May 2009 Archives

Pour ingredients over ice cubes in an old fashioned glass.

Pour all ingredients over ice in a cocktail shaker. Strain into martini glass.

Low-carb dieters in Canada may be interested in ALIVE, a new 80-calorie, zero-carbohydrate vodka-based drink.

Describing the product as having a “crisp, not-too-sweet taste,” distributors Independent Distillers Canada say their goal is a healthier drink. It’s gluten-free and sweetened with sucralose to avoid aspartame’s health concerns. Flavors include grapefruit, lemon lime and mixed berry.

For more details, see the Independent Distillers Canada website.

Put ice in a cocktail shaker and add all ingredients. Shake well and strain into a martini glass.

Note: Pomegranates are a fairly high-carb fruit, so even though it’s natural sugars, this cocktail has a higher carb count than most of our recipes. It’s probably best to save this cocktail for an occasional treat.

Pour beer and soda into a tall glass. Enjoy.

Note: The Radler originated in Germany, where bicyclists drank it instead of beer so they wouldn’t get too drunk or too dehydrated to ride. You can use a low-carb beer for this, or splurge on a regular beer, since you’ll only be drinking half of it.

The friendly folks at Zilch have generously donated a few boxes of their margarita mix, so I’m adding some more prizes to the giveaway. The first prize will remain the same, but now there will also be three second prize winners, each of whom will receive one box of Zilch. The contest ends just before midnight on 5/20/2009, so enter now.

They also offered these suggestions for enjoying Zilch:

• The brand of tequila makes a big difference in the taste of the margaritas. A couple of good ones to try: Sauza Commemorativo or Cuervo Gold.
• If it tastes watered down, try adjusting the ratios. A little less water or a little more tequila may do the trick.
• And a couple of drops of fresh lime juice add a nice splash of flavor.

Thanks to Zilch for the suggestions and for the extra prizes!

Pour all ingredients into a cocktail shaker over ice. Shake well, then strain into a martini glass. Garnish with lime twist or wedge (optional).

Baja Bob’s Margarita Mixes (reviewed here) may be good to keep on hand at home, but what if you’re out on the town? Zilch Sugar-Free Margarita Mixers, with their single-serving packets, fit the bill perfectly.

I tried the Zilch packets recently and was very happy with the results. It was a lot less tangy than Baja Bob’s mix. In fact, where Baja Bob’s mix had a bit too much of a twang for me, Zilch was ever-so-slightly on the too-sweet side. I found that a salt-rimmed glass gave it the right touch, cutting the sweetness just enough. It’s not as strongly flavored as some other mixers. I liked it like that, but some reviewers felt like it tasted watered-down.

While the packets make Zilch easy to take out on the town, that’s not the only option. Each individually-wrapped packet has instructions for 4 different ways to mix: on the rocks, frozen, or by the pitcher-full at home; or on the rocks in a restaurant. The Zilch instructions are well-written, too. The Baja Bob’s mix was unclear about how much ice to add to make a frozen margarita, but the Zilch’s packet tells you everything you need to know. Even the price is better than Baja Bob’s: each $0.50 packet makes an 8-oz serving, compared to Baja Bob’s $0.31 for a 4-oz. serving.

Zilch just makes the one flavor — no strawberry or pina colada mixes like Baja Bob offers — but they do it well. I say it’s definitely worth a try if you’re looking for a good sugar-free margarita.

Giveaway: Low-Carb Margarita Prize Pack

We’re giving away 1 box (10 packets) of Zilch Sugar-Free Margarita Mixer, plus a Margarita Glass Salt Rimmer, to one lucky reader. Just fill out the form below with your name, email address, and either your favorite low-carb beverage OR a beverage you’d like to have a low-carb version of. One entry per person. Enter by 11:55 p.m. on May 20, 2009. Open to U.S. residents ages 21 and older. See the “Details” tab for complete rules.

Update 5/18/09: We’ve just added more prizes! Three second prize winners will receive a box of Zilch margarita mixer. More details here, along with tips for a better Zilch margarita.

Scoop ice into glass. Pour in tequila, then fill almost to the top with orange juice. Add a splash of grenadine. Garnish with a cherry (optional).

Note: Part of what gives a tequila sunrise its distinctive look is the way the grenadine sinks to the bottom of the glass. This video from Expert Village shows how to pour the grenadine to get that look. Keep in mind, though that your results may vary when using the low-carb grenadine, since it’s more brownish in color and more lightweight than the red syrup-y grenadine you buy in the stores.

Last week, I reviewed Baja Bob’s Sugar-Free Margarita Mix, and came to the conclusion that it’s pretty good, as long as you like your margaritas on the tangy side. This week, I gave Baja Bob’s Strawberry Margarita Mix a try to see how it compares.

I’m usually a fan of all things strawberry — in fact, Twizzlers and strawberry pop-tarts were some of my main craves during my pregnancy. So I was disappointed when this strawberry mix was more sour than sweet. While it wasn’t as lip-puckeringly sour as the margarita mix, it still had that tangy flavor I wasn’t sure about.

I tried blending up the Strawberry Daiquiri first (3 parts Baja Bob mix, 1 part rum, and ice to fill). When I think of strawberry daiquiris, I think of oh-so-sweet (and terribly carb-y) beach drinks. So for me, the sourness of this mix meant it didn’t work well as a daiquiri.

Next I tried the directions to make a Strawberry Margarita (3 parts Baja Box mix, 1 part tequila, and ice to fill). I liked this much better. The flavor of the tequila worked well with the flavors in the mix, making a not-too-sour but not-too-sweet drink. When made with tequila, I actually prefer Baja Bob’s Strawberry Margarita to their Original Margarita.

Of course, this mixture has all the same benefits I mentioned in the previous review: it’s affordable, easy to mix, convenient to keep on hand, and there are no carbs or calories. I also like that you can use the strawberry mixture to make a variety of drinks (daiquiri or margarita, frozen or on the rocks), and make them as strong as you want. The mix is even pretty good by itself, if you want a sugar-free virgin daiquiri.

Kudos to Baja Bob for another good product. While the mix is a little to sour for daiquiris, the strawberry margarita definitely gets my approval!

Combine pomegranate juice and Splenda. Mix well. Keeps in refrigerator for up to a week.

Note: Real grenadine is made from pomegranates, but the grenadine you typically find in the stores isn’t (it’s just sugar and artificial flavorings). So while the fuller taste of this version may be a little different than what you’re used to, we think you’ll agree it’s better than the alternative… especially since it’s sugar-free!

Like many types of foods, Mexican food can be enjoyed on a low-carb diet… it just takes a little creativity. If you’re planning to celebrate Cinco de Mayo with a Mexican food fiesta, here are some food and drink ideas to help you out:

Food

• Celebrate Cinco de Mayo the Low Carb Way: About.com’s Low Carb Diets page shares tips for eating and drinking low-carb on this Mexican holiday. Among other things, she recommends substituting red bell peppers, cucumbers, and jicamas for the chips you would normally dip in otherwise low-carb-friendly guacamole, bean dip, and salsa (she includes recipes for the dips, too!).
• Cinco de Mayo on Low Carb: Bella Online’s Low Carb guide to Cinco de Mayo has links to several delicious-sounding recipes, including chicken mole, an Atkins burrito, and a low-carb enchilada sauce.
• Low-Carb and Mexican Cuisine: Tips from About.com’s Mexican Food page on how to eat Mexican on a low-carb diet. The section on eating low-carb at Mexican restaurants seems particularly helpful.
• Happy Cinco de Mayo! For those of you who are a little more adventurous, “The Lighter Side of Low-Carb” blog has recipes for high-carb Mexican food staples like enchiladas and nachos… which she makes low-carb-friendly by using using zucchini and cauliflower in place of chips and tortillas.

Alcohol
Try these low-carb drinks to wash down your Mexican food:

• Low-Carb Sangria: This fruity wine-based drink is perfectly refreshing, both for Cinco de Mayo and for the coming summer months.
• Low-Carb Margarita: A low carb margarita is the perfect accompaniment to a low-carb Mexican meal, whether you mix up your own, or try one of Baja Bob’s mixes.
• Corona Light Beer: Bella Online’s Low Carb guide reviews this Mexican beer.

Photo by Elaine Vigneault (Creative Commons)

Mix all ingredients in a glass. Or, make a full batch in a pretty pitcher, dropping fruit slices into the pitcher for extra color.

Whether you’re celebrating Kentucky Derby Day alone or with friends, you may be craving some traditional Southern favorites. While Southern food isn’t typically known for being low-carb, here are a few suggestions that keep with tradition without going off the diet:

• Southern Flair Deviled Eggs: Low Carb Luxury’s deviled eggs recipe gives you a perfect low-carb finger-food to eat while you watch the Kentucky Derby.
• Low Carb Kentucky Hot Brown: Big Daddy D’s Kentucky Hot Brown is inspired by the traditional open-faced turkey sandwich, but has only 8 net carbs per serving.
• If you’re going for a full meal, try a good ol’ country ham.
• Make a Low-Carb Mint Julep or two. Or if you’re planning on having company (or having more than a couple yourself), follow these tips from Protein Power for a low-carb-friendly make ahead julep mix.

Photo by Velo Steve (Creative Commons)

Place mint leaves in bottom of glass. Add Splenda and water, then muddle the leaves til they start to darken. Add bourbon, then fill with crushed ice. Garnish with a mint sprig.

Check out this Epicurious video if you need pointers on your muddling technique (just keep in mind that their recipe isn’t low-carb!):