I am working toward my itsy bitsy teenie weenie yellow polka dot bikini bod. No, who am I kidding, I’m working toward my, let’s not look like a breaching yellow submarine in a one-piece bod!
And I’ve realized there are certain things that I just can’t give up or cut back on, namely the piping hot cup of morning coffee with cream in my hand. No matter how many times I try, I just can’t drink black coffee.
But there is an area that I can cut out, the evening glass(es) of wine throughout the week. They seem to add up. You catch up with this friend after work for a drink. You have that work dinner. Oh, nice, your husband is meeting you for dinner. Who needs all those extra calories?
And as I’ve been flirting with a lower carb lifestyle I’ve learned that alcohol calories cannot be stored so they always have to be burned first, meaning whatever else you’ve eaten with the glass of wine, is getting nicely packed away on your hips.
These hips don’t need no additional padding. So, I’ve been on a hunt for fun, low-calorie non-alcoholic drinks that I enjoy. This is a challenge because I don’t drink caffeine after noon and all of the yummy coffee drinks are loaded with extra calories and ordering decaf always seems a waste to me. That also knocks out teas. Juices are loaded with sugar. I don’t drink soda, like ever, so that’s out. My normal go-to would be club soda with a lime and maybe a splash of cranberry juice, but I thought, I need to get a little more creative here.
Here is what I’ve discovered. The sugar-laden mocktails of old are out and in are the no-proof cocktails, also called spiritfree or NA (non-alcoholic) drinks. Have a couple options ready for your bartender but also ask what alcohol-free cocktails they offer. If the bar is not packed you can also ask them to surprise you with their best non-alcoholic go-to drink. If it’s busy, opt for something that’s easy for them to make. My standby is always a spicy virgin Bloody Mary but I like tomato juice a lot.
And get creative at home too, jumping into learning about bitters, simple syrups and more can be a lot of fun. I’m excited about being a hostess that offers creative alternatives as well as trying the growing array of spiritfree options popping up on menus. With dry January growing in popularity every year, now is the perfect time to explore your options.
I found tons of inspiration and recipes to try. Anyone have any favorites to add?
https://www.buzzfeed.com/emmacooke24/not-a-shirley-temple
https://vinepair.com/articles/best-non-alcoholic-cocktail-recipes/
https://www.seriouseats.com/recipes/2011/04/zero-proof-rosewater-and-lychee-tini.html
https://www.southernkitchen.com/recipes/drink/zero-proof-strawberry-mojito
https://www.forbes.com/sites/karlaalindahao/2019/04/25/best-mocktails-2019/#38e93c70154c
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