8 Tips to Healthier Holiday Drinks + Recipes

Spending time with friends and family is a great way to spend the holidays, and for many of you that means getting together and sharing a few cocktails. Holiday drinking can be fun and enjoyable but for those of us who are trying to watch our waistlines this holiday season, even having a few drinks can set us back a few notches. It’s important to remember that all alcoholic drinks contain calories and these can add up very quickly! But don’t fret, there is still a way to enjoy a few holiday drinks without overdoing it!

Tips to follow when choosing drinks:

1. Try to keep your limit to no more than 1-2 drinks for women or 2-3 drinks for men, any more and the benefits of moderate drinking is thrown out the window

2. Avoid making drinks with heavily sweetened mixers which contain a significant amount of calories from simple carbohydrates

3. If drinking beer, choose a light beer

4. Drink out of smaller glasses or tall, skinny glasses

5. Mix drinks with seltzer or water as they add no additional calories

6. Measure out alcohol content precisely instead of guessing

7. When making mixed drinks try loading your glass up with ice to cut the amount of alcohol and other mixers you will use

8. Drink a glass of water between beverages to fill you up and help rehydrate your body

Candy Cane Martini

1 1/2 ounces vanilla vodka

1/2 ounce peppermint schnapps

1 ounce seltzer water

crushed candy canes for garnish

Rim a martini glass with crushed candy canes. Mix vodka, schnapps, and seltzer with ice in a cocktail shaker; strain into prepared glass.

Champagne and Pomegranate

For a new twist on champagne with strawberries, try tossing a few pomegranate seeds into your glass! Add a dash of pomegranate juice if you want the whole drink to turn a nice red color.

Almond Milk “Eggnog”

2 Cups unsweetened almond milk (or organic low fat milk)

1/2 Cup unsweetened light coconut milk

1/4 Cup honey

1 teaspoon cinnamon

Dash of nutmeg

1 teaspoon vanilla

1 banana

3 oz rum or brandy (optional)

Directions: Blend all ingredients in a high speed blender. Chill and serve. Sprinkle individual servings with cinnamon if desired.

Wine Spritzer

4 Ounces Red Wine

4 Ounces Seltzer Water

Holiday Cheer

4 Ounces Champagne

4 Ounces Low Calorie Cranberry Juice

Sangria

1 Lime cut into wedges

1 Lemon cut into wedges

1 Orange cut into wedges

10 Maraschino cherries

1 Apple cut into slices

1 Cup orange juice

1/4 Cup brandy

1/4 Cup triple sec

1/2 Cup white rum

1 Bottle (750ml) dry red wine

Directions: Mix alcohol together in large bowl with orange juice. Cut all fruits into thin wedges and add to bowl. Refrigerate overnight and serve chilled.

Mulled Wine

1.5 Liter Bottle Dry Red Wine

Zest from 1 Lemon and 1 Orange

1 Tablespoon cinnamon

½ Tablespoon cloves

½ Tablespoon ginger

½ Tablespoon Nutmeg

Honey to taste

Directions: Pour wine into large saucepan and cook over low heat. Add lemon and orange zest to wine. Place spices in empty tea satchel. Put satchel into saucepan and brew mixture for 30 minutes. Add honey to taste. Pour wine through strainer and serve in heatproof glass. Garnish with sliced orange or cinnamon stick.

Remember, healthy drinking can be a part of your holiday plans. If you take the time to plan ahead and remember to drink in moderation, you won’t have to worry about putting on too many holiday calories!

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Tags: cocktails, holiday cocktails, holiday drinks, save calories
Category: Uncategorized
Dec
1
4 Steps to Holiday Cocktail Party Success
written by America's Nutrition Expert: Mitzi Dulan, RD, CSSD
- December 1st, 2009

‘Tis the season to…overindulge at cocktail parties? The holidays are a great excuse to celebrate and spend time with family and friends, yet the excessive eating, drinking, and late nights tend to leave us feeling bloated, guilty, and our pants just a wee-bit snugger. Follow my 4 simple steps and I guarantee you’ll change all that. I promise this to be the season you take control of your health, and walk in and out of every party looking and feeling your best.

Step 1: Bring the gift of health!

The key to getting invited back to every party?…show up with a present! This holiday season, offer to bring your host a healthy dish that you and your guests can enjoy guilt-free. Some of my favorites: Hummus and Veggies, Lowfat Pumpkin Cream Cheese, Prosciutto-wrapped Melon, or my Goat Cheese and Almond-layered Apricot Bites (see recipe below)

Step 2: Never arrive hungry!

You spend all day before the party trying to eat as little as possible so that you can indulge at night, right? Wrong! While this may seem like a good idea in theory, you’re setting yourself up for a major diet disaster. Always have a small, healthy snack before heading out (piece of fruit, yogurt and granola, whole wheat toast with peanut butter). Instead of being ravenous and grabbing every appetizer in sight before even removing your jacket, you’ll pick the hors d’oeuvres you really want (and say a proper hello to the rest of the guests at the party!) ;)

Step 3: Have a game plan!

Go into a party with a general idea of how you plan to approach your eating/drinking habits and you’ll be less likely to get off track. Set a drink limit (“I’ll only have 2 drinks tonight”) and then switch to water or club soda. If you’re hungry, fill your plate with lighter snacks (think hummus and veggies), and make only one trip to the buffet table. Allow yourself to splurge on small tastes of those special treats that you only have during the holidays.

Step 4: Enjoy your company!

Instead of spending your night circling the buffet table, try making your rounds around the party to catch up with old friends and meet new faces! Don’t let food be the focus of your night out, spending quality time with friends/family are what the holidays are really all about!

Cheers to that!

Goat Cheese and Almond-layered Apricot Bites

Ingredients:

-1 dried apricot

-1 whole roasted almonds (can be plain, honey roasted or lightly salted)

-pinch of goat cheese

Directions:

-Place dried apricot on plate

-Top with a small pinch of goat cheese

-Place one almond on top of goat cheese

By Mitzi Dulan http://www.nutritionexpert.com/blog