Holiday cocktails are shaken with merriment. But many also come stirred with hidden sugar and calories.
Use these tips to sip the smarter way this holiday season.
Tips for Managing Holiday Cocktails
1. Always have at least one glass of water for each alcoholic beverage to stay hydrated and stave off the biological urge to drink more. Plus, doing this will save you calories—and cash—this holiday season.
2. If you know overindulging is a possibility at your upcoming cocktail party, use it as motivation to work out more and harder.
3. Never go anywhere hungry. Stuff yourself full of healthy veggies, other power foods and a giant glass of water before you go. This will ensure you don't drink more out of dehydration or hunger.
4. Don't skip food to allow yourself more alcohol calories. The alcohol will hit you quicker and you may end up overdoing it.
5. Serve SkinnyTinis to save you and your guests 50 percent of the calories.
More: 18 Healthy Holiday Ingredient Swaps
Healthy Holiday Cocktail Recipes
Each one of these original SkinnyTinis offers at least 50 percent fewer calories than its traditional counterpart. But don't think that means they're light on the booze. These recipes are fully loaded and only unnecessary sugar calories have been eliminated.
More: 3 Simple Ways to Cut Sugar Out of Your Diet
The Skinny Pumpkin Pie Martini
Ingredients
- 4 ounces Smirnoff Vanilla Vodka
- 1 ounce Torani Sugar-Free Pumpkin Pie Syrup
- 5 ounces light almond milk
- 2 tablespoons pumpkin puree
- Pumpkin pie spice to taste
- Diet ginger ale (optional)
- Optional garnish: Rim the glass with crushed graham crackers for 10 calories
Instructions
1. Dip the rim of a clean martini glass in water and roll it in crushed graham crackers.
2. Add all the ingredients to a cocktail shaker filled with ice and shake vigorously for at least 10 seconds until the puree is completely dissolved.
3. Strain into the prepared martini glass and serve; or top with diet ginger ale if you prefer it to be just a tad sweeter.
Servings/Calories
This recipe will make two 5-ounce martinis with 136 calories each.
