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Four low-cal cocktails to kick-start your summer

The temps have finally soared above that 70-degree mark. Are visions of pretty little cocktail umbrellas, pineapple spears and maraschino cherries dancing in your head?

Before you head straight to the Tiki bar, here’s a heads up: Your favorite restaurant Margarita or Long Island Iced Tea may be loaded with as many calories as a Double Quarter Pounder® with Cheese. That’s 740 calories. In just one drink.

Gulp.

In the interest of lightening things up a bit, we asked Jeff Sansone, company mixologist for Oliver & Bonacini Restaurants, to help us create four refreshing concoctions that were lower in calories—but just as delicious—as those sweet, syrupy meals-in-a-glass.

Here’s what Jeff mixed up for us from his famous Canoe Bar & Restaurant perch atop the 54th floor of the Toronto Dominion Bank Tower. Go ahead and give these recipes a shake and a whirl when the sundial strikes five. It’s time to enjoy the spirit of summer without an ounce of guilt.

These lower-calorie cocktails are fresh and simple. To keep things light, Jeff swapped sugary pre-fab mixers and cordials for whole fresh fruits, sparkling diet sodas, and a squeeze of fresh citrus. Cheers!

Strawberry Fields
Serves 1

1 oz. gin
4 ripe strawberries, diced
4 fresh basil leaves, torn
Splash of sparkling water
Fresh strawberries and basil for garnish

Place gin, strawberries and basil in a cocktail shaker with ice. Shake vigorously. Pour into a tall glass and top with sparkling water. Garnish with fresh strawberry and basil leaves.

The Dandy Shandy
Serves 1

3 oz. lite or low-carb beer
3 oz. diet ginger ale
Squeeze of fresh lemon juice
Sliced lemon for garnish

Pour beer and ginger ale into a tall glass. Add ice and a squeeze of lemon juice. Garnish with a lemon twist.

Lychee Smart-Tini
Serves 1

1 oz. vodka
1 oz. diet white cranberry juice
1 oz. diet lychee sparkling soda
Fresh berries for garnish

Place vodka and cranberry juice in a cocktail shaker with ice. Shake vigorously. Strain into a martini glass and top with lychee soda. Garnish with fresh berries.




Berry Berry Good Daiquiri
Serves 1

1 oz. rum
3/4 oz. fresh lime juice
1/4 cup fresh or frozen strawberries, blueberries, and/or raspberries
½ packet Splenda

Place all ingredients in blender with ice and blend until smooth. Pour into a short glass and garnish with fresh berries.

Make it a Margarita!
Nix the rum and add your favorite tequila.