Even though I’m way down South in Barbados I can feel the excitement of my fellow Canadians.
The excitement of the upcoming May 2-4 weekend!
This is a favorite among Canadians because even though it’s usually cold & raining and full of bugs, it means that we survived the winter – it’s the official kick-off to the sacred Canadian cottage season.
View from my family’s cottage
Now I know that you’re all really excited, but remember that you have the entire summer ahead of you. An entire summer of bathing suits, shorts, tank tops & sundresses that you want to make sure still fits you when the real nice weather begins.
Before you pack up your trunk with high-sugar coolers (ie.Vex – I can’t believe I used to drink that!), cream-based liqueurs, regular beer and aspartame-loaded, sickeningly sweet mixes; you may want to re-think your strategy.
You can have your cocktails & drink them too – without the extra sugar, fat & cals.
I put together a list of healthy (as healthy as alcohol can be), low-calorie drink options that should get you through the long weekend, and the much-anticipated spring/summer season. Cheers!
Spirits
Low-cal Mojito (makes 1 drink: 150 cals)
Ingredients
2 oz rum (I like Mount Gay dark rum & for those that can’t handle wheat – rum is gluten-free!)
4 oz club soda
1 ½ tbsp lime juice
2 tbsp mint leaves
½ tsp raw sugar
Lime wedges for garnish
What you’ll need:
Shaker
Muddler
Method:
Fill your shaker with mint, sugar & lime juice*. Using your muddler; smoosh it all together.
Add the rum, club soda & ice – shake, shake, shake – strain into glass (a nice glass makes the drink taste better), and garnish with fresh lime wedge – enjoy! *Smoosh in some fresh raspberries or strawberries to change up the flavor and get some extra vitamins!
Malibu Rum on the Rocks (1 oz. drink: 57 cals)
Serve up this coconut-flavored rum in a low-ball filled with ice, and you’ll feel like you’re on a beach in the Caribbean.
Patron on the Rocks (makes 1 drink: 100 cals)
I personally love the taste of tequila (especially a good one like Patron), but this one may not appeal to you if you’re one of those people who’s had a “bad night with tequila.” Tequila is another spirit that’s gluten-free – a good option for those with celiac disease or IBS.
Ingredients
1.5 oz Patron Silver (or any tequila you like)
A big squeeze of fresh lime juice from 1 big, juicy lime wedge
Method:
Fill a low-ball glass with ice. Add tequila & lime juice, garnish with a lime wedge & enjoy! If this sounds too hard-core, you can always add a splash of real mango or pineapple juice to add a bit of sweetness.
Fruit Infused Tequila (1, 1.5 oz drink: 100 cals)
Using a Water Infuser Drink Pitcher, make your own flavoured tequila (or any spirit of your choice) without the aspartame, added sugar or cals! You can also use it to make flavoured water, 🙂 which is a healthy, easy way to spice up plain-ol’ water.
Wine & Beer
Wine Sprizter (makes 1 drink: 120 cals)
This is one of my favorites because it’s light & refreshing, and half the calories of a full glass of wine! Or you can have 2 drinks for the price of 1 (in terms of cals)!
Ingredients
½ cup or 5 oz of white wine (I love a good Argentinean or Chilean white)
¼ cup club soda
1 lime wedge
Method:
Combine wine & club soda in a nice wine glass, add some ice & garnish with a lime wedge – enjoy!
Champagne or Sparkling Wine (1 glass: 78 cals)
No instruction necessary, just make sure you enjoy it chilled, in a nice champagne flute. You can also add a splash of cranberry juice or orange juice to change it up.
Beer
I love beer, but 1 beer can cost you 250 cals! Here’s a few good light beer options to try this weekend…
Michelob Ultra (now in Canada!) – 95 cals
Corona Light – 99 cals
Coors Light – 102 cals
Bud Light – 110 cals
Cheers!!
Great blog post Laur!!
Matt and I always add crushed raspberries and/or blueberries to our mojitos too. So yummy!!
We tried your mango curried chicken last night with quinoa and LOVED it!
That’s great to hear!!