Light Summer Sips

Quench your thirst

Don't be tempted by that cup of sugar-laden Kool-Aid or ice-cold margarita! When you need a summer drink, use these four light summer sips that will quench your thirst and cost you less than 250 calories.

Passion Fruit Mimosas
Upgrade your orange juice–based mimosa with this festive drink. Use prosecco, an Italian wine, to provide a bubbly base to this recipe without costing as much as Champagne. The passion-fruit juice will bring the same tangy flavor as OJ, without the acidity.

 

Ingredients

• 1 1/2 teaspoons grenadine
• 1 1/2 cups chilled passion fruit juice
• 1 (750 ml) bottle chilled prosecco
• Orange slices, for garnish

Mango-Mint-Rum Slush

If you love margaritas, cut up to 300 calories with this refreshing frozen drink. The recipe uses fresh mango, lime juice, and rum to get the same flavor of margarita mix without the unwanted sugar and preservatives. And the mint adds a surprising freshness to this ice-cold beverage. This drink can also be enjoyed sans alcohol if you don't want to imbibe.

Ingredients

• 3 cups coarsely chopped peeled mango
• 1 cup ice cubes
• 1 cup mango nectar
• 3/4 cup white rum
• 1/4 cup fresh lime juice
• 2 tablespoons sugar
• 1 tablespoon chopped fresh mint

 

Pressed Watermelon With Basil Water

This fruity drink clocks in at less than 50 thirst-quenching calories. Use white-wine vinegar and a bit of sea salt to create a salty-sweet combo that makes this recipe a perfect complement for grilled dishes. Plus, watermelon is rich in lycopene, which may protect against certain cancers.

Quench your summer-day thirst with this drink from Brian Preston-Campbell's Cool Waters. It's unbelievably yummy with grilled dishes.

Ingredients

• 4 cups red or yellow seedless watermelon chunks (about 1/4 large melon)
• 6-8 large basil leaves
• Pinch of sea salt
• 1/4 teaspoon white wine vinegar
• 4 cups chilled water

Preparation

Combine watermelon chunks and basil leaves in a colander placed over a large bowl. Using a metal ladle or spoon, press watermelon to extract as much juice as possible. (The remaining pulp should be fairly dry.) Season the juice with sea salt and white wine vinegar, and strain through a fine-mesh sieve into a large pitcher. Add 4 cups chilled water, stir, and serve.

Minted Sake and Pineapple Cooler

For sake novices, this cocktail, with its sweet flavor, is the perfect introduction to the Japanese rice wine. Pineapple is an excellent source of vitamin C and mint is thought to cure stomachaches. And the best part is the festive color: Let the finished drink stand for a bit before serving, and it will separate into a beautiful deep green topped with sea-green froth.

This cocktail is a nice way to introduce sake to novices and a new way for seasoned sake lovers to enjoy the rice wine. Let the finished drink stand for a minute before serving, and it will separate into a beautiful deep green drink topped with sea-green froth. Pouring the pineapple juice into a zip-top bag helps it freeze quickly because it's in a thin layer.

Ingredients

• 1 1/2 cups loosely packed mint leaves (about 1 ounce)
• 1 cup sake
• 1/4 cup sugar
• 3 (6-ounce) cans pineapple juice, divided
• 1/4 cup fresh lime juice
• Pineapple slices (optional)

Preparation

Combine mint, sake, and sugar in a blender; process for 2 minutes or until mint is very finely chopped. Strain sake mixture through a fine sieve over a bowl; discard solids. Stir in 2 cans pineapple juice and lime juice. Cover and chill.
Pour the remaining 1 can pineapple juice into a zip-top plastic bag; seal. Lay the bag flat in the freezer; freeze 1 hour or until frozen. Combine the sake mixture and frozen pineapple juice in a blender; process 1 minute or until thoroughly combined. Pour about 3/4 cup pineapple mixture into each of 5 glasses, and let stand 1 minute before serving. Garnish with pineapple slices, if desired.