Foodie Friday: New Year's Eve Cocktails And Mocktails

STUDIO CITY (CBSLA.com) — Start your New Year's resolutions off right with calorie-saving cocktails!

Christine Avanti, nutritionist and author of Skinny Chicks Eat Real Food: Kick Your Fake Food Habit, Kickstart Your Weight Loss, visited the CBS2 This Morning studios Friday.

Avanti showed viewers how to make delicious holiday cocktails and mocktails for New Year's. Everyone will be able to enjoy the drinks and steel feel good about keeping their holiday new year resolutions.

SONIC Kiss
1 part fresh lime juice
2 parts Tito's Handmade Vodka (we can just say vodka and use Tito's on set, unless Christine has a brand she'd prefer to use)
2 slices cucumber
Blood orange passion neuro SONIC floater
Combine the lime juice, vodka and one slice of cucumber in a shaker with ice and shake. Pour in a glass over ice and add the second cucumber slice. Top with a floater of blood orange neuro SONIC.

neuro SONIC is a great mixer to use when you need sustained energy before a night out.
SONIC is a tasty mixer that's low in sugar and calories (just 35 cals in a bottle!), and gives you the energy you need without giving you the jitters.

Pomelo Martini
½ Pomelo or Grapefruit
1 shot (1 ounce) Grand Marnier or other orange-flavored liqueur
1 cup sparkling mineral water
Fresh mint leaf

With a vegetable peeler, pull off a strip of pomelo zest to use for garnish. Juice the pomelo to get ½ cup juice. Stir together the pomelo juice and Grand Marnier in a tall glass. Add the ice and top off with the sparkling water. Garnish with a fresh mint leaf and the twist of pomelo zest.

150 calories, 1 gram protein, 18 grams carbohydrates, 0 grams fat

Pomelos are a Chinese grapefruit that are the perfect compromise between an orange and a grapefruit - not as sweet as an orange, but not as tart as a grapefruit.
Sugary drinks lead to dehydration and hangovers; sparkling mineral water mixed with fresh fruit juice is the perfect replacement for a sugar-filled soda.

Skinny Pomegranate Bellinis
2 cups Grand Marnier or other orange-flavored liqueur
1 cup pure pomegranate juice
1 bottle (750 ml) champagne or prosecco
8 thin orange slices, halved
½ cup pomegranate seeds

Pour the Grand Marnier and pomegranate juice into a large glass pitcher. Stir well and chill for 20 minutes.

For each bellini, put 3 tablespoons pomegranate mixture into a champagne flute and top with a scant ¼ cup of champagne or prosecco. Garnish with a half orange slice and a few pomegranate seeds and serve immediately.

160 calories, 0 grams protein, 12 grams carbohydrates, 0 grams fat (per 3.5-ounce serving)
Pomegranate juice is rich in antioxidants and great for the heart.

Strawberry Mojito Mocktail
1 strawberry
2 lime wedges
A large handful of fresh mint sprigs
5 ounces sparkling mineral water
½ cup coconut palm sugar

Combine the sugar and ½ cup of water in a medium saucepan. Bring to a boil and cook until the sugar is dissolved. Set the simple syrup aside to cool completely. (The simple syrup can be made up to 1 week ahead of time and stored in a covered container in the refrigerator.)

Combine 1 teaspoon simple syrup, 1 lime wedge, the strawberry, and most of the mint sprigs in a tall glass. Use the handle of a wooden spoon or a muddler to crush the ingredients together, releasing their juices and oils. Add ice and top with the sparkling mineral water. Garnish with a lime wedge and fresh mint leaves.

This mojito tastes great, even without the rum!
Fresh herbs add depth and flavor to cocktails.
Coconut palm sugar helps maintain proper levels of blood glucose levels, and is a healthier alternative to white or brown sugar.