Shape up with mocktails

By Cherie Calbom

Mocktails are non- alcoholic cocktails. They offer a wide range of ingredients like fruit juices, veggie juices, spices, herbs, mineral water, ice and sweetener. Also known as mock cocktails, they’re a delicious, refreshing alternative to an alcoholic drink. And for people who don’t want to broadcast that they’re avoiding alcohol, mocktails are the perfect answer.

But that’s just the beginning. They’re also the perfect answer for weight loss. If you ditch the alcohol and choose healthy ingredients, including a healthy low-calorie sweetener such as stevia, you can avoid a boatload of calories not to mention a hangover.

Alcohol is one of the worst options when it comes to belly fat. Just one alcoholic drink per day can cause you to gain weight. Though studies are conflicting as to just how much weight or belly fat is gained from how much alcohol, alcohol does cause weight gain. That’s because alcohol is a toxic substance that puts a big strain on the liver. It can clog this major organ and even contribute to fatty liver. A challenged liver can make it difficult to lose weight.

So if you want to get rid of the winter “pudge” and that muffin top, add mocktails to your spring shape up plan. You should also feel a lot better when you wake up in the morning.

You may also want to try a short juice fast with mocktails before dinner. You can lose at least a pound a day juice fasting, get rid of foggy brain, and recharge your energy.

Here are 3 recipes, one savory and two sweet mocktails, to enjoy!

Icy Spicy Gazpacho
2 tomatoes, cut in chunks
1 cup fresh carrot juice (about 5–7 carrots)
1 lemon, juiced, peeled (if putting it through a juice machine)
1/4 cup cilantro, rinsed and chopped
1/4 teaspoon Celtic sea salt
1/4 teaspoon ground cumin
1/4 small jalapeño, chopped (more if you such as it hot)
3 radishes

Place the tomato chunks in a freezer bag and freeze until solid. This is optional.
(Or you can use fresh tomatoes placed in the blender; then you would need to add ice cubes.) Pour the carrot and lemon juices into a blender and add the frozen tomato chunks, cilantro, salt,
cumin,  jalapeño, and radishes. Blend on high speed until smooth but slushy;
serve immediately. Serves 2.

Twisted Ginger Berry
2 green apples juiced or 1 cup apple juice
1 cup blueberries
1-inch-chunk ginger root. peeled
4-6 ice cubes

Pour apple juice in a blender along with the berries and ginger root. Add the ice cubes and blend. Serve your icy cocktail with a sprig of mint.

Lemon Sipper
With less than 10 calories, this is an ideal low-calorie, vitamin C–rich thirst
quencher.

1/2 lemon, washed or peeled if not organic
1 cup unsweetened mineral water
2–3 drops liquid stevia
4 ice cubes

Juice the lemon and pour the juice into a glass over ice. Add the mineral water and stir
to combine. Sweeten with stevia to taste.