holiday drinks

Well...we always make our egg nog with good ol' Holly Nog or Silk Nog. You get used to the taste, and then it seems better than the "regular" fatty stuff.

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Make-alike McCafe Mocha Latte
from Hungry Girl

In a large microwave-safe mug or cup, combine 2 tsp. instant coffee, 2 tsp. fat-free nondairy powdered creamer, and a 25-calorie packet of hot cocoa mix. Add 3/4 cup hot water and stir to dissolve ingredients. Then add 1/4 cup light vanilla soymilk, nuke until hot (about 45 seconds), and stir. Yum! Your mocha will have only about 70 calories and less than a gram of fat (POINTS® value 1*)! If you want, top it with a generous squirt of Fat Free Reddi-wip and a squiggle of light chocolate syrup. Mmmmm!

Dr. Katz's Better-for-You Eggnog:

6 cups skim milk
1 cup egg substitute
1/2 cup nonfat powdered milk
6 Tbsp. sugar
2 tsp. vanilla extract
2 tsp. rum extract
Ground nutmeg or cinnamon
Sugar-free whipped topping

In a medium pot over medium heat, whisk together skim milk, egg substitute, powdered milk, and sugar over medium heat. Cook, stirring, 15 to 20 minutes, until thickened.

Remove from heat; whisk in vanilla and rum extracts. Let cool, stirring occasionally, 20 to 30 minutes. Refrigerate until chilled, 2 to 3 hours.

Stir well and pour into cups. Sprinkle each with nutmeg or cinnamon, and add a dollop of whipped topping.

Ingredients:Serves 6 (about 100 calories each serving)

From Fitness Magazine: Drink Makeovers

For festive events, when cocktails are called for-- Here are a few lighter versions:

When FITNESS learned that Americans drink about 20 percent of their total calories on average, we immediately thought of one sinister culprit that tends to lurk near social gatherings: the cocktail. We tapped the experts -- top mixologists and dietitians - and with a few tweaks to basic drink recipes and some creative interpretations of high-calorie favorites, we believe we've found a few recipes that'll let you imbibe on occasion and maintain a trim waistline. Read on for drink recipes that go down easy.

Pina Colada Cooler

Registered dietitian Carolyn O'Neil can't understand why a pina colada was ever paired with a bathing suit. "It is one of the most caloric drinks you can imagine consuming," she tells us. An 8-ounce pina colada can pack in 640 calories -- over 100 calories more than a Quarter Pounder with Cheese. O'Neill slimmed down this dangerously delicious drink for us -- phew! -- and the results are just as refreshing as the original.

1 1/2 ounces coconut-flavored rum
3 ounces pineapple juice
4 ounces sparkling water
1 tablespoon of Coco Lopez Cream of Coconut Lite (found in the drink mixers section of many supermarkets)

Pour ingredients over ice and stir.

Calories: 165


Blueberry Lemon Breeze

Using agave nectar in place of simple syrup "adds the perfect sweetness to a drink along with complexity of flavor," says Stephanie Ruhe, bar manager at Atlanta hot spot Neo. We love agave for its low glycemic index (meaning it won't send your blood sugar soaring) and because there's a light version that cuts calories. In this drink, which on Neo's menu is titled "Demise of Ms. Beauregarde" after the Charlie and the Chocolate Factory character, fresh berries and lemon juice blend harmoniously with the flavors in the gin. But what makes this cocktail so special, says Ruhe, is the champagne that's poured on top!

10 blueberries
3/4 ounce light agave nectar, such as Wholesome Sweeteners, available at Whole Foods or other natural foods stores
1 1/2 ounces gin
3/4 ounce lemon juice
Splash of champagne (about 1 ounce)

In a shaker, muddle* together blueberries and agave. Add the gin and lemon juice, then shake vigorously for 20 seconds. Strain contents of shaker into a martini glass and then top with champagne. Garnish with 3 blueberries on a cocktail stick.

Calories: 205

*A muddler is a bartending tool used to grind ingredients. Purchase online at amazon.com ($9.99) or make do with the end of a wooden spoon.

Mimosa Lite

Brunchtime cocktails don't have to break the calorie bank, says Andrea Giancoli, RD, spokesperson for the American Dietetic Association. At a recent Sunday gathering, she mixed up a less-indulgent mimosa without tossing out any of this bubbly beverage's taste. Her secret: low-calorie fruit juices, such as Minute Maid Light, which contain half the calories of regular juice.

2 ounces Minute Maid Light Orange Tangerine Juice
4 ounces champagne
Juice of 1/2 medium-size orange, or 1 to 2 ounces

Add several ice cubes to a tall glass. Squeeze the juice of the orange into the glass. Pour in orange tangerine juice, followed by champagne. Stir. Garnish with fresh orange rinds, curled.

Calories: 120


Blended Raspberry Cocktail

Let ice be your ally this summer. By blending drinks with fruity flavors you ultimately consume fewer calories, says Giancoli. Another sip tip: Using tall glasses (10 ounces and above) means you'll refill -- and fill up on calories -- less often.

1/2 cup ice or several ice cubes
8 ounces Minute Maid Light Raspberry Passion
1 1/2 ounces vodka

Combine ingredients in a blender. Garnish with several fresh raspberries.

Calories: 115


Strawberry-Citrus Vodka Cocktail

If you're planning on having more than one drink, a calorie-saving strategy is to alternate between cocktails and "mocktails," says O'Neil. Refreshing, summery flavors like citrus, berry, and mint can stand on their own, so the non-alcoholic version of the following drink by Neo's Ruhe is just as delicious. Swap in a low-calorie soda for the vodka (try Fresca) and you're drinking a virtually calorie-free beverage.

2 strawberries
1 sprig of mint
3/4 ounce light agave nectar, such as Wholesome Sweeteners
1 3/4 ounces citrus vodka
3/4 ounce lemon juice

In a shaker, muddle together mint and strawberries, then add the remaining ingredients. Shake vigorously with ice for 20 seconds. Pour entire contents of shaker into a tall glass. (Include all of the mint and strawberry pulp.)

Calories: 259


Mojito Makeover

In general, the Mojito is already a better choice when it comes to calories, but the talented folks at the trendy Chapel Hill restaurant Jujube show us how to serve up this Cuban drink with one smart substitution -- Splenda syrup instead of simple syrup. Make your own by dissolving 2 packets of Splenda into an ounce of water or purchase Da Vinci's Sugar Free Sweetener Syrup (available on amazon.com), and keep the bottle on hand for iced teas, coffees, and more.

2 ounces light rum
1 ounce Splenda syrup, Da Vinci's Sugar Free Sweetener Syrup
1 ounce lime juice
7 mint leaves
Splash of club soda

In a shaker, muddle mint leaves and a lime wedge. Add ice and other ingredients and shake. Pour into tall glass and top with soda.

Calories: 140


Skinny Wasaberita

Another high-calorie monster, the margarita was long overdue for a makeover. Ruhe whittles down the calories in this happy hour classic by leaving out the Cointreau (saving 95 calories per ounce) and adding a powerful punch of wasabi powder. Her clever spin on this go-to is unexpected and guilt-free.

1 teaspoon wasabi powder
3/4 ounce lime juice
1 ounce light agave nectar, such as Wholesome Sweeteners
1 3/4 ounces Tequila blanco

Salt rim of a margarita glass. In a shaker add all of the ingredients with ice. Shake vigorously for 30 seconds and then strain over fresh ice into glass.

Calories: 224


Choco-lite Cocktail

Some dieters think they save calories by ordering a dessert and a cocktail in one, but has anyone ever lost weight drinking liquefied hot fudge sundaes? Skip the 500 calories found in the average chocolate martini (made with creme de cacao and half and half) -- this lightened-up treat has been pared down in a couple of smart places. Before you pour, line the rim of the glass with syrup for a bit of sweetness with every sip.

1 ounce Godiva chocolate liqueur
1 ounce vodka
1/2 cup nonfat milk
1 teaspoon Hershey's Syrup Lite (for lining rim of glass)

In a shaker, combine chocolate liqueur, vodka, and milk with crushed ice. Shake to mix. Pour into glass.

Calories: 227


Grapefruit Basil Martini

Low-calorie recipes are often celebrated for what they manage to cut out, but here's a beverage that throws a few added benefits your way. Neo's mixologists pair basil, an unpredictable herbal twist, with grapefruit, which delivers a dose of vitamins and antioxidants. Now that's something to toast to.

2 basil leaves
1 ounce grapefruit juice
1 ounce Da Vinci's Sugar Free Sweetener Syrup
1 3/4 ounces gin
Splash of sparkling wine

In a shaker, muddle basil and syrup. Add syrup and gin and shake hard with ice for 20 seconds. Strain ingredients into a martini glass and top with sparkling wine. Garnish with a grapefruit twist.

Calories: 161


From Shape Magazine:

Less Carbs Margarita

Wet the rim of your glass and dip into Margarita salt. Combine 1 jigger of tequila, 1/4 cup water, 1/4 teaspoon orange extract, 2 tablespoons lime juice, 1 tablespoon artificial sweetener and a small handful of ice. You can either have it all blended together or served over the ice.

(I don't know what a jigger of tequila is!)

Slim Appletini
1 1/4 oz Van Gogh Wild Apple Vodka
3/4 oz Van Gogh Apple Liqueur
1/2 oz Apple Juice


Shake with ice and strain into chilled margarita glass
(I assume that you can use another type of vodka of course)

The Diva
1 oz. Van Gogh Raspberry Vodka
3 oz. Diet Sprite
Splash Pineapple Juice
Pour ingredients into a tumbler filled with crushed ice. Garnish with a slice of fresh lime

And the carb counts for drinks you might have
Alcohol Item (serving size) Carbs (g)
Beer, regular (12 fl oz) 13g
Beer, light (12 fl oz) 4.5g
Wine, red (3.5 fl oz) 1.75g
Wine, rose (3.5 fl oz) 1.5
Wine, white (3.5 fl oz) 1g
Cider, dry (1 pint) 15g
Gin, Rum, Vodka, Whisky (1 fl oz) 0g
Sherry (2 fl oz) 3g
Port (2 fl oz) 6g
Guinness (1/2 pint) 4g

Hot Cocoas

HOT COCOA MIX
3/4 cup Cocoa
Dry sugar substitute equal to 1 1/2 c sugar, Splenda that measures like sugar
1/2 tsp Salt
1 qt Instant dried skim milk

MEXICAN COCOA
2 - 3 Tbsp ground cinnamon

MOCHA HOT COCOA
1/3 c Instant coffee

HOT COCOA MIX: Mix ingredients well and store in an airtight container in a moderately cool place. Use 2 tbsp mix plus 6 ounces boiling water per serving of cocoa.

MEXICAN COCOA:
Add 2-3 teaspoons ground cinnamon when mixing the total ingredients; or place a scant 1/8 teaspoon of cinnamon in a cup, 2 tablespoon of the mix, and 6 oz of boiling water.

MOCHA: ADD 1/8 cup instant coffee when mix the total ingredients; or place 1/3 teaspoon instant coffee in a cup, 2 tablespoons of the mix; and 6 oz of boiling water.

Nutritive values per serving:
CAL: 49; CHO: 4 gm; PRO: 3 gm; FAT: 3 gm; LOW-SODIUM DIETS: Omit salt

I like to drink Bacardi Limon mixed with water (or tonic water) with a twist of lemon or I drink flavored vodka mixed with water and a crystal light to go pack.....i know i know liquor w/ water, try it! Its better than you think

YUM! I wonder what you could make or use with Cruzan Coconut Rum? Perhaps Light Cranberry Juice? Not sure of what the cal or carbs would be...anyone know or have any suggestions?

Bump! Sounds amazing!