Chocolate Almond Butter Shake

 Ingredients:

• 1 cup unsweetened almond milk
• 2 tbsp. almond butter
• 2 tbsp. cocoa powder
• 1 cup baby spinach
• 1/4 avocado
• 1/2 cup ice cubes
• 1 tbsp. granular sugar substitute

Makes 1 Serving

1. Place all ingredients into a blender.
2. Blend on high until completely smooth, about 1 minute. Serve immediately.

WW POINTS VALUE: ? 

Note: This recipe appears on www.palm.southbeachdiet.com/recipes.  You can enjoy a chocolate shake in a new way.  The combination of avocado, spinach, cocoa powder and almond butter is quite delicious. Don't be intimidated by the combination of these ingredients. They actually taste delicious together. This easy plant-based beverage is sure to satisfy your sweet tooth while you stick to your low carb diet. 

Spiked Peach Lemonade

 Ingredients:

• 3 medium peaches, divided
• 3/4 cup vodka
• 1/2 cup fresh lemon juice
• 2 tbsp. honey
• 12 oz. lemon-flavored seltzer water

Makes 6 Servings ( 2/3 cup with out ice per serving)

Chop 2 ½ peaches; cut the remaining peach half into 6 slices. In a blender, combine the vodka, lemon juice, sugar, and chopped peaches; blend until smooth, about 1 minute. Pour the pureed mixture into a pitcher; stir in seltzer. Pour the cocktail into ice-filled glasses; garnish each with 1 peach slice.

WW POINTS VALUE: 4 pts. 

Peak-season peaches are beautifully fragrant, juicy, and sweet—and make for a gorgeous lower-sugar batch cocktail for a small gathering. We blend the peaches to form the flavor base of the drink, leaving the skins on for more color and peach richness. You can blend the peach mixture a couple of hours ahead of time if you’d like, but be sure to stir in the seltzer just before serving so the drink keeps its irresistible effervescence.

Sparkling Concord Grape & Lemon Verbana Water

Ingredients:

• 1 cup cucumber, peeled, seeded, and chopped
• 2 cups Concord grape juice
• 1/2 cup lemon verbena, leaves only
• 2 tbsp. agave nectar
• 1 pinch salt
• 2 cups sparkling water or seltzer water

Makes 4 (1 cup) Servings

1. Combine all ingredients except sparkling water in a blender. Blend until smooth.
2. Strain through a mesh strainer. Chill.
3. When ready to serve, add 2 cups sparkling water.

WW POINTS VALUE: 4 pts.

 

Note: This recipe appears in the New Sonoma Cookbook. This agua fresca makes a refreshing drink in warm weather and will easily cleanse your palate. If you don't have grape juice, you can use 2 cups of red grapes and combine them in a blender or food processor with the other ingredients and your agua frescas will still be refreshing. You can also replace the lemon verbena with mint and your drinks will still wake up your taste buds.

Melon Agua Fresca Slushes

Ingredients:

• 1 (5 lb.) honeydew melon, peeled and roughly chopped (8 cups)
• 1/2 cup chilled water
• 2 tbsp. fresh lime juice
• 2 tbsp. granular sugar substitute
• 1 cup ice cubes
• 1 small lime, thinly sliced

Makes 4 (3/4 cup) Servings

1. Spread melon pieces on a baking sheet and freeze for 1-2 hours, until just barely frozen.
2. In a blender or food processor, combine frozen melon, water and lime juice; blend until smooth. Add sugar substitute and ice cubes and continue to process until thick and slushy.
3. Divide Agua Fresca Slushes among 4 (8-ounce) glasses, garnish with lime slices, and serve.

WW POINTS VALUE: 2 pts.

 

Note: This recipe appears in the South Beach Diet Taste of Summer Cookbook. Agua Fresca is Spanish for fresh water; it's a common drink in Latin America that combines pureed sweet fruits with other ingredients like citrus juice, cucumber and tamarind. It's the middle of summer, it's hot outside and you want to cool off. This is a great drink to cool off and leaving you refreshed. You can use cantaloupe in this recipe and your drink will still be refreshingly delicious. You can also use lemons or lemons and limes in this recipe too. Lemons and limes always give a citrus dish or beverage a nice aftertaste. Melons are good sources of potassium, Vitamin C and B Vitamins that can actually protect your skin against sunburn and can reduce inflammation.

Pineapple Cinnamon Agua Fresca

Ingredients:

• 1 cup cucumber, peeled, seeded and chopped
• 1 1/2 cups pineapple, peeled and chopped
• 1/4 tsp. cinnamon
• 2 tbsp. agave syrup
• 2 cups water
• 1 pinch salt

Makes 4 Servings (1 cup per serving)

 

Combine all ingredients in a blender. Blend until smooth.

 

WW POINTGS VALUE: 3 pts.

 

Note: This recipe appears in the New Sonoma Cookbook. This is such a refreshing drink when you want to cleanse your palate. An agua fresca is Spanish for fresh water and it's a fresh fruit drink that hails from Mexico. This version is quite the standout because you can taste the combination of  pineapple, cinnamon and cucumber. Don't forget to peel the cucumber and remove the seeds fro mteh cucumber because the seeds can taste very bitter and you want a sweet drink. The agave nectar syrup acts as a sugar substitute and can be very sweet with the pineapple. If you want to add some fizz to your drink, use sparkling or seltzer water to the drink when serving. The seltzer water will wake up your taste buds and be very refreshing. 

Piña Colada

Ingredients:

• 2 cups pineapple, cubed
• 1 1/2 cups pineapple juice
• 2/3 cup light coconut milk
• 6 oz. fat-free vanilla yogurt
• 1 cup ice cubes

Make 4 Servings

Combine all ingredients in a blender and process until smooth.

WW POINTS VALUE: 4 pts ( 1 1/4 cups per serving)

Note: This recipe appears on www.weightwatchers.com. If you have never had a pina colada, you're missing out on a tropical guilty pleasure that will cool you down and relax you. It's Happy Hour somewhere and this classic drink is slimmed down with fat-free yogurt and light coconut milk. If you don't have vanilla yogurt on hand, add a little vanilla extract to the yogurt. You can also use canned pineapples packed in their own juice but it could affect the point value. A shot of rum could also affect the point value as well. This drink also has 5 ingredients so you can impress 5-Ingredient Fix Chef Claire Robinson and she will be so happy. This tropical guilty pleasure will relax you and cool you off, you will keep coming back for more.

Calypso Coolers

Ingredients:

• 1/4 cup sliced almonds
• 1 cup chilled water
• 1 banana, peeled and frozen
• 1 cup low-fat or nonfat plain yogurt
• 1 tbsp fresh lime juice
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• ice cubes
• 4 large strawberries for garnish (optional)

Makes 4 (3/4-cup) Servings

1. In a blender, puree almonds and water until almonds are very finely chopped. Cut banana into chunks and add to blender; puree until mixture is thick. Add yogurt, lime juice and vanilla; puree until smooth.
2. Fill 4 (8-ounce) glasses with ice. Pour Calypso Coolers over ice, garnish with strawberries, if using and serve.

WW POINTS VALUE: 2 pts

Note: This recipe appears in the South Beach Diet Taste of Summer Cookbook. This is such a nice, refreshing drink to have for breakfast or as a snack during the summer, especially in the middle of a heat wave. You will feel like you're on a tropical island with the flavors of bananas, lime juice, vanilla and strawberries it's that good. 

Peach-Raspberry Shakes

Ingredients:

• 3 small peaches, sliced
• 1 cup low-fat or nonfat plain yogurt
• 1 cup skim milk
• 1 cup raspberries
• 2 ice cubes
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• granular sugar substitute to taste (optional)

Makes 4 (1-cup) Servings

In a blender, combine peaches, yogurt, milk, raspberries, ice cubes and vanilla; puree until smooth. Add sugar substitute to taste, if using. Pour into 4 (10-ounce) glasses and serve.

WW POINTS VALUE: 2 pts

Note: This recipe appears in the South Beach Diet Taste of Summer Cookbook. It's the summer and you're looking for sonething cool and refreshing to drink this fruity pleasure is for you. There is no excuse for you not to make this shake because it only takes 10 minutes to make. You can use any berry combination and peaches with the combination of nectarines or plums and it will still be delicious. You can enjoy this as a light snack or as a dessert.

Mango Smoothie

Ingredients:

• 2 mangos, peeled, pitted and diced
• 1 1/2 cups sugar-free vanilla fat-free or low-fat yogurt
• Ice Cubes

Makes 4 (1-cup) Servings

Puree mangoes in blender. Add yogurt and 4 or 5 ice cubes; blend untilthick and smooth, about 30 seconds. Pour into glasses and serve.

WW POINTS VALUE: 3 pts

Note: This recipe appears in the South Beach Diet Quick & Easy Cookbook. It's the middle of summer and you don't want to cook but you want some flavor, this drink is for you. You can prepare this drink in 15 minutes or less and it's still deliciously filling and cheaper and healthier than the smoothies you buy at a juice bar/shop. You don't need to add any sugar to this drink because the natural sugars and fibers of the mangoes make this drink rich, cool and refreshing. You can also use pineapple, melon, or any other tropical fruit in this recipe and it will still be delicious.



Chocolate Root Beer Floats

Ingredients:

• 12 oz. diet root beer
• 2 tbsp chocolate syrup
• 1 cup fat-free vanilla frozen yogurt

Makes 2 Servings

1. Divide root beer between 2 tall soda glasses. Add a tablespoon of chocolate syrup to each and stir.
2. Put a 1/2 cup scoop of frozen yogurt into each float. Serve with straws and dessert spoons.

 WW POINTS VALUE: 4 pts.

Note: This recipe appears on www.weightwatchers.com.  The heat wave was getting to me and I needed a guilty pleasure to cool me off. I love chocolate, root beer and vanilla frozen yogurt and I saw this recipe and thought it was perfect. Who does not love a root beer float? A root beer float is also known as a black cow or brown cow  and is traditionally made with vanilla ice cream and root beer, but can also be made with other flavors as well. Once you make this drink at home, you'll never order another one in a restaurant again it's that good. I highly recommend this guilty pleasure during a heat wave to cool you off or with burgers and fries while you're watching your favorite sports team on TV. 

Iced Green Sun Tea

Ingredients:

• 4 green tea bags
• 4 cups water
• ice cubes
• granular sugar substitute to taste (optional)
• 1 small lemon, sliced
• 4 mint sprigs for garnish (optional)

Makes 4 (1-cup) Servings

1. Place tea bags in a large glass jar or pitcher. Pour water over bags. cover the jar with plastic wrap and place on a sun-filled windowsill or outside during the hottest part of the day. Steep until tea is light green and flavorful, about 1 hour.
2. Remove tea bags from the jar and discard. Refrigerate tea to cool, about 20 minutes. Fill 4 (10-ounce) glasses with ice, add sugar substitute, if using, garnish with lemon slices and mint sprigs, if using.

WW POINTS VALUE: 0 pts

Note: This recipe appears in the South Beach Diet Taste of Summer Cookbook. This was such a nice, refreshing treat after eating a filling meal. I was never much of a tea drinker but this was a pleasant surprise. Forget the green tea products you get at the gorcery store or at the local coffee shops and cafes; once you've had this tea, you'll never go back to brand teas.

Say goodbye to the coffee shop: Iced Vanilla Coffee Milk

Ingredients:

• 3 cups strongly brewed decaffienated coffee, chilled
• 1 cup skim or 1 % milk
• 2 tsp vanilla extract
• 2 tsp granular sugar substitute
• Ice cubes
• 1/2 cup fat-free or light whipped topping
• pinch ground cinnamon for garnish (optional)
• 4 cinnamon sticks for garnish (optional)

Makes 4 (1-cup) Servings

In a pitcher, combine coffee, milk, vanilla andsugar substitute; stir well. Fill 4 (10-ounce) glasses with ice. Pour coffee mixture over ice. Spoon 2 tablespoons of the whipped topping into each glass. Stir gently so that some topping mixes with coffee and some remains at the top of the glass. Garnish each with a pinch of ground cinnamon and a cinnamon stick, if using.

WW POINTS VALUE: 1 pt

Note: This recipe appears in the South Beach Diet Taste of Summer Cookbook. I was on a roll brewing coffee for my dinner earlier this evening and I thought this would be a nice after-dinner treat. I was right. This drink is a nice, refreshing drink to enjoy anytime of the day during the summer and it  will quickly cool you down. This drink is something you would get at a coffee sshop but pay a lot of money for. You can save yourself a lot of money and calories when you make this treat at home. This drink is also great for company as well.

Mounds Milkshake

Ingredients:

• 3/4 cup light coconut milk
• 1 tbsp unsweetened cocoa powder
• 1 1/2 tbsp granulated sugar
• 1 1/2 tbsp shredded coconut flakes
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 1 1/4 cups ice cubes

Makes 2 Servings

Place all ingredients in a blender; cover and blend until smooth. Makes about 1 cup serving.

WW POINTS VALUE: 3-5 Pts (I Hope!)

Note: This recipe was created by me earlier this month when I was cleaning out the fridge and was craving dessert. I had to get rid of the coconut milk so it wouldn't go bad. This was probably the best milkshake I ever made from scratch. It literally tasted like a cold Mounds bar in your mouth. You know the saying, "Sometimes you feel like a nut, sometimes you don't."? I added the vanilla for this shake to make it a Mounds shake and if you feel like an Almond Joy Milkshake, use Almond extract instead of vanilla. 

Mango Lassi

Ingredients:

• 1 medium mango, peeled and roughly chopped
• 1 1/2 cups low-fat or nonfat plain yogurt
• 1/2 cup chilled water
• 1 tbsp granular sugar substitute
• Pinch ground cardamom
• Ice cubes

Makes 4 (3/4-cup) Servings

In a blender, combine mango, yogurt, water, sugar substitute and cardamom, if using; puree until smooth. Fill 4 (8 oz.) glasses with ice cubes. Pour Mango Lassi over ice and serve.

WW POINTS VALUE: 2 pts

Note: This recipe appears in the South Beach Diet Taste of Summer Cookbook. It is officially the first day of Spring and the weather will be getting warmer and it's a good reason to fire up the grill and make some cool, refreshing drinks. A Lassi is a frothy and refreshing yogurt drink and what is considered the official drink of India. A Lassi is often made with fresh fruit. You can use any kind of fruit with this recipe and it will still be delicious. Don't add too much cardamom because cardamom has a strong flavor to it and a little bit of it goes a long way. This drink is perfect for a morning or afternoon snack and a savior during a heat wave.

 

Green Apple Spritzers

Ingredients:

• 1 large Granny Smith apple
• 1 tsp fresh lemon juice
• 3 tbsp ice water
• 1 1/2 tsp granular sugar substitute
• ice cubes
• 24 oz. seltzer water

Make 4 Servings

1.  Cut 8 very thin wedges from apple; core, peel and roughly chop the rest. Toss apple wedges with 1/2 teaspoon of the lemon juice in a small bowl. In a separate small bowl, toss chopped apple with the remaining 1/2 teaspoon lemon juice.
2. Puree chopped apples, water ans sugar substitute in a blender. Divide pureed apple mixture among 4 glasses (about 2 tablespoons each); top each with a few ice cubes and fill each glass with seltzer. Stir, tops each spritzer with 2 apple wedges and serve.

WW POINTS VALUE: 0 pts

Note: This recipe appears in the South Beach Diet Parties & Holidays Cookbook. This is a wonderful drink that can be enjoyed at a party, making a toast or as an after-dinner drink to cleanse your palate. The South Beach diet has always had refreshing drinks and this drink did not disappoint me. Remember to have the lemon juice on hand before you slice the apple because tossing the apple with the lemon juice will keep the apple from browning. This apple spritzer is so refreshing it will cleanse your palate and prevent you from eating any more than you should. 

Pomegranate Punch

Ingredients:

• 1 orange, unpeeled
• 1 lemon, unpeeled
• 1 (2-liter) bottle seltzer water, chilled
• 1 1/2 cups unsweetened pomegranate juice

Makes 20 (3/4-cup) Servings

Cut 4 thin slices from each orange and lemon, then quarter slices. Combine seltzer, pomegranate juice and orange and lemon quarters in a pitcher. Pour over ice and serve.

WW POINTS VALUE: 0 pts.

Note: This recipe appears in the South Beach Diet Parties & Holidays Cookbook. This is a refreshing drink that's good for you and a great alternative to all those sodas. This is a great beverage to serve at any kind of party and can be made in 5 minutes. You can also use any kind of unsweetened cranberry juice if you can't find unsweetened pomegranate juice. I also highly recommend using blood oranges in this drink if you can find them because that add a kick of flavor.

Mary on the Beach

Ingredients:

• 1 (28 oz.) can whole peeled tomatoes, with juices
• 1 cup chilled water
• 1/3 cup freh lemon juice
• 1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
• 1 tsp hot pepper sauce
• 1/4 tsp celery seeds
• 1/4 tsp freshly ground black pepper
• Ice cubes
• 4 celery stalks with leaves
• 4 lime wedges

Makes 4 (1-cup) Servings

1. In a blender, puree the tomatoes and their juices until smooth. Strain puree into a large pitcher, pushing liquid through the strainer with a rubber spatula; discard the seeds. Add water, lemon juice, Worcestershire sauce, hot pepper sauce. celery seeds and pepper to pitcher; stir to combine.
2. Fill 4 (10 oz.) glasses with ice. Pour tomato mixture over ice, add a celery stalk and lime wedge to each glass and serve.

WW POINTS VALUE: 1 pt

Note: This recipe appears in the South Beach Diet Taste of Summer Cookbook. This is a deliciously healthy alternative to a Bloody Mary and a great way to kickstart your weight loss. This drink can be made in about 10 minute. But if you're in a hurry, you can substitute 3 cups  low-sodium tomato juice. Or if you're a gardener or just came back from the local farmer's market, you can use the ripest tomatoes whirled in a juicer for the freshest tomato juice. The Worcestershire sauce, the hot pepper sauce and freshly ground black pepper give this drink a real kick. 

Spiced Cocoa Eggnog

Ingredients:

• 1 cup +2 tbsp egg substitute
• 1 tbsp granular sugar substitute
• 1 1/2 (12 oz.) cans fat-free evaporated milk, chilled
• 2 1/4 cups fat-free half-and-half
• 2 tbsp rum extract
• 1 tbsp + 1 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
• 1 tbsp unsweetened cocoa powder
• 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
• freshly grated nutmeg (optional)

Makes 12 (3/4 cup) Servings

1. In a large bowl, with and electric mixer at high speed, beat egg substitute and sugar substitute until light and frothy, about 3 minutes. With machine running, slowly pour in milk, half-and-half and rum and vanilla extracts; beat to combine. Add cocoa and cinnamon; beat to combine.
2. Pour eggnoss into cups, sprinkle each serving lightly with nutmeg, if using, and serve immeadiately.

WW POINTS VALUE: 1 pt.

Note: This recipe appears in the South Beach Diet Parties and Holidays Cookbook. It's the holidays and you're having that craving for eggnog but you want to watch what you eat then this drink is for you. Eggnog is supposed to be thick and creamy but this is a new take on the holiday classic.  You can also use egg yolks in place of the egg substitute if you wish. If you don't have any rum extract, you can use real rum and it will taste just as delicious. The combination of rum, vanilla, cinnamon, cocoa and nutmeg is heavenly delicious and leaves a nice aftertaste. Eggnog is best served immeadiately, as it is most frothy when just prepared. Egg nog can be made up to 1 day ahead but will lose some of its loft, so whip well with an electric hand mixer on high before serving.



Mint Hot Chocolate

Ingredients:

• 6 cups skim milk
• 1/4 cup water
• 1/4 cup granulated sugar
• 1/2 cup fresh mint leaves, loosely packed (reseve 8 leaves for garnish)
• 3 1/2 oz. bittersweet chocolate, finely chopped
• 8 tbsp Cool Whip topping

Makes 8 Servings

1. Pour milk into a small saucepan and bring to a simmer over medium heat, about 5 minutes; cover and set aside. (Or warm milk in microwave to take chill off—milk should be warmed; not cooked.)
2. In another small saucepan, combine water, sugar and mint leaves; bring to a boil and boil for 1 minute. Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer for 5 minutes. Pour mint syrup through a fine-meshed sieve or strainer into a larger saucepan.
3. Add chocolate to mint syrup and reduce heat to very low; melt chocolate, stirring constantly, about 1 to 2 minutes. (Do not allow chocolate to stick to bottom of pan or overcook.) When chocolate has just melted, add 1/3 cup of warmed milk and stir to combine, being careful that chocolate does not stick to bottom of pot. When chocolate and milk are completely combined, add remaining milk to pan; increase heat to medium-low and warm through. Pour into serving cups and top each serving with about 1 1/2 tablespoons of whipped cream; garnish with mint.
   

WW POINTS VALUE: 5 pts (3/4 cup per serving)

Note: This recipe appears on www.weightwatchers.com. Nothing beats a cup of steaming hot cocoa when temperatures start to dip. This version is spiked with fresh mint syrup and then topped with whipped cream. Store any unused hot chocolate in the refrigerator once it has cooled (or halve the recipe so you have less leftovers). Reheat and top with whipped cream and mint before serving. The whip cream is optional but the mint chocolate is delicous on its own. 

Coconut Hot Cocoa

Ingredients:

• 1/2 cup sugar
• 1/3 cup water
• 1/4 cup unsweeted cocoa
• 2 cups milk
• 1 1/2 cup light coconut milk
• 1/2 tsp vanilla extract

Makes 6 Servings

1. Whisk together sugar, water and cocoa powder in a medium saucepan set over medium heat just until cocoa and sugar dissolve. Do not bring to a simmer.
2. Whisk in milk, coconut milk and vanilla. Continue cooking unti lmixture is stramy and slghtly simmering around interior edges of pan, whisking occasionally, about 3-4 minutes. Pour into mugs and serve immeadiately.

WW POINTS VALUE: 4 pts (2/3 cup per serving)

Note: This recipe appears on www.weightwatchers.com. It's that time of year where you crave hot chocolate. Who does not love hot chocolate? This is a twist on a classic. The coconut milk adds a different kind of richness to this hot cocoa. The coconut hot cocoa makes a nice treat on a cold day or evening and it makes a delicious dessert without much hassle.