4 Swanky (and Skinny!) Memorial Day Cocktail Recipes

cocktails

Memorial Day is just around the corner and nothing screams warm weather and an impending summer quite like a fruity gesture. The following four cocktail recipes gear you up for a buzz-worthy summer. And these cocktail recipes are not only delicious, they are also good to your waistline! The ingredients are fresh and the recipes easy to prepare. Enjoy!

1. Watermelon Margarita

Serves 8

Ingredients:

  • 1 cup frozen watermelon
  • 1.5 ounces tequila
  • 1 tablespoon fresh lime juice
  • 1 teaspoon lime zest
  • 1 packet (or a few drops) stevia
  • 2 ounces lime seltzer

Directions: Blend all together and serve in a margarita glass rimmed with a salt/sugar mix.

2. Mango Berry Sangria

Serves 8-10

Ingredients:

  • 1 bottle of white wine
  • 1 cup fresh apple juice
  • ½ cup orange liquor
  • 1 cup mango puree
  • 1 cup of assorted berries
  • ¼ cup lime juice
  • Handful of fresh mint leaves
  • 1 ½ cups ginger ale
  • 1 lime, sliced
  • Ice
  • Stevia for added sweetness (optional)

Directions: In a pitcher, stir together the apple juice, orange liquor, mango puree, berries, lime juice and mint. Cover the pitcher and let sit in the fridge for at least 3 hours. Before serving, remove the mint leaves and fill the pitcher with ice. Then add in the ginger ale, lime slices, and wine. Stir until combined. For additionally sweetness, add stevia. Garnish with fresh mint.

3. Sparkling Barefoot Peach Bellini

Serves 8

Ingredients:

  • 3 fresh peaches (or 2 cups frozen sliced peaches)
  • Juice of 1 lemon
  • 2 tablespoon agave syrup
  • 1 bottle Champagne or sparkling wine, chilled
  • Sliced fresh peaches and mint for garnish

Directions: Puree the fresh or frozen peaches with the lemon and agave until smooth. Pass through a sieve if using fresh peaches in order to separate the peels from the mix. Pour into a large pitcher and add sparkling wine. Stir and serve in champagne flutes. Garnish with sliced fresh peaches or fresh mint.

4. Limoncello Collins

Serves 4

Ingredients:

  • 8 ounces Limoncello
  • 6 ounces gin
  • ½ cup freshly-squeezed lemon juice
  • Paper-thin slices of lemon (10-12)
  • Ice
  • Club water
  • Mint for garnish

Directions: Mix together the Limoncello, gin and lemon juice in a pitcher. Cover and refrigerate for at least 2 hours. Line glasses with the slices of lemon, pressing them to the sides. Fill with ice and divide the Limoncello mixture among the four glasses. Top with club soda.

Aylin Erman is founder of GlowKitchen. There she shares step-by-step picture recipes of her plant-based creations. Aylin lives and works in Istanbul as a writer and editor at the country’s first-ever green-living and sustainability platform, Yesilist. Like her on Facebook and follow her on Twitter to keep up with food news and recipes.

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Photo Credit: David Leong