Low-Cal Cocktails You'll Love

Sit back, relax and pour yourself a slimming spirit!

by Jamie Miles { View Profile }

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Skinny Sippers

There’s no need to cut cocktails out of your life: Research suggests that moderate alcohol consumption—one drink a day for women—can keep your heart and brain strong, according to the newly updated Dietary Guidelines for Americans. Make your happy hour even healthier with these 11 slimming cocktail recipes.

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Image courtesy of Alie Ward and Georgia Hardstark

Watermelon-Cucumber Refresher

3 Servings

1/2 oz vodka

1/2 cup grated cucumber

1 bottle (20 ounces) Lipton 100 Percent Natural Diet Green Tea with Watermelon

1. Combine Lipton 100 Percent Natural Diet Green Tea with Watermelon and cucumber in 1-quart glass measuring cup or pitcher.

2. Let stand covered at room temperature 30 minutes; strain.

3. Chill until ready to serve.

Calories: 55/serving

Recipe courtesy of Lipton Tea

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Courtesy of Lipton Tea

Mint-Tea Juleps

3 Servings

2 sprigs fresh mint

1 bottle (20 ounces) Lipton 100 Percent Natural Diet Green Tea with Citrus

2/3 cup orange juice

1/2 oz. Bourbon

1. Thoroughly crush mint with wooden spoon on side of pitcher.

2. Stir in Lipton 100 Percent Natural Diet Green Tea with Citrus and orange juice.

3. Let stand at room temperature 30 minutes.

4. Remove mint. Chill until ready to serve.

Calories: 75/serving.

Recipe courtesy of Lipton Tea

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Courtesy of Lipton Tea

White Citrus Sangria

4 Servings

1 bottle (20 ounces) Lipton 100 Percent Natural Diet Green Tea with Citrus

1-3/4 cups white wine

1/4 cup orange juice

1 orange, sliced

1 lemon, sliced

1 lime, sliced

1. Combine Lipton 100 Percent Natural Diet Green Tea with Citrus and juices in large pitcher.

2. Stir in fruit.

3. Chill at least 2 hours. Serve in ice-filled glasses.

Calories: 100/serving

Recipe courtesy of Lipton Tea

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Courtesy of Lipton Tea

Iced Berry Chai

5 Servings

2 bottles (40 ounces) Lipton 100 Percent Natural Iced Tea with Pomegranate Blueberry

1/4 cup sweetened condensed milk

1/2 tsp ground cinnamon

1/4 tsp ground cardamom

1 oz combination of vodka and liqueur (almond or coconut recommended)

1. Combine all ingredients with wire whisk in pitcher.

2. Serve in ice-filled glasses.

Calories: 150/Serving

Recipe courtesy of Lipton Tea.

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Courtesy of Lipton Tea

Triple Lemon Drop

1 Serving

1 bottle (20 ounces) Lipton 100 Percent Natural Iced Tea with Lemon

1-1/4 cups lemonade

1 oz plain or citrus vodka

1. Combine Lipton 100 Percent Natural Iced Tea with Lemon and lemonade in pitcher.

2. To serve, dip rims of serving glasses in lemon juice, then sugar.

Calories: 190/serving

Recipe courtesy of Lipton Tea.

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Courtesy of Lipton Tea

Pina Tea-La Da

3 Servings

1 oz light rum

1 bottle (20 ounces) Lipton 100 Percent Natural Iced Tea with Lemon

1/2 cup pineapple juice

1/4 cup cream of coconut

1. Process all ingredients in blender until smooth.

2. Serve in ice-filled glasses and garnish, if desired, with fresh pineapple wedges.

Calories: 210/serving

Recipe courtesy of Lipton Tea

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Courtesy of Lipton Tea

Spiked Cucumber Cooler

1 Serving

2 oz vodka

2 oz fresh cucumber juice

2 oz lemon-lime syrup (1 part lemon juice, 1 part lime juice, 2 parts water, 1.5 parts agave)

2 oz soda

Sprigs of dill

1. Pour vodka, dill, cucumber juice and lemon-lime syrup into a mixing glass and shake without ice.

2. Pour into a highball with cubes of ice.

3. Garnish with a long, thin slice of cucumber and a sprig of dill.

Calories: 188

Recipe courtesy of Rouge Tomate

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Courtesy of Rouge Tomate

Pomelo-Negroni

1 Serving

¾ oz Pomelo-Infused Gin

¾ oz Barolo Chinato

¾ oz Aperol

Orange bitters

Pomelo peel to top

1. Pour all ingredients into mixing glass, fill with ice, stir 50 times.

2. Pour into martini glass.

3. Garnish with pomelo peel.

Calories: 104

Recipes courtesy of Rogue Tomate

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Image courtesy of Rouge Tomate

Spiced Papalo

1 Serving

1½ oz Blanco Tequila

2 oz passion fruit puree

½ oz jalapeno juice

¾ oz lemon

½ oz agave

3 mint leaves, muddled

1. Pour all ingredients into mixing glass, add fresh ice.

2. Shake well.

3. Pour into a rocks glass.

4. Garnish with a mint sprig.

Total calories: 198

Recipes courtesy of Rouge Tomate

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Image courtesy of Rouge Tomate

Melon Baller

1 Serving

2 oz melon liqueur

4 oz prosecco

Garnish:

Melon balls

Thinly sliced prosciutto

1. Combine melon liqueur and prosecco in a champagne flute.

2. Wrap a melon ball with a thin slice of prosciutto, and skewer it with a cocktail pick.

3. Lay the meat garnish atop the bubbly beverage.

4. Sip, bite, and repeat.

Calories: 230

Recipe courtesy of Alie Ward and Georgia Hardstark

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Image courtesy of Alie Ward and Georgia Hardstark

Hari Kari Me Home

1 Serving

Ice

5 oz sake

1/2 Tbsp pickled ginger juice

1/2 tsp wasabi paste (add more or less depending on how much heat you can handle)

Garnish:

Pickled ginger

Salmon roe

1. In a shaker filled with ice, pour in sake, ginger juice and wasabi and shake vigorously.

2. Pour into an Up glass and garnish by piercing one pickled ginger slice and a salmon roe egg on a cocktail spear.

3. Float the garnish in drink.

Calories: 220

Recipe courtesy Alie Ward and Georgia Hardstark

Next: Best Cocktail Party Styles

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Image courtesy of Alie Ward and Georgia Hardstark

First Published March 14, 2011

What’s your reaction?

Comments

Honestly, these recipes are

Dee Dee Simmons04.12.2011

Honestly, these recipes are obviously sponsored by Lipton as their products are mentioned in most recipes. Secondly, the recipes call for unique ingredients that the average person wouldn't have available, and likely can't find. I think recipes catering to more "normal" people would have far more appeal.