I love booze. Is that a weird thing to say? Come on! You do too.
I know it. So… we love booze. But we also love hanging out at the beach without a little booze belly. And we sure as heck aren’t cutting out french fries. So, what do we do…? A good course of action would be to cut back on calories where we can.
Now I don’t know about you, but a vodka and water sounds about as refreshing to me as a glass of lukewarm milk on a hot day. We don’t need to forfeit our cocktail loving ways for the sake of the beach bod! And still, I maintain that we will not give up the french fries. So instead, why don’t we try to make our cocktails skinny. (That’s bartender speak for less sugar 
.) And I know just the way to do it…
For your Mule
A classic Moscow Mule has lime, ginger beer and vodka. I know it doesn’t sound so bad, but ginger beer is loaded with sugar. So instead, here’s what we’re going to do. First muddle some mint and fresh minced ginger in a tin. Pour in an ounce and a half of vodka and a scoop of ice and SHAKE!. Strain the vodka into a glass with ice and top it with a Cucumber Wave. Tada! A modified mule with a healthy twist (and maybe even a little more refreshing.)
For your Margarita
A classic margarita has lime juice, cointreau (or triple sec) and tequila. A typical skinny would leave out the cointreau and add a touch of agave. But even skinny margaritas can be on the wrong side of too sweet. So, we’re going to make it even skinnier! Run a lime around the rim of your glass and dip it in rock salt, then fill it with ice. In your shaker, add some ice, an ounce of lime and two ounces of your favorite tequila. Shake it! Strain your chilly concoction into the glass and top it off with Tangerine Wave.
For your Whiskey Bramble
A classic bramble has bourbon, lemon, simple syrup and blackberry liqueur. Let’s lighten that up a bit. Muddle blackberries in your tin with a touch of stevia or simple. Pour in 2 ounces your favorite bourbon, (I like to use Bulleit or Basil Hayden’s), and ¾ ounce lemon juice. Toss in some ice and shake her up. Strain it into a glass with fresh ice, and top with a Blackberry Wave.
These little change ups are easy peasy and cut back on your sugar and calories by loads. Plus it’s dang hot out this summer and adding bubbles to any cocktail makes it inherently more refreshing! So kick back on your porch, whip up a skinny cocktail and let that beach belly out! Order some fries too, because balance.