Slimming Summer Cocktails: Delicious Low-Calorie Recipes

Enjoy the best slimming summer cocktails without worrying too much about calories. Check out a few summer fruit cocktail recipes, with alcohol optional, that will cool you down without putting a dent in your calorie restrictions for the bikini season.

Banana Berry Cocktail

Recommended by Sports Illustrated, this is one of the most delicious slimming summer cocktails. For 2 servings you'll need:
1 cup frozen berries
1/2 banana
1 teaspoon agave nectar
4 ounces water

Put all the ingredients in a blender to get a smooth texture for one of the best slimming summer fruit cocktails. If you want to add some alcohol, substitute 2 ounces of water with 2 ounces of Malibu rum, for a total of around 150 calories per serving.

Cucumber Lemonade

If you're looking for summer cocktails for weight loss, you'll love this simple and refreshing recipe. Ingredients needed for 4 servings include:
3 large cucumbers
1/2 cup fresh squeezed lemon juice
3 tablespoons agave nectar
1/2 cup water

Start by making the cucumber juice: peel, chop and puree the 3 cucumbers in a blender. Use a fine-mesh strainer to get the juice and add the other ingredients. For extra kick, add 1/2 cup Skyy citrus vodka and all you get is 120 calories, just right for summer slimming cocktails.

Spicy Grapefruit Cocktail

If you want a stronger slimming summer cocktail, try this cool recipe:
3/4 ounces grapefruit juice
1 1/2 ounces Absolut Ruby Red
1/2 ounces Triple Sec
2 slices of jalapeno
10 leaves of cilantro

Muddle, strain and add a splash of lime juice before serving this delicious twist that earns its place amongst the best slimming summer fruit cocktails.

Low Calorie Mojito

One of the best summer cocktails for weight loss is the mojito, as long as you do a couple of substitutions from the traditional recipe. For 1 serving, you'll need:
4 mint leaves
1 lime
1 tablespoon agave nectar
4 ounces club soda
2 ounces Bacardi rum
5-6 ice cubes

Muddle the mint and lime and add over the combination of club soda, rum and agave. Pour over glass filled with ice and your slimming summer cocktail should have between 100 and 150 calories.

Pomegranate and Gin Spritzer

Most summer cocktails for weight loss make you give up your favorite drinks, but if you like gin, you're lucky because you'll be drinking a lot less calories this summer. Ingredients include:
6 ounces low-sugar pomegranate juice
10 ounces low-sugar white cranberry juice
12 ounces gin

Shake in a martini mixer that's half filled with ice and strain it into glasses for one of the most delicious slimming summer fruit cocktails.

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Photos: Thinkstock

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5 Great Liquid Diet Recipes

Liquid Diet recipes can provide fast weight loss, but whether you go for the full liquid diet or the clear one, don't forget it should be a temporary solution. Consult your doctor before starting this type of diet and once you get the OK, try a few of the best recipes for a Liquid Diet.

Maple Water

Also used as a cleanse, the combination of water, maple syrup and a couple of other ingredients that boost up your metabolism makes for one of the most useful Liquid Diet weight loss recipes.

2 tablespoons organic maple syrup

10 ounces of water

2 tablespoons lemon juice

Add a pinch of cayenne pepper powder to the mix and you've got one of the liquid diet recipes that also doubles as a strong cleanse.

Hollywood Diet Recipe

For excellent Full Liquid Diet recipes, you can't go wrong with this delicious combination.

1 cup plain yogurt

1 cup orange juice

1 cup vanilla soy milk

1 cup cranberry juice

1/4 teaspoon flaxseed oil

1/4 teaspoon wheat germ oil

Drink it fresh to get the full benefits of this liquid diet recipe.

Mean Green Juice

Featured in the documentary "Fat, Sick and Nearly Dead", this juice is one of the best liquid diet recipes for fast weight loss. You'll need:

4 stalks of celery

2 apples

1 bulk of kale

1 cucumber

1/2 lemon

1 small ginger root, the size of your thumb

Put all the ingredients in a juicer and drink it fresh or store it temporarily in a vacuum canister to prevent oxidation.

Clear Liquid Diet Broth

One of the most popular Clear Liquid Diet recipes is the broth, which offers nutrition and a pleasant taste. For 4 servings, you'll need:

1/3 cup chicken broth concentrate

8 cups water

4 stalks celery, chunked

2 large carrots, chunked

1 whole onion, chunked

1 small head cabbage, chunked

4 whole cloves garlic, smashed

1/2 cup soaked barley grain (soaked 8-12 hours in water)

4 tablespoons unflavored gelatin

Start by adding the chicken concentrate to the water. Add the rest of the ingredients except the gelatin, which should be added once the mixture is brought to a boil. Let it simmer for up to 45 minutes and strain before serving.

Caffeinated Banana

When you need a fast and strong energy boost, one of the best recipes for a Liquid Diet is the mixture of a banana, milk and coffee.

1 glass low fat milk

1 banana

1 teaspoon granulated coffee

1/2 teaspoon stevia or artificial sweetener

You can also use skim milk, but don't forget you still need healthy fats even in your liquid diet recipes.

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3 Main Course Gluten Free Diet Recipes

Giving up gluten doesn't have to mean giving up your favorite foods. Try these three especially healthy and tasty gluten free diet recipes for your main course.

Paprika Shrimp and Green Bean Saute (245 cal.)

Ingredients: 4 cups green beans, trimmed; 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil; ? cup minced garlic; 2 teaspoons paprika; 1 lb. raw shrimp, peeled and deveined; 2 16oz cans large butter beans or cannellini beans, rinsed; ? cup sherry vinegar; ? teaspoon salt; ? cup chopped fresh parsley, divided; freshly ground pepper.

Bring 1” of water to a boil in a large saucepan. Put green beans in a steamer basket, place in the pan, cover and steam until tender-crisp, 4 to 6 min. Meanwhile - heat oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add garlic and paprika and cook, stirring constantly, until just fragrant but not browned, about 20 sec.

Add shrimp and cook until pink and opaque, about 2 min per side. Stir in beans, vinegar and salt; cook, stirring occasionally, until heated through, about 2 min. Stir in ? c. parsley. Divide the green beans among 6 plates. Top with the shrimp mixture. Sprinkle with pepper and the remaining ? c. parsley.

Parsley Smashed New Potatoes (159 cal.)

Ingredients: 2 lb. new or baby red potatoes; ? cup low-fat plain yogurt; 2 scallions, cut in half lengthwise and finely chopped; ? cup finely chopped fresh parsley; 2 tablespoons butter, softened; ? teaspoons salt; freshly ground pepper.

Bring 1” of water to a boil in a large saucepan fitted with a steamer basket. Add potatoes, cover and steam until very tender when pierced with a fork, 20 - 25 min. Combine yogurt, scallions, parsley, butter, salt and pepper in a large bowl. Mix the cooked potatoes into the yogurt mixture, breaking them up with a fork until they crumble apart and lightly clump together.

Tomato-Herb Marinated Flank Steak (169 cal.)

Ingredients: 1 medium tomato, chopped; 1 shallot, peeled and quartered; ? cup red-wine vinegar; 2 tablespoons chopped fresh marjoram; 1 tablespoon chopped fresh rosemary; 1 teaspoon salt; ? teaspoon freshly ground pepper; 1 ? pounds flank steak, preferably grass-fed, trimmed.

Puree tomato, shallot, vinegar, marjoram, rosemary, salt and pepper in a blender until smooth. Set aside ? c., covered, in the refrigerator. Scrape the remaining puree into a large, sealable plastic bag. Add steak and turn to coat. Refrigerate for 4 hrs. or up to 24 hrs.

Preheat grill to medium-high. Remove the steak from the marinade. Oil the grill rack. Grill the steak 4 to 5 min. per side for medium-rare or 6 to 7 min. per side for medium, turning once and brushing the cooked side with some of the reserved sauce. When the steak is cooked, turn it over again and brush with more sauce. Transfer to a clean cutting board and let rest for 5 min. Thinly slice the steak crosswise and serve with any remaining sauce spooned on top.

See also:

Gluten Free Diet Weight Loss

Gluten Free Diet: Choosing Gluten Free Foods

Health Benefits of the Gluten Free Diet

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Detox Juicing - Top Secret Recipes

Get the best results from natural juice detox recipes, using the right organic ingredients. Discover the top secret detox juicing recipes that keep you healthy.

Natural fruit and vegetable juice makes for the best cleanse your body needs regularly if you sneak in junk food and processed foods in any balanced diet. Try a few top secret detox juicing recipes that help you flush out toxins fast.

Excellent for helping your liver, jump-starting your metabolism and losing weight, juice detox recipes keep your body nourished while letting the toxins go and improving your digestive function.

Grapefruit, Honey, Ginger and Lemon Detox Juice

While the citrus fruit controls blood sugar levels and improves digestion, the honey adds plenty of B vitamins and healthy enzymes and the ginger improves your metabolism and helps your immune system.

Ingredients:
2 grapefruits
1 tablespoon of honey
1 large piece of ginger
3 lemons

Chop up the grapefruit, lemon and ginger and add the honey once you run them through the juicer for one of the best detox juice recipes.

Carrot, Asparagus and Lemongrass Detox Juice

Considered one of the top juice detox recipes, this mixture offers plenty of health benefits. Vitamins and antioxidants in the carrot improve the look of your skin but are also important for blood cells, while asparagus is a rich source of vitamin E and lemongrass cleanses you lymphatic system.

Ingredients:
4 large carrots or 5 medium ones
10 asparagus spears
1 stalk of lemongrass

Juice and stir well before drinking to start your day with this mixture that gets a lot of praise amongst other detox juicing recipes.

Lemon, Lime and Apple Detox Juice

Pectin, the most important soluble fiber in apples, helps the liver and kidneys flush out toxins, while the lemon and limes increase the potency of this cleanse and add a light laxative effect to it.

Ingredients:
1 lemon
3 peeled limes
4-5 juicy apples

Like many juice detox recipes, you can add water to this one if the mixture is too thick. Lemons and limes can be juiced more efficiently when they're stored at room temperature.

Celery, Carrot, Beetroot and Ginger Detox Juice

Start your day with a powerful combination of natural juices that improve your digestion and flush out toxins. The beetroot improves liver function while the carrots and celery sticks help you start the day with one of the most potent detox juicing recipes.

Ingredients:
4 celery stick with leaves
4 large carrots
1/2 scrubbed beetroot
large piece of fresh ginger
6 parsley sprigs

Unlike other great juice detox recipes, this one can also be served as a fresh cocktail, with added ice cubes.

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Dukan Diet Recipes: Oat Bran Goodies

Oat bran is a very important part of the Dukan Diet. If you're struggling to find good ways to use it, try a few delicious Dukan Diet recipes with oat bran.

The Dukan Diet uses protein-based foods and portion control for weight loss and oat bran is one of the stars of the Dukan Diet food list. Used in every step of the diet, from the Dukan Diet Attack Phase to the Stabilization Phase, oat bran can be part of delicious recipes that respect the diet's restrictions.

Present daily in the Dukan Diet menu, oat bran is usually prepared in pancakes (galettes), but you can also try the tasty cookies and muffins, Dukan Diet recipes that are easy and fast to make.

Dukan Diet Oat Bran Galette (French Pancake)

Easy to prepare and cook in just 7 minutes, the galette is one of the most important Dukan Diet recipes. Here's the easiest way to make 1 serving with the followind ingredients:

1.5 tablespoons oat bran
1.5 tablespoons non-fat fromage frais or quark
1 egg

Mix the oat bran, fromage frais or quark in a bowl and add the egg or just the egg white if have cholesterol problems. After all the ingredients are mixed well, pour them into a non stick pan lightly greased and cook for 2-3 minutes on each side.

If you want a delicious sandwich, make scrambled eggs and add them between two Dukan Diet galettes with turkey bacon.

Dukan Diet Oat Bran Muffins

With only 5 minutes preparation time and 15 minutes cooking time, oat bran muffins are one of the best Dukan Diet recipes with oat bran. To make 6 muffins, you'll need these ingredients:

6 tablespoons oat bran
2 tablespoons cinnamon
2 eggs
5 tablespoons nonfat plain yogurt
1 teaspoon baking powder
2-3 tablespoons artificial sweetener

Mix all dry ingredients, then add the eggs and yogurt. Place the mixture in a 6 cup muffin tin and bake for 15 to 18 minutes in the over preheated to 180°C (356°F).

Dukan Diet Oat Bran Cookies

Mix up your Dukan Diet plan with cookies that are easy to bake and delicious in two different versions: soft or crunchy. Ingredients include:

3 tablespoons oat bran
1 egg
2-3 tablespoons nonfat plain yogurt
1 tablespoon artificial sweetener
1 teaspoon baking powder

You can use less oat bran based on the Dukan Diet Phase you're following, but the rest of the ingredients can remain the same. Mix all the ingredients in a bowl and preheat the oven to 180°C (356°F).

After pouring the mixture in a baking tray for 15 minutes, you get the regular (soft) version. You can also remove the cookies from the tray, place them upside down and bake for an extra 15 minutes for the crunchy version.

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Detox Juice Recipes

Detoxing with a juice cleanse is a great way to flush out toxins, lose weight and improve your skin. Try the best detox juice recipes for an easy homemade detox.

Juice detox recipes are usually recommended for a fast cleanse and can also help you loose weight. Regardless of which detox juice recipes you decide to try, don't extend your cleanse for more than 3 to 5 days, as the severe caloric deficit can affect your body if you overdo it.

Experiment with some great recipes for a homemade detox that will eliminate more toxins from your body and give you more energy and healthier skin. Try to use only fresh and organic fruits and vegetables for your juice detox recipes, but if you can only get them frozen, thaw properly before juicing.

Detox Juice Recipes: Strawberries and Peaches

1/2 cup strawberries
1 cup sliced and skinned peaches
1/2 cup orange juice or 1 orange
1/4 cup pineapple

Strawberries give you a healthy dose of vitamin C along with other important antioxidants and this combination is both delicious and healthy for a homemade detox.

Juice Detox Recipes: Carrot, Apple and Celery

2 carrots
3 apples
2 celery stalks

Sweet and high in vitamin A, carrots are the base for this homemade detox juice that also features a good diuretic celery and apple juice that aids in digestion and regulates blood sugar.

Homemade Detox: Pineappple and Wild Blueberries

1/2 cup pineapple
1/2 cup wild blueberries
1 apple

Rich in antioxidants, wild blueberry mixes with apple juice make one of the best juice detox recipes and adding pineapple improves digestion with its high fiber content.

Detox Juice Recipes: Grapefruit and Grapes

15 red or black grapes
1/2 grapefruit
1 1/2 cup blueberries

Get the best nutrients from grapes with the healthy vitamin C and powerful antioxidants from blueberries in one of the most delicious detox juice recipes.

DYI Juice Cleanse: Beet and Carrot

1/2 beet
5 carrots
1/2 cucumber

Great for fast flushing, beet helps regenerate red blood cells, but for best results you need to combine it with carrots due to their high content of beta-carotene and with cucumber juice, aiding weight loss and digestion while also relieving bad breath.

After choosing the right detox juice recipes for you, make sure you keep your liquid intake high. Drink plenty of water and herbal tea in between the juices. If you're wary of starting a DIY juice cleanse for a few days, you can warm up to it by trying a day or two of drinking detox juice for the first 5-6 hours after your wake up, before having a proper meal.

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