This article is written by a student writer from the Her Campus at UNH chapter.
Need something different to drink other than a vodka soda? I did. So I decided to tackle my pinterest board and finally try some of those cocktails we all say we’ll try and never do. Below are my 5 favorites! (and they’re all from healthy sources so they wont be too heavy on calories!) Enjoy!
Cucumber-Jalapeño Margarita
(from Redbrook Magazine)
Makes 1 drink
Ingredients
- Coarse sea or kosher salt
- 1 lime wedge
- ½ cup peeled, finely diced cucumber, plus a cucumber slice for garnish
- 4-6 thin jalapeño slices, with seeds
- ¼ cup cilantro sprigs
- ¾ oz (1½ Tbsp) fresh lime juice
- ¼ oz (1½ tsp) light agave nectar
- 2 oz (¼ cup) 100% blue agave silver tequila
- ½ oz (1 Tbsp) Cointreau or triple sec
Directions
- Pour an even layer of salt on a plate.
- Rub the rim of an 8-oz rocks glass or tumbler with lime wedge and invert glass into salt to coat rim.
- Combine cucumber, jalapeño, cilantro, lime juice, and agave nectar in a 2-cup cocktail shaker.
- Using a muddler or pestle, gently muddle mixture.
- Fill the shaker halfway with ice, then add tequila and Cointreau.
- Cover and shake well until shaker is frosty and cold.
- Fill prepared glass with ice.
- Strain margarita into it.
- Garnish with cucumber.
Spiciest Bloody Ceasar
(from SundaysWithJennie.com)
Makes 2 drinks
Ingredients
- 16 oz. clamato juice
- 4 oz. vodka
- 1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
- Juice of one lemon
- 2 tbsp olive juice
- 1 tbsp horseradish
- A couple dashes of hot sauce – use more or less to adjust spiciness
- Freshly ground pepper
- Garnish: stalk of celery, olives, gherkin pickles, lemon slices
Directions
- Combine all the ingredients—minus the vodka—in a pitcher. Taste and adjust seasoning to preference.
- Run a lemon along the rims of each glass. Then dip each rim in a dish filled with ground pepper.
- Fill glasses with ice, pour 2 oz of vodka in each, and finish with the clamato mix. Garnish and enjoy!
Sangria
(From Health Magazine)
Makes 1 pitcher (20 drinks)
Ingredients
- 1 (1.5-liter) bottle red wine
- 1-cup rum
- ½ can frozen limeade or pink lemonade concentrate
- 1½ cups orange juice
- 1-cup lemon-lime soda (such as Sprite) or Collins mixer
- Ice for glasses
- 3 oranges
- Sliced into wedges for garnish
- 5 limes sliced into wedges for garnish
Directions
- Combine first 4 ingredients and refrigerate overnight.
- Add lemon-lime soda no more than an hour before serving.
- To serve, pour sangria into ice-filled glasses, and garnish each with orange and lime slices.
Mango Lassie
(From Women’s Health Magazine)
Makes 2 drinks
Ingredients
- 1 ripe mango, peeled
- 1/4 tsp turmeric
- 4 oz 1% milk
- 2 Tbsp nonfat Greek yogurt
- 1 1/2 oz dark rum Fresh pistachios
Directions
- In a blender, puree mango and turmeric.
- Add milk and yogurt, and then add rum.
- Blend, then serve over crushed ice.
- Garnish each glass with a pistachio.
Ginger Fizz
(From YumSugar)
Makes 1 drink
Ingredients for cocktail
- 1-1/2 ounces ginger vodka*
- 3/4 ounce fresh lime juice 1 ounce ginger syrup (see below)
- Soda water
- Ginger slice, for garnish
Ingredients for ginger syrup:
- 2-1/2 cups water
- 1 cup fast-dissolving sugar (such as superfine sugar)
- 1 cup freshly grated ginger
Directions
- Make ginger syrup: Bring water, sugar, and grated ginger to a boil. Simmer for 10 minutes; let cool.
- Make cocktail: In mixing glass, add ice, ginger vodka, lime juice, and ginger syrup. Shake vigorously; pour into a tall ice-filled glass.
- Top off glass with soda. Garnish with a ginger slice.