Lighten Up Your Liquor: Low-Alcohol Cocktails and Mocktails

Since I started my "accountability" weight loss program on a Sunday, one of my first changes was to cut down my Sunday evening cocktail by swapping out my usual vodka martini for a spritzer-type drink made with just a small splash of vodka and 3 or 4 dashes each of cocoa and orange bitters, topped off with orange vanilla seltzer, garnished with a pretty lemon twist, and served in a frosty, funky martini glass. 

As I discovered during my pregnancies and the occasional Lent when I gave up alcohol, making a mocktail look festive is nearly as important as making it taste delicious. (Check out some of my past blogs on mocktail recipes here and here!) So here are some of my best tips for making low- and non-alcoholic cocktails that will satisfy you every time.

Use Fancy (or Fun) Glassware and Accessories

Imagine drinking champagne out of a plastic tumbler. That's not very satisfying, right? Now imagine drinking seltzer out of a champagne flute. Instant elegance! Glassware matters. So do accessories.   

This gorgeous set of 4 etched Mikasa martini glasses is only about $32 from Amazon. 

These funky-shaped coupe glasses from Hlukana are $17 on Amazon for a set of 4. 

These fun zigzag martini glasses from Libbey are what I use in my own home bar; $25 from Amazon for the set of 4. 

We first discovered the excitement of light-up ice cubes on a Disney cruise a few years back, and now we always have a few on hand to (literally) brighten up our drinks when the mood strikes. At around $12 a dozen from Amazon, they're cheaper than going on a cruise (if slightly - only slightly - less fun).  

Swizzle sticks can definitely brighten up any drink, especially these whimsical mini cocktail-topped stirrers, 10 for $10 from Amazon. 

Use Great Garnishes

Garnishes add flavor and color to your drink, so choose fresh, colorful fruits and herbs to perk up your beverage!

This Oxo Good Grips zester ($12 from Amazon) gets plenty of use in my kitchen. There are always fresh lemons and limes in my crisper drawer waiting to be used for garnishes. With a little practice, it's easy to peel off a long strip. I like to experiment with different ways to arrange the peels; my favorites include a loose knot and twisting the peel around itself to form a double ring. 

Another favorite way to make a fancy citrus garnish it to make frozen coils. Take a lemon or lime, cut off the ends, then use a paring knife to remove the whole peel as a single piece. Roll the resulting rectangle of peel as tightly as you can and secure it with an elastic or a few toothpicks. Put it in a ziploc bag in the freezer overnight, then use a sharp, serrated knife to slice it into thin coils and put it back in the bag in the freezer until ready to use. When you put a coil in your drink, it will both chill the drink (without diluting it, like an ice cube would) and slowly add flavor as it thaws - plus the coil will gradually open up, which is a very eye-catching effect. 

Fresh herbs make great cocktail or mocktail garnishes. Lemon-based drinks are especially delicious with the addition of muddled basil, mint, thyme, or lavender, plus a sprig or two as garnish to continue adding flavor to the drink. Lemongrass is especially good with ginger beer-based drinks. If you have a garden, add a few herb plants to have fresh herbs all summer and fall. If you don't, keep a few pots of herbs inside and you can have your own fresh herbs almost all year around. Don't forget that herbs love to be pruned so if you don't use a particular plant for a while, pinch it back to keep it happy. 

 

Fresh berries make a cheery and flavorful garnish. Float three or four cranberries in your drink or skewer them on a long toothpick or swizzle stick. Mix together a few kinds of berries or weave in a citrus peel. Almost any kind of fruit can be sliced partway and hung on the edge of the glass: pear, melon, pineapple, apple, strawberry, kiwi. If you're artistic, cut or twist them into pretty shapes. If you're not, google a video and try it anyway!

Another fun way to make a fruit garnish is to freeze small pieces in ice cube trays, using water or diluted fruit juice. You can also add sprigs of fresh herbs. Be sure to match the flavors to the drinks you put them in!


Intensify Your Flavors

Sometimes the most flavorful elements of a cocktail are non-alcoholic, so take advantage of those strong flavors in your mocktails. 

I love using flavored bitters to bump up the flavors in my cocktails without adding too much sweetness, and you can use them to bump up the flavors of mocktails without adding significant alcohol or calories (bitters add about 1.5 calories per dash, and their alcohol content is about the same as vanilla extract). The set above is $47 from Amazon, but  you can pick up single bottles at your local liquor store in flavors like orange, cocoa, black walnut, grapefruit, rhubarb, and more, most for about $10-$12 per bottle (which lasts a very long time). 

Speaking of vanilla extract, you can use a drop of any of your baking extracts to punch up your cocktail as well. You may already have vanilla, almond, mint, rum, and/or brandy, but you might want to add some more esoteric flavors like green apple, watermelon, and coconut, all of which are included in this 12-pack from Walmart for $37.

Bubly, La Croix, or good old Polar (my personal favorite) seltzers all come in a wide variety of flavors from grapefruit to peach-pear to cranberry-lime to pink apple and lemon. Use them instead of plain tonic water or club soda to add some flavor to your drink without adding calories. I'm especially fond of Polar orange vanilla and black cherry, both of which pair nicely with some of my more unusual bitters. I find that replacing some (or all) of the alcohol in my drink with seltzer changes the taste minimally but adds a sense of festivity due to the carbonation. 

Ginger beer is a marvelous base for mocktails. The ginger flavor pairs well with citrus (especially lemon), cranberry, and herbs. Ginger beer isn't low calorie (it's similar to other sodas), but its flavor is more intense so a little splash adds a lot of flavor. It is also available in diet. 

Experiment, experiment, experiment

The most important thing is to keep trying different options until you find what works for you. Maybe your magic combination is a pseudo Arnold Palmer made with unsweetened tea and lemon seltzer made with muddled mint sprigs. Perhaps you'll discover you love a Moscow Mule mocktail made with half ginger beer and half lime seltzer with a splash of cranberry juice and a garnish of fresh cranberries and a twist of lime. Maybe you don't want to completely give up on your gin but you enjoy a G&T with just a hint of G and very heavy on the T as long as there's plenty of lime juice. 

But whatever you find works, I'll happily raise my glass of sparkling water with lemon and mint to you!

Because I'm Fat, I'm Fat, Ya Know It

Hi, my name is Sandy and I'm fat. 

"Fat" is such a loaded word in our society. Because of that, I would never call anyone else fat, but I absolutely reserve the right to call myself fat. And I am. I'm about 35 pounds over what I would consider a reasonably attainable and healthy weight, and about 50 pounds over what I would consider my ideal adult weight. At 5'7.5" tall and 178 pounds, I am, by any reasonable standard, fat. 

I don't want to be fat. I don't like how it feels. I don't like how it affects my health. I don't like how my clothes fit. I don't like that I don't look good in the styles of clothes I like to wear. 

I want to fix it. But I'm not the personality type that would do well with a meeting-based program like Weight Watchers, or a prepared food program like Jenny Craig, or even a menu-based program like Richard Simmons' Deal-a-Meal. And I don't need a psychology-based program like Noom to tell me why I'm fat. I'm fat because I'm menopausal, sedentary, and I eat and drink too much. It's really that simple. My metabolism has changed and I haven't changed my exercise or eating habits to counterbalance it. I have health issues that discourage me from getting regular exercise. (Also, I'm inherently lazy.) I like drinking cocktails. And my portion sizes are too big. I don't eat a lot of unhealthy foods, I just eat too much of the healthy ones, which is also unhealthy. And I don't drink enough water. 

Why am I telling you this? Frankly, it's because I need motivation. It bothers me when I try to lose weight (often somewhat half-heartedly) and I don't succeed, but telling other people that I'm trying to lose weight and not succeeding is more likely to make me buckle down and figure out how to make it work. So I'm publicly announcing that I'm working on losing weight in the hopes that being somewhat accountable to the world at large will encourage me to follow through and find a plan that works for me. 

Here's what I'm doing to start: 

• Drink less alcohol. I think that tapering off gradually will work best for me, so for now I'm only going to drink alcohol on the weekends. One cocktail each on Friday, Saturday, and maybe Sunday. Possibly an exception if we go out to eat during the week. I'll also try to drink lighter cocktails, by cutting them with seltzer. And no overly generous pours. 
• Shrink portion sizes. I'll take smaller portions of sides and mains and larger portions of vegetables and avoid eating bread with meals. 
• Drink more water. I'm going to combat both overeating and hunger by drinking a lot more water. Again, starting slowly, I'm hoping to drink at least two 20-oz. tumblers of water per day. (I'm starting from a baseline of about two sips a day to take my meds, so this is more of an increase than you might think.)
• Walk every day. This may be a little difficult in winter, but we do have a treadmill I can use. (I'll have to clear off a bunch of the kids' stuff, but it's under there somewhere.) I'll try to park farther away from the store when I run errands. And I'll get up and walk around the house every once in a while during the day. 
• Write down all the above. I'll take advantage of my love of spreadsheets by making a chart of what - and how - I'm doing to track my progress. 
• Track my weight. I wouldn't advise this for everyone, but I got an app a while back to track my weight and it made me realize how my weight has been creeping upwards. Hopefully it will also help me see it creeping back downwards.  
• Blog at least once a week. I'll let YOU know how I'm doing. Admitting to other people when I'm failing - or even simply struggling - could be helpful to push me to do better. And letting others know when I'm succeeding will hopefully do the same. 

Feel free to comment with weight loss tips, recipes for delicious low-calorie meals, words of encouragement, or any other advice you think might be helpful. (Please note that I do screen all comments, because bots, so there may be a delay before your comment posts.) Thanks in advance!

Quote for the week: The pounds you don't gain are just as important as the pounds you lose. 

Stocking Stuffers, 2023 Edition

Have you started your Christmas shopping yet? More importantly, have you started your Christmas stocking shopping yet? Somehow I always end up grabbing stuff at the last minute to finish up the stocking stuffing. But this year I'm determined to start early and get some cool stuff for all the stockings well before the 24th. Here are some of the great stocking stuffers I've found this year: 

Under $5

Do you remember sitting on your front steps throwing these poppers at the walkway and listening to them POP!? Share that delight with everyone you know for only $1.79 from perpetualkid.com.  

Lots of people use masks for their faces - but what about lips? This refreshing mask designed just for lips will moisturize and protect even the driest of winter lips. Only $2.24 at Target. 

You're never too old for sidewalk chalk, especially this vivid pack of 20 colors! And it's washable, so it'll vanish during the first rainfall (or snowfall). $3 from Target.

It's still fun for a girl and a boy! Who wouldn't love finding a Slinky in their stocking? $3.59 from Target. 

Great for travelers, college students, or even to leave for visiting guests, this 3-pack of Tide liquid lets you wash a few items in the sink without the need for a visit to the laundromat or even a full load of laundry. $4.50 for a 3-pack from Amazon. 

$5-$10

Gel pens are the smoothest, and this 4-pack is a bargain at only $5.30 from Amazon. Medium point S-gel by Sharpie. 

The recipient can pamper, moisturize, and refresh their skin with this Shea Sugar Scrub in Moroccan Rose. $6 from Target. 

The kids will be thrilled to be allowed to draw on the windows with these glass crayons. Or leave messages on the bathroom mirror! The bright colors wash off quickly and easily. $6 from Michael's. 

Any fidgeters on your list? Then give them a robot fidget spinner! Each spinner transforms into multiple shapes and spins to keep your hands busy and your mind focused. Set of 3 spinners is $6.39 from Amazon.  

At $7 from Amazon, these are a must-have for an athlete on your gift list. Twist to close when not in use so they last longer, this pair of deodorizers will freshen up even the nastiest gym shoes, soccer cleats, running shoes, hiking boots, or any pair of footwear that has gotten funky. Lasts up to 6 months!

Pump up the volume by adding these fun, brightly-colored shoelaces to an old pair of sneakers! Available in dozens of colors, including rainbow pink (shown). Only $7 from Amazon.

$10-$15

For the gardener (or would-be gardener) on your list, this sunflower garden kit is a perfect stocking stuffer at $12 from Uncommon Goods. 

If you have a sweater-wearer on your gift list, think about this fine-toothed comb for cashmere, wool, and other fine fabric sweaters. At only $13 from Amazon, it will increase the life of multiple garments, and since it's cedar, you can throw it in the drawer over the summer to deter moths and musty smells.  

Dude, Lightsaber chopsticks. LIGHT UP lightsaber chopsticks. Do I seriously need to say any more? $13 from Amazon. 

Ideal for anyone on your list who travels or wear makeup, this 3-pack of refreshing towelettes (30/pack) is only $14.23 from Amazon. Available in a variety of fragrances including cucumber & mint, rose water, pink grapefruit, white tea, and more.

Ideal for either the budding artist or the budding paleontologist on your list, these adorable 3-D mini dinosaur kits are sure to be a hit. Choose from Stegosaurus, Tyrannosaurus, or Ankylo. $15 from Uncommon Goods. 

If you don't want to go out in the snow, you can still build a snowman with this adorable "Do You Wanna Build a Snowman?" kit. The putty is guaranteed not to melt. $15 from Amazon for a 3-pack. 

Perfect for the Frasier Crane on your list, this card game involves deaths from the Bard's greatest hits. $15 from Uncommon Goods. 

$15 to $20

For the person who'd rather carry a phone than a wallet, this elegant leather iPhone case has room for multiple credit cards and some cash, and has a sturdy magnetic clasp and a shock-proof cover. $18 from Amazon. 

This baklava sampler will have everyone licking their lips. Made with pistachios, walnuts, cashews, or hazelnuts, these delectable pastries will be the hit of the season. $18 from Amazon. 

This set of four photo coasters will help the recipient remember any occasion. Choose your own four photos. My husband and I received a set for our wedding 15 years ago and we still love using them and reminiscing. $19 from Shutterfly.  

These Finnish "eye stones" are the ultimate in relaxation and relief for tired, puffy eyes. Toss them in the fridge and then lay them on your eyes for instant relief from too much computer use, seasonal allergies, or simply late night hours. $20 from Uncommon Goods. 

Over $20

Perfect for someone who's always losing their keys (or their phone, or their wallet, or their backpack, or whatever), this Apple Airtag can keep track of anything that tends to wander. $24 from Target. 

I still regret forgetting my mug warmer when I left my job 15 years ago! For anyone who nurses their coffee or tea all day long, or has cold hands, this is the perfect gift. It keeps your tea, coffee, cocoa, or even hot water toasty warm for hours. $24 from Wayfair. 

Yes, this foot peel really is as fabulous as advertised (and as gross, but well worth it). If someone you loves deals with dry, cracked heels every winter, tuck this in their stocking and they'll thank you for it. Gets rid of layers and layers of calluses and dry skin and leaves feet baby smooth. $25 from Amazon. 

Any chocoholic would love this assortment of dark and milk chocolate covered pretzel rods, decorated with sprinkles, nuts, and other delectable treats. $26 from Amazon. 

When you're old enough to stay out after dark but young enough to want to play Frisbee with your friends. Available in multiple colors, it's rechargeable, has smart modes and motion sensors, and the LED lights turn off automatically to save battery life. A 30-minute charge lasts up to 1,000 throws or 90 minutes of Ultimate Frisbee play. $30 from Amazon. 

Especially great for anyone with kids, but useful for everyone, this compact label maker is handy for anyone who brings their stuff anywhere. Label the kids' clothes for camp, your cake pan for a potluck, your tools when lending to a neighbor or bringing on a trip, basically any of your stuff that leaves your house that you want to be sure makes it back. Bluetooth lets you use your phone app to print. $30 from Walmart. 

Ho ho ho and happy shopping!