Since going Paleo my family has fallen even more in love with our grill. Paleo and grilling just work well together. The past couple of years I've even been stepping outside my grilling comfort zone more and more. Grilling things I'd never thought to have grilled before and trying new flavor combinations. I have to say I'm pretty thrilled with the results of most of my flavor experiments. In the past I'd never have thought to grill fruit, but it's amazing. Grilling fruit and adding it to traditionally savory dishes? Brilliant. Oh yes, and? New rule: every burger recipe for the rest of forever must contain grilled pineapple. OK, maybe more of a guideline. It's a seriously delicious combination though. This Smoky Grilled Pineapple Burger is always a crowd-pleaser at my house. It's not only Paleo, but Whole30, glutenfree, lower carb, and clean eating friendly. I promise you won't miss the bun! paleo, grilled pineapple burger, smoky...
I love a good glass of red wine now and then, I mean it's practically a health food, right? ;) But sometimes I just want a cocktail. I'm all for moderation and having a drink now and then, but I'm just not down with the calorie, carb, and sugar counts of some of my favorites. Seriously, have you ever looked them up? Eek. So, I've set to work at converting my favorite cocktail recipes to be more keto diet friendly!
The first cocktail recipe I'm tackling is the keto lemon drop. I used to love these, but haven't had one in years because of the sugar in them. In my early twenties I had a friend who used to make them for me all the time. We would have a shaker full of these, a good dinner, and a chick flick on a weeknight, it was kind of bliss. Her recipe called for so. much. SUGAR though! Looking back I think she may have used a wee bit more sugar than most, but they were really good.
I think my keto-ized recipe comes pretty dang close to those delicious memories! It's really yummy, but only has about 130 calories, less than 1 gram of carbs, and no added sugar per serving! Yes. Please.
I know that a lot of lemon drop recipes call for an orange liqueur as well, but a 1.5-oz. shot of liqueur such as Triple Sec has about 188 calories. In contrast, the same size serving of Blood Orange Devotion Vodka has only 96 calories. So I say leave it out! Then, I can have two...
I love BiPro Protein Water for so many reasons. The Nutrition Facts are amazing: 0 g carbs, 0 sugars, and 20 g protein for a whole bottle! It's a super tasty way to help me hit my macros and it's so quick, easy, and completely portable. Love. BiPro Protein Water is also naturally flavored, stevia sweetened, gluten-free, and made in the USA. I love all of their flavors, but the Lemon Lift that I use in this recipe is definitely my favorite. I love using it to add great flavor and a little protein punch to this recipe!
Devotion Vodka is a great choice for a keto cocktail. It's not only just 96 calories per serving, but it's gluten-free, sugar-free, and also American made! Definitely recommend. I use the Blood Orange here, but they have a ton of amazing flavors.
KETO Lemon Drop
Ingredients
1 cup BiPro Lemon Protein Water
(if you can't find that, this one is great too)Juice from 1/2 a lemon (yes, you can use bottled
in a pinch, about a Tablespoon)1 packet Truvia
or another ketogenic diet friendly sweetener(more if you want to "sugar" the rim)1.5 oz chilled Blood Orange Devotion Vodka (I can't find a shot glass to save my life since the move, this is 3 Tablespoons if you're shot glass
challenged like me)ice if desired
Directions
Add all ingredients to a cocktail shaker and shake. Pour and yum! If you don't have a cocktail shaker, or misplaced your cocktail shaker in a move from Colorado to Idaho (just sayin'), you can just add the ingredients to your glass and stir (so not as much fun that way though). A Blender Bottle will also do the trick and is what this fitness nerd uses.
To "sugar" the rim of your glass simply pour some Truvia onto a plate, wet the rim of your glass, and dip. Easy!
Notes
If you can't find the BiPro Protein Water you can use any lemonade water variety that is low in carbs. This is another great one with protein or just Vitamin Water Zero works in a pinch, but lacks the protein.
This is exactly how I like my lemon drop. However, if you like a less tart/sour lemon drop leave out the lemon juice. The Protein Water alone is super yummy. If you like a sweeter lemon drop add a little more Truvia. And of course, if you serve this in a martini glass add a lemon peel twist ;)
Let me know if you try it!
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