When spring comes, everything green becomes so vibrant and alive… perfect for sitting and drinking your favorite cocktail. However, it is not the healthiest choice to limit yourself just on drinking cocktails at the bar.
It is much better idea to play bartender at home to make sure that your cocktails are really healthy. So, we’ve got you covered with this list of 6 healthy low-cal cocktails that use fresh, spring-inspired ingredients.
1. Spring sparkler
Sweet and tart, this spring cocktail is made with dry Chardonnay, juicy fresh pineapple, and fragrant green tea. Make ahead and keep chilled until ready to serve.
Ingredients:
– 4 bags green tea
– 2 cups 1-inch chunks pineapple
– 750-ml chardonnay
– 2 cups blood orange Italian soda
Instructions:
Steep tea in 1 cup boiling water for 10 min. Meanwhile, purée pineapple and half of the wine in a blender until smooth. Strain through a fine sieve into a large pitcher and discard any solids. Discard tea bags and add tea to the pitcher, together with remaining wine. Stir, pour over ice and top off with soda. Garnish with pineapple and serve. Cheers!
2. Mango mocktail
Fresh mango purée combined with Italian soda makes for a flavorful drink to enjoy. You can add tangerine soda, but other citrus sodas work wonderfully too.
Ingredients:
– 1 mango, diced
– 25.4 ounce (1 bottle) chilled Italian tangerine soda
– 4 fresh mint sprigs
Instructions:
Place mango in a food processor and process until very smooth and transfer it to a container. Spoon about 2 tbsp. purée into each of 4 glasses and pour in soda. Garnish each with a mint. Done!
3. Pineapple slushies
These spring pineapple cocktails get loads of flavor from a pineapple, banana and orange juice blend.
Ingredients:
– 20-ounce pineapple chunks in pineapple juice
– 4 cups crushed ice
– 1/2 cup organic pineapple orange banana 100% juice blend
Instructions:
Put pineapple (with its juice), ice and juice blend into a blender and mix until almost smooth, but still slightly icy. Pour into glasses and serve immediately. Enjoy.
4. Mango bellini
This is a new vegetarian-friendly cocktail. To make mango puree, simply puree ripe mango in the blender.
Ingredients:
– 3 tbsp. mango puree
– 5 ounces sparkling sake
– Mango cube for garnish
Instructions:
Put mango puree into a highball glass. Fill to the brim with sparkling sake. Garnish with a mango cube. Cheers.
5. Minted lime freeze
On a spring sunny day, what could be better than sipping these frozen lime drinks?
Ingredients:
– 2/3 cup lime juice
– 1/2 cup fresh mint, plus sprigs for garnish
– 1 lime frozen fruit bar, stick removed
– Sparkling water, chilled, for serving
– Agave nectar, to taste
– Crushed ice for serving
Instructions:
Combine lime juice, mint leaves, agave nectar and frozen fruit bar in a blender and blend until smooth. Fill 2 tall glasses with ice, pour in lime mixture and add sparkling water. Garnish with mint. Enjoy!
6. Strawberry-lemon cocktail
Make this fruity drink an adults-only cocktail by substituting a bottle of sparkling water for the sparkling wine!
Ingredients:
– 1 pound organic strawberries, hulled
– 1 cup lemonade, chilled
– 1 750 ml sparkling water, chilled
– 1/4 cup fresh mint leaves
Instructions:
Place strawberries and lemonade in a blender and process until smooth. Strain through a fine mesh sieve and transfer to a large pitcher. Stir in sparkling water until blended. Serve over ice and garnish with mint leaves. Cheers!