Lighten Up

This post is all about SELTZER! Seltzer! Seltzer! SELLLTZERRRR!!! I was once banned from saying seltzer on a weekend trip with some of my sisters and cousins because they said I said it too much. Admittedly, I DID suggest it be added to pretty much every beverage we were drinking, except coffee. Seltzer is controversial among some members of my family because they “hate the taste of it.” They hate the taste of plain water with bubbles in it? Yes. I guess you can maybe taste the carbon or something a little TINY bit, but seriously. It’s not a strong taste and you can barely taste it when you add it to other things. Like tequila! I will add seltzer to pretty much anything. A glass of orange juice. A glass of wine. A glass of ice cubes. A glass.

Seltzer makes anything light and refreshing. It basically reduces calories through displacement. The part of your glass that’s filled with seltzer and ice has no calories! The flavoring from a slice of lemon or lime has almost no calories. So you’re basically left with the calories from the alcohol and/or whatever else you’re mixing it with. I think the old-school name for this type of drinks is Fizz. Like, you would have a Gin Fizz. Only the “official” Fizzes have sugar.

My cocktail of choice is good tequila with seltzer and lime on ice. I guess it’s like a SkinnyGirl Margarita, only a little skinnier because I don't bother with triple sec. Without all that juice to slow you down, you end up feeling pretty great too. Warning: This could make you stay out waaaay later than you ever intended, and make you think that you are awesome when, in fact, you are both drunk AND awesome. This “recipe” works well with vodka, gin or rum too. (Maybe some extra lime and muddled mint with the rum!)

My “lighter” drink of choice, not necessarily in calories, but in alcohol, is the White Ice. I’m pretty sure my friends made up this name for what is essentially a white wine spritzer: white wine, ice, lemon or lime, and seltzer. This is the kind of thing to drink on summer afternoons, or at family parties so you don’t get tanked. Some of my cousins tried making Red Ice, and that worked out well too. If you sub in a squeeze of orange for the lemon or lime, it’s like a very light version of sangria. Of course, if it’s a really nice bottle of wine, don’t water it down! This trick is just for the not-fancy wines.

Please note: Seltzer is not the same as Club Soda and Tonic Water. Club Soda has salt and a bunch of other stuff, and Tonic has corn syrup and a bunch of other stuff. Seltzer is just carbonated water. You know how you’re supposed to drink a glass of water for every cocktail you have? Do you do that? I’m guessing no. If your cocktail has a lot of seltzer in it, it’s like having at least a little bit of that water along with your drink.

Yes, I know, you can reduce calories with diet beverages. But I am strongly ANTI-artificial sweeteners and diet foods. There have been tons of studies that prove they only make you fatter, plus: chemicals! Blech!

Now, sometimes you just want a REAL margarita. Or a normal glass of wine. Or champagne. Or Pimm’s & Lemonade. Or a mojito. Or a beer. Or maybe a Mint Julep or three on Derby Day. And that’s totally okay! Go for it. Alway, ALWAYS have fun and don't feel guilty about it. But summer brings lots of occasions for cocktails, and it’s good to have some lighter options too. Cheers!

Also, not to get preachy, but here is a  public service announcement from the City of New York about drinking too many calories.



And this one is SOOOO GROSS!!! Don't look at if you have a delicate gag reflex.