Low Cal and Lovin' It

We've been doing this kind of gin based paloma-style drink for a while now but summer is here, and I forgot to lose all that weight I meant to drop before summer. Oops. Literally just received my new bathing suit in the mail today and it already doesn't fit. Could quit drinking entirely but that would be a silly choice.

Instead, we crafted a totally sip-able summer cocktail with one critical tweak to the simple syrup - used a monkfruit sweetener instead of table sugar. The sweetener is zero calories, low carb and no aftertaste like many other sweeteners. Same story - equal parts sweetener and water, boil for a few minutes to make the simple syrup.

NOTE: The syrup should be used while still warm, so you won't need to make a lot. Once this syrup cools, the solids will fall back out of solution. If you don't want to deal with the syrup, you can simply muddle 2 tsp of the sweetener itself with the jalapeños, etc. and skip the syrup.

This cocktail has about the same calorie count as a Bud Light, and I only drink Bud Light when on a boat or jogging.

We like this spicy, if you don't just drop the jalapeño.

Muddle up a couple of jalapeño slices with;

1 part unsweetened grapefruit juice

1/2 part lime juice

1/2 part monkfruit simple syrup

Add 2 parts gin and a bit of ice and give it a good swirl.

Pour over a fresh glass of ice and top with a good splash of grapefruit sparking water. We used Spindrift.

If you do the Weight Watchers thing, it would be 3 points.

117 calories, 0g fat, 0mg cholesterol, 10.5 g carbs.

SERVING SUGGESTION:  Garnish with a rack of baby back ribs. Please note, this modifies the nutritional data slightly.

2268 calories, 144g fat, 600 mg cholesterol, but still only 10.5 g carbs!