How are your New Year resolutions going? My resolution to “Stress less” has been going better this week. Last week was pretty chaotic, from appointments being disrupted by snow to taking time out to participate in the SOPA/PIPA blackout. My schedule has been rolling along without any interruptions this week, which helps, and I’ve been outsourcing tasks to my “New” assistant which is making my time more productive, and that’s helping to reduce my stress too. Onwards and upwards!
Along with reducing stress, getting healthy physically is another one of the most common New Year goals. Trop50 True Resolutions has some awesome “Mocktail” recipes that they’d like to share for anyone who would like to make a yummy, low-calorie beverage. Check it out:
LEMON BERRY MOJITO
1/2 cup Trop50 Lemonade (regular or raspberry)
1/4 cup fresh raspberries (or unsweetened frozen)
2 Tablespoons club soda
4 mint leaves
4 ice cubes
Put mint and ice into an 8-ounce glass. With a spoon, mash mint leaves and ice until mint is broken up into pieces. In blender puree lemonade with raspberries. Pour over mint/ice and top with club soda. Garnish with raspberries, lemons and/or mint leaves. Makes 3/4 cup (6 ounces). 1.5 ounces of rum optional
Nutrition Highlights: Each Trop50 mock-jito has 185 fewer calories and 75% less sugar than an original mojito. Our version also gives you 2 grams of fiber (thanks to fiber-rich raspberries) and 60% of your daily recommended vitamin C!
Nutrition Info (6-ounce lemon berry mojito): 40 calories, 0g fat, 0g saturated fat, 0g trans fat, 0mg cholesterol, 10mg sodium, 10g carbohydrates, 2g fiber, 7g sugar, 0g protein, 0% vitamin A, 60% vitamin C, 2% calcium, 2% iron
Typical Mojito Mix (6-ounce): 225 calories, 0g fat, 0g saturated fat, 0g trans fat, 0mg cholesterol, 10mg sodium, 27g carbohydrates, 0g fiber, 27g sugar, 0g protein, 0% vitamin A, 0% vitamin C, 0% calcium, 0% iron
ORANGE POPSICLES
1 cup Trop50 Orange Calcium + Vitamin D
1 container (6 ounces) plain non-fat yogurt
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 orange, peeled and sectioned
Blend ingredients about 30 seconds until smooth. Pour into Popsicle molds and freeze for at least 6 hours. Makes 6 popsicles (1/3 cup each). 1.5 ounces of vodka optional
Nutrition Highlights: Each Trop50 Popsicle has about 3 times fewer calories and 1/2 the sugar than typical popsicles. Additionally, our version has no fat and more nutrition – such as more fiber, 2.5 times more vitamin C and 2 times more calcium.
Nutrition Info (1 popsicle): 35 calories, 0g fat, 0g saturated fat, 0g trans fat, 0mg cholesterol, 30mg sodium, 7g carbohydrates, 1g fiber, 6g sugar, 2g protein, , 204mg potassium, .33mcg vitamin D, 11mcg folic acid, 6mg magnesium, .5mg vitamin E, 40% vitamin C , 10% calcium.
Creamsicle 100 Calorie Bar: 100 calories, 2g fat, 0.5g saturated fat, 0g trans fat, 0mg cholesterol, 30mg sodium, 20g carbohydrates, 0g fiber, 12g sugar, 1g protein, 15% vitamin C, 4% calcium.
TROPICAL CHILLER
1/2 cup Trop50 Pineapple Mango
1/2 cup iced green tea
Mix Trop50 and green tea. Serve over ice and garnish with fresh pineapple (optional). Makes 1 cup (8 ounces). To make green tea, pour 1/2 cup (4 ounces) almost boiling water over 1 tea bag and steep for 4 minutes. 1.5 ounces of rum optional
Nutrition Highlights: Each Trop50 Tropical Chiller has 3 times fewer calories and 16 grams less sugar (about 4 teaspoons!) than Lipton Iced Tea with Citrus. Additionally, our version is an excellent source of vitamin C.
Nutrition Info (8-ounce chiller): 25 calories, 0g fat, 0g saturated fat, 0g trans fat, 0mg cholesterol, 0mg sodium, 7g carbohydrates, 0g fiber, 5g sugar, 0g protein, 50% vitamin C, 212mg potassium, 1.5mg vitamin E.
Lipton Iced Green Tea with Citrus (8-ounce): 80 calories, 0g fat, 0g saturated fat, 0g trans fat, 0mg cholesterol, 70mg sodium, 21g carbohydrates, 0g fiber, 21g sugar, 0g protein.
VERY BERRY COSMO
1/2 cup Trop50 Pomegranate Blueberry
1/4 cup frozen unsweetened strawberries
2 Tablespoons Naked Juice 100% coconut water
Blend Trop50 with strawberries about 10 seconds until smooth. Pour in martini glass and stir in coconut water. Garnish with fresh strawberries (optional). Makes 3/4 cup (6 ounces). 1.5 ounces of vodka optional
Nutrition Highlights: Each Trop50 mock-cosmo has 3 times fewer calories and 26 grams less sugar (about 6.5 teaspoons!) than a mock-cosmo made with Stirrings Cosmo Mix. Additionally, our version contains fiber from real fruit and 70% of your daily vitamin C!
Nutrition Info (6-ounce cosmo): 40 calories, 0g fat, 0g saturated fat, 0g trans fat, 0mg cholesterol, 5mg sodium, 12g carbohydrates, 1g fiber, 8g sugar, 0g protein, 70% vitamin C, 310mg potassium, 1.5mg vitamin E.
Stirrings Cosmo Mix (6-ounce): 120 calories, 0g fat, 0g saturated fat, 0g trans fat, 0mg cholesterol, 0mg sodium, 34g carbohydrates, 0g fiber, 34g sugar, 0g protein.
APPLE SNAP-TINI
3/4 cup Trop50 Farmstand Apple
1/4 teaspoon fresh grated ginger
1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice
Blend ingredients about 10 seconds until frothy. Serve in martini glass with twist of lemon. Makes 3/4 cup (6 ounces). 1.5 ounces of vodka or gin optional
Nutrition Highlights: Each Trop50 mock-tini has 140 fewer calories and 33 grams less sugar (about 8 teaspoons!) than a mock-tini made from Stirrings Apple Martini Mix. Additionally, our version has fresh ginger.
Nutrition Info (6-ounce snap-tini): 40 calories, 0g fat, 0g saturated fat, 0g trans fat, 0mg cholesterol, 10mg sodium, 10g carbohydrates, 0g fiber, 9g sugar, 0g protein, 8mg potassium, 1mcg folic acid, 2mg vitamin E.
Stirrings Apple Martini Mix (6-ounce): 180 calories, 0g fat, 0g saturated fat, 0g trans fat, 0mg cholesterol, 0mg sodium, 44g carbohydrates, 0g fiber, 42g sugar, 0g protein.
Mocktails into Cocktails:
To turn these mocktails into cocktails, just add 1.5 ounces of the recommended liquor. Adding alcohol to these recipes adds approximately 97 calories to each drink.
1. For your first entry, just leave a comment on this post and tell me: Have your kept your New Year’s resolution so far, if you had one? This step is required to qualify for the drawing.