Tag

agave nectar

Browsing
30 Minutes or Less

Skinny Strawberry Margarita Recipe

By
close-up image of a skinny strawberry margarita in a glass with fresh strawberries and lime wedges on top.

A lighter, but just as delicious skinny strawberry margarita! Shake up one of these ice cold cocktails at your next Cinco de Mayo, Memorial Day, or summer party. Made with fresh-squeezed juice, good quality tequila, and fresh strawberries for an incredibly light and refreshing cocktail!

skinny strawberry margarita being poured from a cocktail shaker into a glass.

What You’ll Need To Make A Skinny Strawberry Margarita

Strawberries – Fresh (not frozen) strawberries are a perfect fruity addition to this classic cocktail! Slice off the tops of your strawberries, then gently muddle them in the bottom of your drink glass. Last, pour your shaken skinny margarita on top and give it a gentle stir to incorporate.

Lime Juice – Fresh-squeezed lime juice is best in any margarita recipe. However, if you’re short on time, or making a large batch of these, go ahead and use bottled lime juice instead. Though when picking a bottled lime juice, make sure it has just one ingredient – limes – no added sugar, please!

Orange Juice – Just like the lime juice, fresh-squeezed orange juice is best, and healthiest in this recipe. Most traditional margarita recipes have some sort of orange liquor which packs in extra calories and sugar. So by replacing the liquor with fresh-squeezed orange juice, we effectively turn this into a “skinny” cocktail!

Agave Nectar – Another key component to this skinny strawberry margarita recipe. The agave nectar replaces simple syrup, with a very similar taste and sweetness! Though if you don’t have agave nectar, you can use honey or simple syrup to sweeten your drink instead.

skinny strawberry margarita in a glass with fresh strawberries and lime wedges on top.

Tips and Tricks

  • Craving a frozen strawberry margarita? Place all ingredients (strawberries, tequila, lime juice, orange juice, and agave nectar) in a blender with a small handful of ice! I love making a whole pitcher of frozen margs for friends and family on hot summer days.
  • If you don’t own a fancy-shmancy muddler, simply use the end of a mixing spoon to muddle your strawberries instead. Preferably one with a wide, flat end – but really anything that allows you to press and crush your strawberries will do!
  • Switch up this summer cocktail recipe however you’d like! Rim the glass with just salt, or just sugar, based on your preferences. You could even muddle in some fresh mint leaves to make it even more refreshing! Or for a skinny blackberry margarita, check out my recipe here.
overhead image of a skinny strawberry margarita in a glass.

Make It A Mocktail

For a virgin strawberry margarita, replace the tequila with 2 ounces of tonic or sparkling water!

Skinny Strawberry Margarita Recipe
Pin
Print

Skinny Strawberry Margarita Recipe

5 from 2 votes
Recipe by Samantha Course: DrinksDifficulty: Easy
Servings

1

serving
Prep time

5

minutes
Cooking time

0

minutes
Total time

5

minutes

A lighter, but just as delicious skinny strawberry margarita! Shake up one of these ice cold cocktails at your next Cinco de Mayo, Memorial Day, or summer party. Made with fresh-squeezed juice, good quality tequila, and fresh strawberries for an incredibly light and refreshing cocktail!

Ingredients

  • 1 tablespoon sugar

  • 1 teaspoon salt

  • lime wedge

  • 3-5 strawberries, stems removed

  • 2 ounces tequila

  • 3 tablespoons lime juice

  • 2 tablespoons fresh orange juice

  • 1 1/2 teaspoons agave nectar

Directions

  • Mix sugar and salt together on a small plate. Run a lime wedge around the rim of your glass, then dip rim into sugar and salt mixture.
  • Place strawberries at the bottom of the glass and muddle until crushed, then fill the glass with ice.
  • Fill a cocktail shaker with ice and add in tequila. lime juice, orange juice, and agave nectar. Secure lid and shake for 30 seconds, then strain into glass. Gently stir to combine muddle strawberries and shaken margarita.

Recipe Video

Did you make this recipe?

Share it and tag @samdoesherbest on Instagram!

Like this recipe?

Follow us @samdoesherbest on Pinterest

View Post
By
30 Minutes or Less

Sunset Spritz Mocktail Recipe

By
sunset spritz mocktail in a glass with fresh blueberries and pineapple on top.

Light and refreshing sunset spritz mocktail! Fresh blueberries and pineapples, with a hint of lime, and plenty of bubbles. This sunset spritz mocktail is so tasty, you won’t even miss the alcohol!

club soda being poured into a sunset spritz mocktail.

This mocktail is a recreation of one I enjoyed daily on my babymoon. No longer able to order an alcoholic beverage, I worked my way through the pool bar’s cocktail menu for a refreshing drink that’d still taste good without the alcohol. One day, I came across the “sunset spritz” and all ingredients sounded DELICIOUS. So I immediately ordered one …without the vodka. And OMG it was delicious! From there on out, the sunset spritz mocktail became my daily afternoon drink order. While best enjoyed poolside, I took the idea home with me and immediately recreated it. Now I can enjoy a fun, bubbly drink during happy hour (or really any hour!) that’s pregnancy-safe and oh-so good!

close-up image of sunset spritz mocktail with fresh bleuberries and pineapple on top.

What You’ll Need to Make a Sunset Spritz Mocktail

Fresh Blueberries and Pineapple – The fresh fruit in this recipe really puts it over the top! It makes this mocktail recipe feel fancy, without actually requiring a whole lot of effort. And if you don’t have fresh fruit, you can thaw frozen blueberries and pineapples instead for your drink.

Lime Juice – A touch of citrus perfectly balances the sweetness in this drink. The original recipe I enjoyed on my babymoon actually uses fresh lemon juice, but when I tried it at home I thought lime juice tasted just a little bit better. However, if you don’t have/like lime juice, feel free to use lemon instead!

Agave Nectar – I always keep a bottle of agave nectar in my bar cart for cocktail recipes! It’s a natural sweetener, and perfect replacement to simple syrup. I use agave nectar in many of my cocktail recipes, like this skinny strawberry margarita, and my Mom’s famous lime daiquiris!

Club Soda – A little bit of bubbles will make your sunset spritz mocktail taste like an actual cocktail! Put as much or as little club soda in your drink as you’d like. I personally prefer a super light and refreshing mocktail, so I fill my glass all the way to the top with unflavored club soda.

sunset spritz mocktail in a glass with fresh blueberries and pineapple on top.

Add Alcohol

  • Turn this mocktail recipe into a cocktail recipe with the addition of 1 ounce of vodka! I look forward to giving this a try post-pregnancy.
Sunset Spritz Mocktail Recipe
Pin
Print

Sunset Spritz Mocktail Recipe

5 from 2 votes
Recipe by Samantha Course: DrinksDifficulty: Easy
Servings

1

drink
Prep time

3

minutes
Cooking time

0

minutes
Total time

3

minutes

Light and refreshing sunset spritz mocktail! Fresh blueberries and pineapples, with a hint of lime, and plenty of bubbles. This sunset spritz mocktail is so tasty, you won’t even miss the alcohol!

Ingredients

  • 1/4 cup fresh blueberries

  • 4-5 pineapple chunks

  • 1 ounce lime juice

  • 1 ounce agave nectar

  • club soda

Directions

  • Add the fresh blueberries and pineapple chunks to a glass, then muddle until fruit is broken down.
  • Add in lime juice and agave nectar, then stir to combine.
  • Fill glass with ice, then top with club soda.

Recipe Video

Did you make this recipe?

Share it and tag @samdoesherbest on Instagram!

Like this recipe?

Follow us @samdoesherbest on Pinterest

View Post
By
30 Minutes or Less

Mom’s BEST Frozen Daiquiri

By
frozen daiquiri with fresh limes on the side.

Cool and refreshing frozen daiquiri, with a secret ingredient! My Mom’s famous recipe for this best EVER frozen cocktail. Just four ingredients, perfectly sweet, and totally delicious.

two frozen daiquiris with fresh limes on the side

The Secret Ingredient: Coconut Rum

A few weeks ago, my Mom had the genius idea to swap out regular rum in her frozen daiquris for coconut rum. And boy, it made allllll the difference! A hint of coconut in this tropical cocktail left everyone asking “what is that?! that’s DELICIOUS!” It’s sort of like a cross between a classic daiquiri and a piña colada. The coconut is light, not at all overpowering, and simply perfect.

My Mom – a fan of the finer things in life – uses an exclusive small-batch brand of coconut rum. But let me tell you, I recreated her recipe with this Bacardi Coconut Rum (purchased for $15!) and my frozen daiquiris tasted just as good!

closeup image of a frozen daiquiri with limes on the side.

What Else You’ll Need to Make a Frozen Daiquiri

Lime Juice – Fresh squeezed is best! My Mom insists on using freshly-squeezed juice in all of her cocktails. And I must admit, fresh squeezed lime juice makes a world of a difference in these frozen daiquiris!

Simple Syrup or Agave – Feel free to use whichever you have on-hand! I used agave nectar because it’s what I had leftover from these Skinny Strawberry Margaritas.

Ice – This one seems pretty self-explanatory, ha! Though I will say, if you’d like a frozen strawberry daiquri instead, replace the ice with two cups of frozen strawberries.

Blender – I own and LOVE my Vitamix blender. It’s super powerful, and there truly isn’t anything it can’t blend. However, any blender will work to blend this frozen cocktail. You could even use a Nutribullet for easier cleanup!

overhead image of a frozen daiquiri with a lime on top.

Adjust This Recipe to Your Dietary Needs

Make it Sugar-Free: For a sugar-free option, replace the simple syrup with your favorite sugar-free liquid sweetener.

Make it a Mocktail: Turn this into a delicious non-alcoholic frozen beverage by using equal parts coconut water in place of the coconut rum!

Mom's BEST Frozen Daiquiri
Pin
Print

Mom’s BEST Frozen Daiquiri

5 from 1 vote
Recipe by Samantha Course: DrinksDifficulty: Easy
Servings

2

daiquiris
Prep time

3

minutes
Cooking time

0

minutes
Total time

3

minutes

Cool and refreshing frozen daiquiris, with a secret ingredient! My Mom’s famous recipe for this best EVER frozen cocktail. Just four ingredients, perfectly sweet, and totally delicious.

Ingredients

  • 4 ounces coconut rum

  • 2 ounces lime juice

  • 1 1/2 ounces simple syrup (or agave)

  • 2 cups ice

Directions

  • Add all ingredients to a blender and blend until smooth, serve immediately.

Recipe Video

Did you make this recipe?

Share it and tag @samdoesherbest on Instagram!

Like this recipe?

Follow us @samdoesherbest on Pinterest

View Post
By
Desserts

Vegan Peanut Brittle Recipe (Gluten-Free)

By
Vegan Peanut Brittle Recipe

This vegan peanut brittle recipe is a simple ingredient mix of sugar, maple syrup, water, peanuts and baking soda. The result? A deliciously crunchy, sweet, slightly salty, homemade peanut butter flavored candy that is a perfect for an afternoon snack or an after-dinner treat.

In case you’ve never had peanut brittle before, it’s a smooth, flat candy (similar to toffee), with peanuts in it, that is cooked on the stovetop and poured onto a sheet pan to cool. It’s definitely a family favorite during the holidays, but it can be enjoyed any time of year! The thing to keep in mind about making candy is that you need a good thermometer and to have all your ingredients ready ahead of time. 

WHAT YOU NEED TO MAKE VEGAN PEANUT BRITTLE

  • Roasted Peanuts & Peanut Butter – Not a peanut fan? You can substitute an equal amount of pecans or almonds for the peanuts.

  • Maple Syrup – Maple syrup is one of my favorite refined sugar-free sweeteners. It also contains a ton of antioxidant and a good dose of minerals. If you don’t have that, you can use agave nectar instead.

  • Baking Soda – This is a key ingredient! Without baking soda, the brittle will be hard and chewy.

  • Coconut Sugar – Coconut sugar is lower on the glycemic index than the usual white sugar. It also contains many more vitamins and minerals than most other sugars. If you don’t have coconut sugar, you can either use brown sugar, cane sugar, or white sugar instead.

Tips When Making Vegan Peanut Brittle

  • Baking soda causes the brittle to bubble up. Those little bubbles are the key to a lighter, crispy consistency, so you don’t want to touch the mixture when you spread it.

  • Be patient when waiting for the mixture to come to temperature. It may seem like it’ll never make it to 290°F, but trust me, it will!

  • I recommend checking the temperature of the brittle mixture about every 5 minutes. I like to use this time to wash dishes/cleanup my kitchen, as to not be too far from the stove. Once the thermometer reads 280° Fahrenheit, then stay very close by until the brittle finally reaches its required temperature.
Peanut Brittle Recipe (Vegan, Gluten-Free)
Pin
Print

Peanut Brittle Recipe (Vegan, Gluten-Free)

0 from 0 votes
Recipe by Samantha Course: DessertsCuisine: American
Servings

16

servings
Prep time

5

minutes
Cooking time

30

minutes
Calories

300

kcal
Total time

35

minutes

This vegan peanut brittle recipe is a simple ingredient mix of sugar, maple syrup, water, peanuts and baking soda. The result? A deliciously crunchy, sweet, slightly salty, homemade peanut butter flavored candy that is a perfect for an afternoon snack or an after-dinner treat.

Ingredients

  • 1 cup coconut sugar

  • ½ cup agave nectar or maple syrup

  • ½ cup water

  • 1 cup roasted salted peanuts

  • 1/4 cup smooth peanut butter

  • ¼ teaspoon baking soda

Directions

  • Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil or parchment paper, then grease with a small
    amount of oil.
  • Stir together the coconut sugar, maple syrup, and water in a small saucepan over
    medium heat. Bring mixture to a simmer then add the peanuts, stir to combine but do
    not stir beyond that.
  • Use a thermometer to monitor the temperature of the candy mixture until it reaches
    290° Fahrenheit, this will take about 30 minutes.
  • Remove saucepan from heat and stir in the peanut butter and baking soda.
  • Quickly transfer the mixture to prepared baking sheet and let cool at room temperature
    until hard. Once hard, break apart into pieces and enjoy.

Recipe Video

Notes

  • Storage: Wrap tightly and store in an airtight container at room temperature. Proper storage should keep brittle fresh for up to two months!

Did you make this recipe?

Share it and tag @samdoesherbest on Instagram!

Like this recipe?

Follow us @samdoesherbest on Pinterest

OTHER VEGAN AND GLUTEN-FREE DESSERTS

View Post
By
30 Minutes or Less

Spicy Cucumber Margaritas

By
two spicy cucumber margaritas with spicy salt rim on the side

These spicy cucumber margaritas are tangy, smoky, and perfectly sweet! This refreshing cocktail features a spicy rim along with fresh muddled cucumbers. Shake together a batch of these healthier homemade margaritas for your next dinner party or summer barbecue!

two spicy cucumber margaritas with spicy salt rim on the side

What You Need To Make Spicy Cucumber Margaritas

Lime Zest – The lime zest in the spicy rim is my very own secret ingredient. It adds a touch of brightness that will have people asking, “what is that?!” Just a teaspoon of fresh lime zest brings these drinks together. They’re ideally salty, sweet, and savory!

Agave – This natural sweetener makes these margaritas that much more healthy. I personally like the taste of agave better than simple syrup. Agave is darker in both color and flavor. Though if you’re looking for an even healthier cocktail – use honey instead!

Cucumber – This crisp, fresh vegetable is 96% water! Therefore, I like to look at this cocktail as a way to hydrate while I dehydrate. Ok ok gigs up. I can’t confidently say these margaritas are actually healthy just because they contain a vegetable. But I can say the cucumber perfectly balances out the spice. There’s just something about the combination of the two that is *chef’s kiss* perfect!

Make It A Mocktail

  • Use 2 ounces of tonic or sparkling water in place of the tequila. Also, use orange juice instead of triple sec for a virgin spicy cucumber margarita!

Tips For Making Spicy Cucumber Margaritas

  • The longer you shake these margaritas, the spicier they’ll be! Tossing the sliced jalapeños in your cocktail shaker will encourage them to release their spicy oils. So the longer they have to release those oils, the spicier your drinks will be.
  • For a skinny margarita, use orange juice instead of triple sec. The use of agave falls under the “skinny” label. Though if you want to make this a true skinny spicy cucumber margarita (wow that’s a mouthful) make sure you use fresh-squeezed orange juice instead of triple sec.
  • If you don’t like a salty rim, use sugar instead! Replace the salt with the same amount of sugar. Enjoy a slightly sweeter, yet still spicy and delicious cocktail.
Spicy Cucumber Margaritas
Print

Spicy Cucumber Margaritas

5 from 1 vote
Recipe by Samantha Russo Course: DrinksCuisine: MexicanDifficulty: Easy
Servings

2

servings
Prep time

5

minutes
Total time

5

minutes

These spicy cucumber margaritas are tangy, smoky, and perfectly sweet! This refreshing cocktail features a spicy rim along with fresh muddled cucumbers. Shake together a batch of these healthier homemade margaritas for your next dinner party or summer barbecue!

Ingredients

  • For the spicy rim:

  • 3 tablespoons salt

  • 1 tablespoon chili powder

  • 1 teaspoon lime zest

  • 4 ounces tequila

  • 2 ounces lime juice

  • 1 ounce triple sec, see Notes

  • 1 tablespoon agave, see Notes

  • 1 cup cucumber, sliced

  • 3-4 jalapeño slices

Directions

  • Mix together all spicy rim ingredients together on a small plate. Then run a lime wedge along the rim of both glasses before dipping in the salt mixture. Set glasses aside.
  • Place the tequila, lime juice, triple sec, agave, and cucumber in a cocktail shaker. Muddle together, squashing the cucumbers in the process.
  • Fill the shaker with ice, add in jalapeño slices. Then secure with lid and shake for about 1 minute.
  • Fill both glasses with ice, then pour over ice.

Recipe Video

Notes

  • Triple Sec: For a lower calorie drink, you can sub the triple sec for 1 ounce of fresh-squeezed orange juice instead!
  • Agave: Simple syrup or honey would both work in place of the agave in this recipe.

Did you make this recipe?

Share it and tag @samdoesherbest on Instagram!

Like this recipe?

Follow us @samdoesherbest on Pinterest

Other Fun and Easy Cocktail Recipes

View Post
By