Clara's Mint Juleps

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Warning: These are so good, you might drink half your drink before taking a picture. 

My cousin is the cocktail queen. 

When we got together a few weeks ago on Derby Day, I charged her with making Mint Juleps. It doesn't matter if this girl has made a drink before or not, she will figure it out and make it amazing.

Repeat after me: All hail the queen.

And, as I mentioned in my post about that weekend, she came through with flying colors. Since then, a few readers have asked me for the recipe.

I recently found a large amount of fresh mint growing in my new backyard (thanks, previous owners!), so there is really no excuse to not throw together a mint julep on a hot afternoon. Thanks, Clara!

Clara's Mint Juleps

Ingredients:

• 5 medium sized mint leaves
• 1 tablespoon sugar in the raw of sugar substitute, or 3 drops of liquid stevia
• Squeeze of lime
• Ice
• Splash seltzer water

Directions:

1. In an empty glass of choice (I put mine in the freezer for a few hours to make it frosty), muddle 5 medium sized mint leaves with 1 teaspoon of sugar in the raw, sugar substitute, or 3 drops of liquid stevia, and a squeeze of lime. 
2. Add ice.
3. Pour 1-2 shots of bourbon over ice.
4. Pour into a shaker and shake, then pour all ingredients back into glass and top with seltzer water.

Herbed Mint Grapefruit Cocktail

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I recently posted an update on what the heck I do all day as a blogger, writer, and freelance marketing consultant (try fitting that on a business card). At the end of my day, despite having just gone out with my husband to buy a case of beer, I decided to treat myself to a hand crafted cocktail.

I tend to make recipes up on the fly in life, but especially in cocktails. I never have the exact ingredients for a recipe I've found online, and I much prefer peeking in the fridge/pantry to see what I've got to work with. It's a creative challenge! 

It must have looked good, because a few of you asked me for the recipe. Here it is:

Herbed Mint Grapefruit Cocktail

Prep Time: <5 Minutes
Calories: 80
Ingredients:

• 1/4 grapefruit, cut into pieces (size does not matter, as you will be muddling them)
• 3-4 mint leaves, ripped or cut in halves or quarters
• 1 tsp chopped basil (I actually used dried basil this time, but of course fresh is best!)
• 1 tsp stevia, sugar, sugar substitute (or 3 drops Nunaturals Liquid Stevia)
• 1.5 oz gin (or vodka)
• 3 oz soda water

Directions:

1. Muddle grapefruit, mint, and sweetener in the bottom of a glass.
2. Add gin and soda water. Stir.
3. Serve!

What about you?

What is your favorite cocktail recipe?

Do you ever create your own cocktail recipes?

Effen Cucumber Mint Martini

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Let's start today's post with a game. Humor me for a minute as you read a few sentences and try to determine what they've all got in common...

-On a hot summer day, you sit on the edge of the water and let cool water flow over your legs.

-A dream vacation involves dancing and swimming under a waterfall, or hiding behind the water's spray with your significant other.

-You're sitting in a lounge chair, sipping a Corona with lime.

-You return from a long run and down a bottle of Smart Water.

Did you guess it yet? They're all refreshing!

There's something magical about the light, happy, refreshing feeling you get from all of those things. Whether it's something as large scale as a dream vacation, or something as simple as downing a bottle of water, it seems to breathe new life into us. There's nothing wrong with a little rejuvenation, my friends.

Just as I believe that life is better when you embrace spontaneity and random events and urges that come up, I also believe life is better when you continually find ways to revitalize yourself. Put cucumbers over your eyes and take a nap, or make cucumber and mint infused water to treat yourself as you re-hydrate.

Or, of course, make yourself a deliciously refreshing cocktail. Not the kind of cocktail that makes you pucker and cringe as you slowly sip it. Not the kind that's filled with sugar, just to create something that tastes good. Nope, this is a different kind of cocktail. Let's just say the cocktail has... evolved.

Enter the delicious and refreshing taste that we all want at the end of a tough day, or the beginning of an eventful evening.

Effen Cucumber Mint Martini

Ingredients:

• Ice Cubes
• 3 Mint leaves
• 1 slice of Cucumber (1/4 inch thick), cut in half
• 1 lime wedge
• 1.5 oz Effen Cucumber Vodka
• 6-8 oz Seltzer Water (Sparkling Water, Club Soda, or Diet Tonic will also work)

Directions:

1. Add ice cubes to cup
2. Add mint leaves and cucumber wedge. Squeeze lime juice from lime wedge and add.
3. Add Effen Cucumber Vodka and Seltzer Water
4. Stir!

Notes:

• You may notice this is a martini recipe, yet it's not in a martini glass. What's up with that? Unfortunately, I'm far too clumsy to deserve to drink from a real martini glass (seriously, I even have to use stemless wine glasses, I'm just a huge spaz and I get all excited and knock stuff over). That said, feel free to act like a real grown up and use a real martini glass. :)

Cucumber Mint Infused Water (Detox)

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You know that song by the Beach Boys where they sing, "I'm picking up good vibrations?" Well, let's just say that, if you haven't, you should (find it here). Why am I making you listen to random Beach Boys songs? Well, because the lyrics should really be changed to...

I'm picking up good hydration!

Why? Because of this...

I'm officially the crazy lady singing about water. What else is new? Oh, actually, not that you ask, I'm in Minneapolis this week on a work trip. Which means I'm probably not - but really should - be staying hydrated.

This is a delicious recipe for cucumber mint infused water. It will encourage you to drink more by being so utterly delicious. Also, cucumber and mint are refreshing additions that make you feel alive!

Kind of like a... detox!

Cucumber Mint Infused Water

Calories: 0

Servings: 6-8

Prep Time: 3-5 Minutes

Ingredients:

• 1/4-1/3 Cucumber, sliced
• 10 small mint leaves
• Optional: 1 tablespoon fresh ginger, shaved
• Water

Directions:

1. Combine ingredients. Depending on the amount of flavor you'd like, feel free to add more or less of any ingredient.
2. Let sit for 1-2 hours, overnight is best.
3. Drink Up!

Basil Moonlight Mojitos... All for 50 Cal?!

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Floating in an almost glowing glass of delicious mojito, fresh mint and basil leaves combine to leave a light, refreshing, yet somewhat complicated flavor hanging on your palate. This drink will quench your thirst and cool you down, but not without inspiring you by way of fresh, minty goodness with a twist of basil. 

'

I love a good late afternoon cocktail... When I ran into Crystal Light's alcohol-free Mojito mix in Jewel last week, I was inspired. My mother's favorite cocktail at my ever-favorite Memphis martini bar is called the Butterfly, a brilliantly crafted love child of a mojito and a basil martini. It is refreshing, light, and has only the slightest hint of alcohol. The rest just tastes like... well, perhaps a summer breeze.

Picture me sitting on my parents' patio in the early evening. Dusk is settling down over the horse farm across the way and there we sit, sipping on mint and basil mojitos. What better way to spend your aftern-evening (or to spend 50 calories), I ask you?

Basil Mint Mojito

Prep Time: <5 Minutes

Calories: 50-70 (Depends on the alcohol you use. There are 5 calories per glass in the mojito mix and a very negligible amount in the basil and mint leaves, so that leaves you with only as many calories as are in the alcohol you add! A typical shot of rum is about 64 calories, according to Livestrong, but each drink has only 1oz, as compared to a typical 1.5oz shot)

Servings: Recipe makes 8-10

Ingredients: 

• 1 packet Mojito Mix, Crystal Light (See notes below the recipe for an alternate if you can't find the Mojito Mix at your local grocery store)
• 7 cups cold water
• 1 cup White Rum (or Vodka if you're anti-Rum)
• 10-12 leaves Mint
• 8 leaves Basil
• Ice

Directions:

1. Combine Mojito mix, cold water, and alcohol in a large pitcher and mix well.
2. Chop 1/2 of the Mint and Basil leaves into small pieces, then add to the pitcher.
3. Muddle (smash) 1/2 leaf each of mint and basil in each glass, then fill glasses with ice and pour mojito over the ice.
4. Garnish with extra mint and basil leaves if desired.
5. Enjoy!

Notes:

• Can't find the Mojito Mix (or don't have time)? Alter Step 1 the following way: First, in a small cup, muddle 8 mint leaves with the juice from 1 full lime and add this to an empty pitcher. Add 4 tablespoons of sugar or Stevia sugar substitute (for a lighter version). Instead of 7 cups of cold water, add 3 cups of water and 4 cups of sparkling/seltzer water (or soda water if you have no sparkling water around, though sparkling/seltzer water will be lowest in calories).
• If you're looking for a mint-garnished dessert to go with this fabulous cocktail, try this Fresh Lime Chiffon cake with Mint Sprigs on top from Smak!

Recipe | Thin Mint Truffles (OMG)

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Last week, the Girl Scout Cookies came in at work. I swear to you,the afternoon was a solid 4 hours of the battle of self control. Somehow, I managed to make it home with a full box of Thin Mints. I knew they wouldn't last long if I left them out...

But then a tiny voice in my head whispered... truffles. Any sort of truffle or cake pop seems to be the way to go lately. Nothing pleases a crowd more than a truffle made using one of their favorite ingredients.

Don't believe me? Try Oreo Truffles, Pumpkin Cheesecake Truffles, Carrot Cake Pops, or 60 calorie cake pops.

Homemade Peppermint Patties

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[Click here for more Healthy Holiday recipes for a guilt-free holiday season!]

I honestly love York Peppermint Patties. They are my honest-to-gosh favorite candy. When I made York Peppermint Patty Cupcakes, I thought I'd worn out my ability to work with them -- simply because, let's face it, they're so good that they can't possibly be replicated by my human hands (I'm convinced the real York Peppermint Patties are made by the elves from Santa's workshop that were so talented, they got promoted).

I later realized that, not only were York Peppermint Patties my favorite candy, they were also a favorite of Kelsey (bf) and Justin (mf). How could I not take a crack at it?! All in all, these things are pretty damn (yes, damn) delicious. What's up, Santa's elves? Game on.
I borrowed (and pretty seriously altered) a recipe from Petite Kitchenesse.

Ingredients:

• 2 cups powdered sugar
• 1 tablespoon softened butter
• 1/4 teaspoon peppermint extract (if you have to use mint extract, that will work, but the flavor is changed -- mint extract combines peppermint and spearmint, so be ready for that)
• 2 tablespoons evaporated condensed milk
• 1 bag bittersweet chocolate chips

Directions:

1. Combine first 4 ingredients (all but chocolate chips) in a mixing bowl and mix well, until softened.
2. Use a small ice cream scoop to roll into small, 1 inch balls. Place balls on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper.
3. Put in fridge for 30 minutes (or freezer for 15).
4. Remove from freezer and use the back of a spatula (or your hand, if you must!) to flatten the balls into patties. Put back in the fridge/freezer for 30 (or 15) minutes.
5. Melt chocolate chips. In a bowl large enough to dip the patties, put the chocolate chips in the microwave for 90 seconds. Remove from the microwave and stir, then put back in the microwave for 15 seconds and stir again. If there are still hard chips, or the chocolate is getting too thick, add 1/2 tablespoon of vegetable oil and continue stirring.
6. Remove patties from fridge/freezer and use 2 spoons to place patties in the chocolate, one at a time. Submerge the peppermint patty and cover with chocolate, then use one spoon to lift the patty and the other spoon to slide it off, onto a parchment-lined baking sheet.
7. Refrigerate for 1 hour, then serve!

[Click here for more Healthy Holiday recipes for a guilt-free holiday season!]

[Click here for more Healthy Holiday recipes for a guilt-free holiday season!]

[Click here for more Healthy Holiday recipes for a guilt-free holiday season!]

[Click here for more Healthy Holiday recipes for a guilt-free holiday season!]

[Click here for more Healthy Holiday recipes for a guilt-free holiday season!]

[Click here for more Healthy Holiday recipes for a guilt-free holiday season!]

[Click here for more Healthy Holiday recipes for a guilt-free holiday season!]

[Click here for more Healthy Holiday recipes for a guilt-free holiday season!]

York Peppermint Patty Cupcakes

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York Peppermint Patties. I love them. They're my road trip snack that I break the rules for. And now they're inside a delicious cupcake. Move over, Reeses-filled cupcakes! Get a life, chocolate-mousse filled cupcakes. Pumpkin Cheesecake Cupcakes, hit the road... Seriously. These are my new favorite :)

Total time: 1 hour

Yield: 22-24 Cupcakes
Ingredients:

• 1 box Devil's Food Cake
• 1 can La Croix
• 1 bag York Peppermint Patties (size small, about 20-24 of them)
• 1/2 Tub Cool Whip (standard size)
• 1 teaspoon Peppermint Extract (Not mint)
• Green Food Coloring

Cooking Directions:

1. Prehead oven to 350.
2. Combine cake mix and La Croix (or 8oz Sparking Water) and mix well.
3. Spoon into paper-lined cupcake tins until 2/3 full.
4. Unwrap peppermint patties and add on top of each cupcake.
5. Bake for 18-22 minutes (following package directions).
6. Remove from oven and set aside to cool.
7. In a separate bowl, combine cool whip, peppermint extract, and a conservative amount of green food coloring (we're not making green eggs and ham, people). You can slowly add more coloring if you'd like. I used Wilton's icing coloring.
8. Add peppermint to taste.
9. Once well mixed, use a knife or piping bag to pipe/spread icing onto cupcakes. The peppermint patty will have deflated somewhat, so be sure to fill in the leftover crater with mint icing before making it pretty!