1 oz. Hypnotiq

1/2 oz. Jagermeister

1/2 oz. Chambord

Splash of Pineapple Juice

Directions:

Pour the Malibu, Hypnotiq, and pineapple juice and into a shaker with ice.

Shake, shake, shake until cold.

Strain into a martini glass.

Pour the Chambord into the side of the glass; Chambord should “sink” to the bottom of the glass.

Layer the Jager on the top.

Smokey made sure that Ashton followed the directions correctly. He might have even licked a spill. Is that considered bad cat parenting? FYI….I do clean my counter tops compulsively!

Hope you enjoy!

Categories: Healthy Living, Skinny Cocktails

A Book and a Blueberry-Lime Mojito

It’s hard to imagine that my summer break has come and gone so quickly. There are so many things that I have left undone. I never tiled the backsplash in the kitchen. I didn’t have a chance to landscape the pool, and my attic is still a complete disaster. I didn’t paint for fun, or search for new bedding for the master bedroom. However, looking back, I did accomplish many of the things that were on my summer to-do-list. I traveled with Ashton, several times, to the out-of-state auctions. Wine was tasted at new wineries and many drawers and closets were organized. I concocted a variety of canned goods to enjoy during the coming winter months. We enjoyed several family pool days and movie days. I finally completed the upstairs guest bedroom and painted the front door black, and then repainted it white. I lived and learned and wrote a book. Well, sort of…

As we know, I rediscovered my love for writing about eight months ago when I started blogging. Since, I have contemplated writing a book on my recovery from my eating disorder. Writing a book has always been a life-long goal. However, before undertaking such an enormous task, I thought I should break the ice a bit by writing an eBook. EBooks are usually short books that can be directly downloaded onto your computer or ereader, or through the Kindle app. My book, Queen J’s Five Steps to Happiness, is a five week guide that will help you discover a happier life, one week at a time. During my recovery, I realized that health and happiness was about much more than food and weight. While I spent years waiting to feel happy when I woke in the mornings, I discovered that, in reality, I had to work to achieve happiness; every single day. Really, I worked for it! I hate that I wasted so much time waiting for happiness to fall out of the sky and knock me down. So, read this book. It will only take an hour to read it. I’m sure that you can find something useful to incorporate into your own life. For a limited time, I have marked my book down to $3.99. It will only cost you 80 cents a week to improve yourself! To order your book through Amazon, click on the picture above and follow the directions. If you can be happier and healthier, why not do it?

Last Friday, I accompanied my sister to her doctor’s appointment. My mother and sister both have autoimmune diseases and are under the care of a wonderful doctor in Raleigh. Per tradition, after the appointment we had a spa treatment and lunch. While lunching after our relaxing massages, we discovered a fantastic new cocktail. At my sister’s suggestion, I took a chance and ordered a mojito. I’ve had a traditional mojito in the past and didn’t love it. This blueberry and mint concoction made such an impression that I had to recreate a similar version at home. This cocktail actually has several health benefits and is low in calories. A virgin cocktail could be made by replacing the vodka with more club soda.

I assembled the needed ingredients. I used a blueberry pomegranate vodka that Ashton found in Pennsylvania. I haven’t seen this offered at our local stores, so I would substitute any blueberry vodka. The blueberries contain antioxidants which fight cancer and promote glowing skin. Read more about the benefits of blueberries here. Limes are high in vitamin C and support the immune system. Read more about limes here. Mint is good for fighting fatigue and allergies. Find out more about mint here.

Muddling (mashing) the mixture releases the healthy oils from the mint and breaks up the blueberries, creating a gorgeous natural color. You can find a muddler on Amazon. This drink was even better (and prettier) than the restaurant version.

Blueberry-Lime Mojito

8 blueberries

2 T. lime juice

8 mint leaves

1 packet of stevia

1/4 cup of blueberry vodka

2 T. club soda

Directions:

Add blueberries, lime juice, mint, and stevia to a glass.

Use a muddler or wooden spoon to muddle (mash) the mixture, breaking up the blueberries.

Add vodka and club soda to the muddled mixture.

Pour mixture over ice.

Make yourself a healthy blueberry mojito, download my book, and enjoy your happy, fabulous life!

Categories: Healthy Living, Skinny Cocktails, Snacks

Snacks, a Spritzer, and a Rainy-Day Movie

Rain, rain, rain…..oh, those rainy day blues! When rain put a damper on our pool day this past Friday, we jumped at the chance to use the movie room upstairs. Ever since the pool was finished,we have been outside, eager to receive our share of sunshine and vitamin D. The movie room has been very neglected this summer. In fact, I haven’t ventured up the stairs in nearly three weeks! Not only did we make use of the movie room, we made use of what we had in the fridge. Since Sunday is our grocery-buying day, it was slim pickings around these parts on Friday! There was a zero chance that I was going to venturing out into the rain. I was not in the mood to wrestle with frizzy hair and damp clothes. With few options in the fridge, I resourcefully created a few healthy appetizers.

Cranberry Walnut Stuffed Celery

Buffalo Chicken Stuffed Celery

Boiled Shrimp with Wasabi & Cocktail Sauces

Of course, a huge bowl of popcorn and goldfish were provided for the kids as well as their favorite cherry Coke cocktails (virgin, of course!) After all, I am the best bad aunt in town! Everyone knows that cherry Coke tastes better with an umbrella straw.

My sister and I enjoyed the adult cocktail of the day, blackberry wine spritzers. Duplin Winery makes a fantastic blackberry wine, found here. Blackberry wine is a natural remedy for digestive issues. It also contains antioxidants. How could you not love a cocktail with healthy benefits? Wine spritzers are a great alternative to regular wine because they are much lower in alcohol and calories. A wine spritzer is the perfect cocktails for week day afternoons! After all, the object is to feel relaxed, not wasted.

Blackberry Wine Spritzer

When Ashton and I created Smokey’s Bar, which is in the movie room, we wanted it to feel special. That is where we keep our collection of glass serving pieces, most of it thrifted . Recently, we began collecting gold-rimmed glasses. I absolutely adore our collection! I found these wine glasses on Amazon, here. No plastic cups and plates for us! Each time we visit an antique store or thrift shop, we purchase a few pieces that we love. It’s always such a joy to use the eclectic mix of pieces we have collected. Because nothing was expensive, we don’t worry about pieces being broken or irreplaceable. Besides, it’s no fun to have beautiful pieces if they are never used! Food always tastes much better on a pretty plate.

After stuffing ourselves with our tasty snacks, we settled in our recliners, wrapped ourselves in plush blankets, and spent the next two hours watching Netflix. We chose the movie, “Playing for Keeps”, which you can also purchase on Amazon here. My nephew loved that it was about soccer. The girls, myself included, loved that it was a romance! It’s rare that we can find a movie that appeals to everyone. Thankfully, the room was dark as I spent a large part of the movie fighting tears. Although you need tissue near, I highly recommend this movie!

Ashton and I are so grateful that we are able to share our home with family and friends. We had the most wonderful, relaxing afternoon and I enjoyed much needed sister-time. Remember to pull out the fancy dishes and celebrate every day…..even the rainy days!

Cranberry Walnut Stuffed Celery (serves one)

1 Laughing Cow swiss flavored cheese wedge, reduced calorie

1 teaspoon walnuts, chopped finely

1 teaspoon low sugar cranberries, chopped finely

1 celery stalk, cut into 3″ sections

Directions:

Mix Laughing Cow cheese with walnuts and cranberries.

Trim the bottoms of the celery sections, so that they are flat.

Fill the celery with the cheese mixture. Serve immediately.

Buffalo Chicken Celery (serves 2)

1 four ounce chicken breast, boiled and shredded

Buffalo sauce to taste

1/2 teaspoon celery seeds

1 teaspoon reduced-fat blue cheese crumbles

3 celery stalks, cut into 3″ pieces

Directions:

Mix chicken, buffalo sauce, and celery seed.

Trim the bottoms of the celery sections, so that they are flat .

Fill the celery with the mixture. Sprinkle with the blue cheese crumbles.

Blackberry Wine Spritzer

Fill a wine glass with ice. Mix equal parts Duplin Blackberry Wine and seltzer. This makes it fizzy!

Add a splash of diet cranberry juice.

Enjoy!

What do you choose to do on a rainy day?