If you made a resolution for 2014, you have either quit already or you need a little boost to help you keep going. If you’re still going strong, you’re a freak of nature.
We don’t know a lot about how to become a better person, but we do know about booze so we want to help you keep your resolutions in the best way that we know how: drinking. Here are three cocktail recipes for three popular resolutions that can help you stay on track while still enjoying a nice drink.
Resolution: Lose Weight
Cocktails have a bad reputation with dieters, but we think that’s pretty unfair. With a few low calorie ingredients and some self control (moderation, people) you can still enjoy an occasional drink with zero guilt. Try this “Refresh Zing” cocktail:
- Muddle 5 cucumber chunks and 1 basil leaf.
- Add 1 1/2 oz. Zing Vodka and a splash of lime juice.
- Shake and serve with a cucumber slice garnish.
Resolution: Save Money
Some consider cocktails to be a bit of a luxury, so when they decide to tighten the purse strings a bit, alcohol is one of the first things to go. We are more than familiar with being on a budget and there’s absolutely no reason why you can’t enjoy a drink while you’re trying to save money. They key is to choose liquors that cost less (but aren’t gross) mixers that are on sale. Also, fewer ingredients = fewer dollars spent, so try this “All That Razz Cocktail.”
- Pour 1oz. raspberry liqueur into the bottom of a Champagne flute.
- Add 5 oz. ginger ale and then 3 raspberries (hint: you may get more mileage from the raspberries if you buy them frozen. That eliminates the pressure to use them all before they go bad and you’ll have them ready to go whenever you want another cocktail).
Resolution: Reduce Stress
We all lead busy lives and reducing stress is a big deal for a lot of people. Having a cocktail is actually a bit of a stress reducer in itself, but there are ingredients you can add that are considered to be “good mood foods.” For example, this “Frozen Irish Banana” cocktail uses bananas, which provide us with potassium, a key player in lowering blood pressure.
- Rim a chilled goblet with shaved coconut.
- In a blender, combine 2 oz. Baileys Irish Cream, 1 1/2 oz. Bacardi light rum, 2 oz. Coco Lopez, 1/2 cup half-and-half, 1 banana (diced and frozen, if possible), and 1/2 cup of ice and blend until the mixture is smooth.
- Pour into the goblet and sprinkle with nutmeg and garnish with half a strawberry.
No matter your resolution, a cocktail can always help. This year save you money, watch your weight and reduce your stress all with a drink in hand.