Sunday, December 7, 2014

HOLIDAY WELLNESS GUIDE: Drink Up The Holidays!

Sparkle holiday template
Over the weekend we finally jumped feet first into the holidays. Woody and I put Christmas lights on our house in (60 degree weather) and while they're very simple this year it's quite exciting as this is the first time we've had a house together to decorate! Until now all of my holiday decorations (for all holidays combined) have fit neatly into one box. It's been fun to browse Pinterest to find fun little DIY projects and inspiration for our mantle.

December can be packed with many fun-filled nights. Big dinners with friends and family, cocktail parties, office parties, gift wrapping holiday movie watching marathons…. And with these full-filled nights come festive foods and festive drinks! Those for both celebrating and for recovering.
Drink Up
I don’t drink alcohol very often (I’d rather save those calories for dark chocolate), but occasionally during a night out I’ll indulge in a glass or two of Prosecco. Not only do the bubbles instantly bring a bit glamour and a celebratory feel to any occasion, but at around 110 calories per 5oz pour, the sparkling wine is lower in calories and alcohol by volume than most other adult beverages.

It’s incredibly easy to add a bit of festive flair to a glass of Prosecco for a gathering you’re hosting at your home - no matter how big or small!
Pom Prosecco Spritzer Recipe
Into a champagne glass, pour half an ounce (or about a tablespoon) of pomegranate juice, drop 6 - 10 pomegranate seeds then pour in the Prosecco and enjoy! Not only is this drink incredibly easy to create and beautifully festive, but also a nice alternative for those of us who appreciate a tiny bit of good nutrition even when we celebrate!
Pomm Prosecco 3
Pomm Prosecco 2
And then there’s the next morning. You wake up feeling a bit groggy and maybe a little unsure of exactly how many shrimp cocktails or pumpkin tarts you nibbled on. And as your crawl out of bed you realize you might have had one more glass of Pomegranate Prosecco Spritzer than you thought. It can happen to anyone. The good news is that hazy feeling doesn’t have to last all day! You just have to commit to the day ahead and set out on the right foot!
Let me introduce you to the delicious, nutrition-packed, easy to make and easy to drink, Reset Green Smoothie.
Refresh Green Smoothie
Avocado Spinach Smoothie
Woody and I have drastically reduced the amount of animal protein we eat over the past few months and this was actually my first attempt at making a smoothie free of Greek yogurt. He’s made quite a few that have been very tasty, so I knew it would work well. The trick I need to master still is the amount of each ingredient to use! The Reset Green Smoothie is loaded with good-for-you ingredients, each one bringing multiple positive attributes to your glass. You may be wondering about the avocado, but trust me, it adds a little creaminess to the mix and none of the flavors of this smoothie will stand out above the rest. In other words, a perfect combo.
Green Smothie 1
Green Smoothie 2
So now you have my two recommendations for holiday season liquid treats! Although you don’t have to limit them to the the colder months - I know I will be enjoying both all year round!
What are your favorite festive beverages? * What is your must have smoothie ingredient?

4 comments:

Lisa said...

Fun recipes! I really like prosecco--I much prefer it to champagne. I like the idea of making a fun cocktail with it!

Lisa said...

I love what you've been doing with the blog! And the pom prosecco looks delightful. It might be a little dangerous now that i have the recipe :) My favorite part about all these pictures is that I can see a bit of your new home. Can't wait to see the rest of it.


And the reset green smoothie is a variation of one of my favorite go-to smoothies. I do the same but with berries or half a green apple. My must-have ingredient is spinach. Need the iron and greens!


My favorite festive beverage? Champagne!

Lisa said...

Thanks! It feels like prosecco has seen a boost in popularity recently. I hope you enjoy this cocktail version!

Lisa said...

Thanks so much for the kind words about the blog! You know I've been working at it lately! And I actually thought of you when I took some of these pictures, thinking it would give a nice little peek at our house!


Let me know what you think if you try either of these!