Summer is here, which means so is patio season… the most wonderful time of the year!!! Although not much is better than enjoying a refreshing drink in the sunshine with family or friends in the summer time, it is important to be mindful of the amount of sugar in the drinks you are consuming. Those with an Inflammatory Bowel Disease need to be particularly careful, as drinking beverages high in sugar can cause stomach discomfort or upset and bloating. Below are a few of my favourite low sugar, refreshing summertime drink recipes. I have incorporated a few of my favourite Ontario fresh fruits & lots of mint – mainly because it is growing out of control in the garden. Enjoy!
- The Ultimate Caesar – this is my all time favourite!!
Ingredients:
- 1 cup of clamato juice
- 1 oz vodka
- 1/2 oz red wine
- 1/2 tsp horseradish
- 1/2 tsp of tabasco (I like mine really spicy)
- 1/2 tsp worcestershire sauce
- 1/4 tsp fresh lime juice
- 3 ice cubes
- Garnish with THE SKEWER – the best part! I like adding pickles, cheese, cucumber, lemon, lime, spicy sausage, celery and a pickled bean to mine. Technically it’s healthy if you add all the food groups as garnish. 😉
2. Cucumber, Mint, Lime & Grapefruit Vodka Soda – my current go-to!
Ingredients:
- 1 cup of sparkling water (Or I often add kombucha or flavoured soda – La Croix and Zevia are my favourite low sugar options)
- 1 oz of vodka (Ketel one cucumber & mint is my new favourite)
- 4 muddled fresh mint leaves
- 2 slices of muddled grapefruit
- 4 slices of cucumber
- 1 tbsp of fresh lime juice
- 3 ice cubes
- garnish with lime and/ or grapefruit slices
This drink is super refreshing and very low in sugar. Sometimes I add all the ingredients but the soda a few hours prior to drinking it to allow the drink to “marinate”, maximizing the flavours.
3. Moscow Mule – Kombucha style – I love Kombucha so much, I was excited to create this recipe and have another excuse to drink it!
Ingredients:
- 1 cup of ginger kombucha
- 1 oz of vodka
- 1 tbsp fresh lime juice
- 1 tsp of agave syrup
- 3 ice cubes
- garnish with lime slices
4. Fresh Watermelon Daiquiri
Ingredients:
- 1 cup of pureed watermelon (~2 cups of fresh chopped watermelon)
- 1 oz of white rum
- 2 tbsp cup fresh lime juice
- Garnish with a sprig of fresh basil and a watermelon slice
5. Sparkling strawberry & blueberry gin soda
Ingredients:
- 1 cup of sparkling water
- 1 oz of gin
- 4 sliced fresh strawberries
- 1/4 cup of fresh blueberries
- 4 muddled fresh mint leaves
- 3 ice cubes
- garnish with fresh strawberries and blueberries
I find this one is sweet enough with the fresh strawberries and blueberries, but if you don’t, add a couple teaspoons of honey or agave syrup, or muddle the strawberries and blueberries and strain.
6. White Wine Peach Spritzer
Ingredients:
- 1/2 cup of sparking water
- 6oz of dry white wine – Sauvignon Blanc is my favourite 🙂
- 1 oz white peach sorbet vodka
- 1/4 cup of frozen white grapes – I like using these to substitute for ice cubes
- 4 fresh peach slices
- Garnish with fresh peach slices
7. Mint- Peach Mojito
- 1 cup of sparkling soda
- 1 oz white rum
- 1/2 cup fresh, peach – 1/4 cup muddled, 1/4 cup cubed
- 10 muddled mint leaves
- 1 tbsp lime juice
- 3 ice cubes
- Garnish with lime and peach slices
Have a good weekend! Stay hydrated (mainly with water), drink responsibly & wear sunscreen.
Anna x
Crohn's Girl Fitness Foodie 