Photo: Leigh Loftus
Let’s set the scene: it’s barbecue season and you’re not a beer drinker, but you can’t bear the thought of your white wine getting warm in the sun. That’s when it’s time to hit your properly-stocked home bar and whip up a batch of your favorite cocktail.
The only problem with homemade cocktails is that they tend to be loaded with sugar and calories, so you feel guilty having even one…until you have your second…or third. By then, the damage is done and we haven’t even gotten to the snacks yet.
The best way to slash the sugar and calorie content of any beverage is to swap out mixers that are high in sugar and substitute them fresh fruit and fresh fruit juice. Then, you can make pretty much any cocktail “skinny” and you can drink (responsibly) to your heart’s content.
Photo: Leigh Loftus
- Ingredients
- ½ cup water
- ¼ cup sugar
- 6 oz fresh black berries
- ½ cup tequila
- ⅓ cup fresh lime juice
- ⅓ cup fresh pineapple juice
- ½ cup pineapple chunks
- 3 tablespoons sugar or salt
- Make homemade simple syrup: in a small sauce pan heat water until boiling. Stir in the sugar until fully dissolved. Remove from heat, and let cool.
- In cocktail shaker, muddle the blackberries and simple syrup until they begin to break down and release juice.
- Top with tequila, lime juice and pineapple juice. Blend until smooth.
- Pour through a fine mesh strainer. Let sit in the fridge until ready to serve.
- To line the rim of the glass cut the lime into wedges. Rub with lime over the edge of the glass. Dip the rim in the sugar.
- Serve over ice garnished with additional lime and blackberries, if desired.
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