A Lifestyle Blog

sugar

Blackberry Mint Fizzy Cocktail

by Leave a Comment

Of all of the seasons to make cocktails, summer is my favorite! A cool drink with the fresh flavors of muddled fruit and mint is refreshing and bright in flavors and colors. My Blackberry Mint Fizzy Cocktail is a drink you can make for one or as a big batch for guests, if you triple the ingredients!

The best part of a serving a muddled cocktail is that it looks as if it required a ton of effort to make, but that’s simply not true. If you don’t own a mortar and pestle, you can use a wooden spoon inside of a tall glass to smash the blackberries for this drink.

I would recommend wearing an apron or coving the mortar with your other hand when muddling the blackberries to prevent stains on your shirt.

Once the blackberries are completely smashed, scoop the fruit goop (that’s a yummy word!) into the cocktail glass. (Instead of muddling the mint leaves, I tore them into super small pieces with my hands releasing their herbal aromatic flavor before dropping them into the glass.) Then add the sugar.

Next, add the juice of one lime wedge.

Summer drinks are made so much better tasting because of citrus from an orange, lime or lemon.

Now, add the vodka – yes, please!

You’re almost done! All you need to do is top off the glass with crushed ice and bubbly club soda to the rim.

:: Wishing I had Sonic ice for this right now ::

No need to transfer this cocktail to another glass to try to shake up the ingredients. Simply add colorful straws and stir the drink gently.

Garnish the glass with a sprig of fresh mint, a lime wedge, more blackberries, and colorful straws before serving! Cheers my dears!

You could easily swap blackberries for strawberries, blueberries, or another fruit of your choice.

Have a muddle cocktail recipe that you think I’d love? Please share the recipe in the comments! Happy Summer Drinking, friends!

1 cocktail

Blackberry Mint Fizzy Cocktail

This bubbly summer cocktail is a balance of tart and sweet and will remind you of a mojito but better!

15 minPrep Time

15 minTotal Time

Save RecipeSave Recipe
Print Recipe

Ingredients

  • 4-5 blackberries
  • 4-5 mint leaves
  • 1 tsp sugar.
  • 1/2 cup vodka
  • Crushed ice
  • Lime juice of one lime wedge
  • 1/2 cup club soda
  • 1-2 blackberries and a mint sprig for garnish.

Instructions

  1. Muddle 4-5 blackberries.
  2. Tear 4-5 mint leaves. Add blackberries and mint into a cocktail glass.
  3. Add 1 tsp sugar.
  4. Add 1/2 cup vodka.
  5. Fill cocktail glass halfway with crushed ice.
  6. Lime juice squeezed from one small lime wedge.
  7. Fill glass nearly full with crushed ice.
  8. Fill remaining space in glass with club soda about 1/2 cup.
  9. Stir cocktail with straw and top with fresh blackberries and a mint sprig for garnish.

Notes

You could easily substitute vodka for rum or silver tequila. Looking for a non-alcoholic cooler? Take out the booze!

7.8.1.2
89
https://onedelightfullife.com/blackberry-mint-fizzy-cocktail/

Nutrition

Calories

540 cal

Fat

3 g

Carbs

68 g

Protein

8 g
Click Here For Full Nutrition, Exchanges, and My Plate Info

Baked Cinnamon Sugar Pecans

by 1 Comment

Have any Bah Humbugs in your house this holiday? Baked Cinnamon Sugar Pecans are the cure!

Not only does the house fill with the smell of warm cinnamon (better than any candle – thank you), but I dare any bah humbugs to try and remain a Scrooge after sampling warm pecans from the oven! The spirit of Christmas is the secret ingredient in this recipe.

Tis the season to abandon your diet and go for the YUM!

The beauty of making this candy substitute is that the recipe is incredibly simple to make and one even the kiddos can help you with. So, throw on an apron and invite the kids into the kitchen!

Pecans or walnuts are good choices for this recipe so the sugary mixture bakes inside all of the nuts’ nooks and crannies. My walnuts were frozen in the freezer, so I used only pecans.

To make Baked Cinnamon Sugar Pecans preheat your oven to 300 degrees. Next, simply whisk one egg white with water and pour it over a bowl containing three cups of raw, unsalted pecans. Add the remaining ingredients, stir, and ta-da! Transfer the wet, coated pecans to a parchment-lined baking sheet and bake at 300 degrees for 25-28 minutes. That’s it!

After removing the pecans from the oven, let them cool before moving them from the baking sheet. The toughest part of making the pecans is not eating them while they’re warm! The pecans will be naturally clumped together because of the melted sugar coating, but that’s okay.

This is what the pecans look like as soon after they are removed from the oven and before they cool.

Once the pecans have cooled, break them up with your hands and transfer them to glass jars or Ziplock bags for simple storage. You could easily gift this dainty holiday snack by tying a ribbon around a pecan-filled mason jar and adding a gift tag! If you’re going to make a DIY foodie gift, make this one! It’s a guaranteed win and you’ll love how easy it is to prepare.

Send holiday dinner party guests home with a gift – jarred cinnamon sugar pecans. They’ll love you for it!

Candied pecans also make a delicious addition to any salad or as a yogurt mix-in. I served Baked Cinnamon Sugar Pecans to guests in place of a heavy dessert. Rather than eating a rich dessert after our steak dinner, we enjoyed hot coffee and handfuls of sweet pecans!

3 cups

Baked Cinnamon Sugar Pecans

As a snack, dessert replacement or on a salad, Baked Cinnamon Sugar Pecans are delectable!

10 minPrep Time

40 minCook Time

50 minTotal Time

Save RecipeSave Recipe
Print Recipe

Ingredients

  • 3 cups raw, unsalted pecans
  • 1 egg white
  • 1 T. water
  • 1/2 c. sugar
  • 1/2 c. brown sugar (packed)
  • 1 T. cinnamon
  • large pinch Kosher salt

Instructions

  1. Preheat over to 300 degrees.
  2. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
  3. Whisk egg white with the water in a small bowl until foamy.
  4. Pour egg white mixture on pecans in a large bowl and stir until pecans are well coated.
  5. Combine remaining ingredients in separate large bowl. Then, add sugar mixture to pecans.
  6. Stir pecans until the sugar mixture evenly coats the nuts.
  7. Transfer pecans to the baking sheet and spread them until almost flat.
  8. Bake at 300 degrees for 25-28 minutes. (Check them at 25 minutes.)
  9. Remove from oven and allow pecans to cool completely before transferring to storage containers.

Notes

I did not stir the pecans half-way through baking, but you can.

7.8.1.2
87
https://onedelightfullife.com/baked-cinnamon-sugar-pecans/

Nutrition

Calories

3383 cal

Fat

252 g

Carbs

257 g

Protein

40 g
Click Here For Full Nutrition, Exchanges, and My Plate Info

 

Cantaloupe Margaritas

by Leave a Comment

Read about the seven health benefits of eating cantaloupe by clicking on the photo.

In honor of Cinco de Mayo and my love affair with margaritas, I created a refreshing cocktail recipe – Cantaloupe Margaritas! I was equally inspired to try a new version of the standard lime Mexican cocktail by using up a ripe cantaloupe that was sitting on my kitchen counter and some leftover silver tequila. You’re going to love this recipe!

Read about the 7 health benefits of eating cantaloupe by clicking on the photo.

This cocktail reminds me of the fresh cantaloupe smoothie I ordered once at an authentic Mexican restaurant in our city. Imagine a backdrop of festive music, multi-colored decorations, and authentic food with a fresh drink to go with it. It was like a time warp back to our fabulous visit to Puerto Vallarta, Mexico. You can read my travel tips from that vacation here.

We’ve also spent time in Playa del Carmen, my favorite spot in Mexico, thanks to the beautiful turquoise color of the water and soft sand beaches.

This cocktail, made by first blending fresh cantaloupe, is a slight variation of the traditional lime cocktail thanks to the added honey, lemonade, and refined sugar. The sweet additions counterbalance the acidic citrus taste of the freshly squeezed lime juice and lemonade, giving the margarita an easy finish.

After blending the cantaloupe until very smooth, pour it into a cocktail shaker and add the tequila, lime juice, lemonade, honey, and sugar. Shake and strain into ice-filled glasses rimmed pre-rimmed with lime juice and kosher salt. If you want to garnish each glass with more cantaloupe, use a melon baller to form several circular pieces of melon and skewer them with a toothpick. I added fresh mint and a wedge of lime for added color. One look at your finished cocktail, and you’ll quickly take a sip – it’s refreshing and delicious!

As you know, I love to celebrate a holiday or host a party. Inspired by the Cinco de Mayo holiday, my Cantaloupe Margarita is the essential cocktail to accompany sizzling fajitas or savory tacos. Let me know in the comments section how you prepare your favorite party cocktail. I’m always ready to try a new recipe! Cheers.

4 small cocktails

Serves 1.5 cups

Cantaloupe Margaritas

This new take on the traditional margarita is refreshing and will wow your party guests on Cinco de Mayo.

15 minPrep Time

15 minTotal Time

Save RecipeSave Recipe
Print Recipe

Ingredients

  • 2 cups blended cantaloupe
  • 1/2 cup silver tequila (I used Camarena Tequila)
  • 1/4 cup fresh squeezed lime juice
  • 2 T lemonade
  • 1 T honey
  • 1 T sugar
  • cubed ice
  • Garnish:
  • 1 T kosher or maragarita salt
  • lime wedge
  • sprig of mint
  • 2 cantaloupe melon balls
  • 1 toothpick

Instructions

  1. Rim the cocktail glass with a lime wedge and then salt.
  2. Blend cantaloupe in your blender on puree setting until very smooth. This may take a couple minutes.
  3. Pour blended cantaloupe in a large cocktail shaker.
  4. Add tequila, lime juice, lemonade, honey, and sugar.
  5. Shake vigourously.
  6. Strain into a cocktail glass and garnish.

Notes

Tip: Spray your measuring spoon with a little cooking spray before measuring the honey. The spray helps the honey pour from the spoon leaving very little extra on the spoon.

7.8.1.2
73
https://onedelightfullife.com/cantaloupe-margaritas/

Nutrition

Calories

114 cal

Carbs

29 g

Protein

2 g
Click Here For Full Nutrition, Exchanges, and My Plate Info

 

 

 

Berry Beach Blast

by Leave a Comment

Raise your hand if you wish you were on a sandy beach right now.

Me too!

Sometimes we can’t always escape to the beach to watch the crash of the waves and swarming seagulls overhead. There are bills to pay, children to feed, and a to-do list to accomplish on the weekends. But, I’ve got the next best thing just for you: Berry Beach Blast cocktail.

Okay, you’re right. It’s not just like sitting on the beach, but humor me for a second. Once you take a couple sips of this all natural cocktail made with coconut and lime juices and ripe strawberries, you may just mentally escape during happy hour.

Oh, and coconut water has numerous healthy benefits. According to lifehacks.org, it is rich in nutrients and reduces your blood pressure. You can buy it at any grocery store but you’ll probably find it in the organic section. If you’re not sure which brand to buy, check out this ranking list of the Top 7 Coconut Water Brands by the Thrillest.

This summer cocktail takes ten minutes to make and delivers real tropical flavor. Be sure to comment below and tell me what you think of it or tag OneDelightfulLife on Instagram. 

I can hear those ocean waves crashing now. 🙂

Cue the Jimmy Buffet.
Cue the Jimmy Buffet.

Berry Beach Blast

One sip and you'll swear you can hear the waves at the beach.

10 minPrep Time

10 minTotal Time

Save RecipeSave Recipe
Print Recipe

Ingredients

  • 1 1/2 oz. vodka
  • 1 c. coconut juice
  • juice 1/2 lime
  • 1 sliced strawberry
  • 1 sliced lime
  • 1 T. red cocktail rim sugar

Instructions

  1. Rim a glass with lime juice.
  2. Rotate glass in red cocktail rim sugar until the rim is coated well.
  3. Add ice cubed ice to the glass.
  4. In a separate large glass mix vodka, coconut juice, and sliced fruit. Stir.
  5. Transfer mixed cocktail into ice glass.
  6. Garnish with a strawberry. (optional)
7.8.1.2
39
https://onedelightfullife.com/berry-beach-blast/

I love that red gingham antique metal tray in the photo. I bought it at The Vintage Rhinestone, a super cute store stocked to full of household treasures.

Signature ODL 170x70px



Sunset Gold

by Leave a Comment

Is anyone ready for a TGIF cocktail for happy hour? Me too! Why does it feel like the clock is moving in s-l-o-w motion today? If you’re going to sit on the deck or just in your good ol’ easy chair after work today, this gorgeous drink is perfect for chillaxin’.

When I created this recipe, I tried making a cocktail similar to an Orange Julius. Do you remember heading straight for the Orange Julius stand at the mall in the 1980s?

Oh, wait, that might just be me. When you approached the counter to place your order, you had to yell it over the blaring sound of the blenders behind the counter. Why, oh why, is Orange Julius gone? No worries, my Sunset Gold cocktail reminds you of those sweet flavors but has the tang of fresh-squeezed grapefruit juice.

sunset-gold

If you don’t have vanilla rum, use regular rum or orange-flavored liquor instead.

Kick off your work shoes, mix up this beauty in five minutes, and prepare to relax. Enjoy!

1 glass

Sunset Gold

Like an Orange Julius, this copycat sweet cocktail has hints of grapefruit. A great cocktail to serve at brunch.

5 minPrep Time

5 minTotal Time

Save RecipeSave Recipe
Print Recipe

Ingredients

  • 3 oz. vanilla rum
  • 1 c. orange juice
  • 1/2 c. grapefruit juice
  • cubed ice

Instructions

  1. Fill a small cocktail glass with cubed ice.
  2. Mix all ingredients in a separate larger glass and stir them.
  3. Transfter mixture into cocktail glass.
  4. Garnish with a grapefruit or orange slice.

Notes

You could rim the glass with sugar.

7.8.1.2
38
https://onedelightfullife.com/sunset-gold/

Signature ODL 170x70px

sunset-gold-co

Spiked Watermelon Lemon-Lime Cocktail

by Leave a Comment

Affiliate Disclosure: As an Amazon Associate, I may earn commissions from qualifying purchases from Amazon.com. 

It’s time for me to reveal one of the summer’s best cocktails. I can’t keep it to myself any longer! It would be unfair of me not to share my super refreshing Spiked Watermelon Lemon-Lime Cocktail since the blazing heat of summer is trying to melt you.

This cocktail, an ideal drink after work or as a weekend refresher, is just what we need to hang on to summer and survive the sun’s scorching rays. Lemonade, Pinnacle Cake Vodka, watermelon, and lime juice make it oh so refreshing! The watermelon is sweet and the lemonade with lime gives it a citrus zing.

Bright in flavor and color, this beauty is ready for a pageant crown and sash.
Everyone needs a cocktail like this on a hot summer day. Fire up the blender!

Plug in your blender or Magic Bullet (<< the best small kitchen appliance ever!) and follow this super simple recipe.

(I seriously hope you enjoy this drink since I broke my camera lens trying to get into a place to shoot it. Yep, you read that right. So, I have two confessions. 1.) This photo was shot with my iPhone. 2.) I’m a total clutz. I blame it on my height. I’m about as graceful as a running giraffe.)

Oh well. I think I’ll make myself feel better while sipping this cocktail. Cheers!

Spiked Watermelon Lemon-Lime Cocktail

It's a beauty and oh so refreshing! The watermelon is sweet and the lemonade with lime gives it a citrus zing.

15 minPrep Time

15 minTotal Time

Save RecipeSave Recipe
Print Recipe

Ingredients

  • 2 c. seedless, cubed watermelon
  • 2 c. crushed ice
  • 1 1/2 c. lemonade
  • 1 1/2 oz. Pinnacle Cake Vodka
  • Juice of 1 lime
  • 1 T sugar

Instructions

  1. Follow directions on lemonade concentrate can to make a pitcher of lemonade.
  2. Add all ingredients, except the sugar, into the blender and blend them until smooth.
  3. Pour in a sugar rimmed glass. (Use a small plate to roll a wet rimmed glass into the sugar.)
  4. Garnish with lime slice and/or watermelon slice.

Notes

Cube the watermelon in advance to save time.

7.8.1.2
25
https://onedelightfullife.com/spiked-watermelon-lemon-lime-cocktail/

Nutrition

Calories

242 cal

Fat

1 g

Carbs

58 g

Protein

4 g
Click Here For Full Nutrition, Exchanges, and My Plate Info

Signature ODL 170x70px