Low Carb Mojitos
My first experience trying a mojito was not a good one.
We were at my best friend’s house sitting on the veranda and just enjoying a spring evening together. My friend made me my first mojito that night. I’m pretty sure she substituted lemon juice concentrate with no sweetener; I’m honestly not sure what she used. It could have been a mix, but it just about cured me of ever wanting a mojito again—ha!
Then, several years later, my husband and I were on an anniversary trip to Key West. We had a fabulous trip of trying the food and drinks and enjoying the scenery. We were on a mission to find the best shrimp and fish tacos. That was a really fun trip! And we did find them, by the way!
On our way home, we had a bit of a layover in Miami. We decided to have an early dinner in the airport, and while browsing the menu, I saw they had a mojito. I figured if I’m ever going to try a mojito again, Miami is the best place! It was one of the things on my bucket list — try a mojito in Miami. Since we were going to be flying, I decided to give this summer drink one more try. Our server convinced me that I would not be sorry and that their bartender made the best mojitos in town. That’s a bold statement, so I decided to give it a try!
He brought me this tall glass of crushed, fresh mint leaves and lime wedges, and it was absolutely the best drink I had ever had.
I knew it was full of sugar, but you know what? It was worth every single molecule of it. It inspired me to recreate that refreshing, summery drink that I remembered from Miami in a way that would align with my new healthy lifestyle. That’s right, you don’t have to give up anything!
This is a very refreshing drink that you can enjoy without the guilt. It weighs in at about 2 carbs and the calories will depend on the amount of vodka you use. Tito’s vodka has about 63 calories
per ounce and is gluten free. Why would there ever be gluten in alcohol?
Quite often (like 90% of the time)
, I enjoy this drink without the vodka. It tastes just as good and there is zero negative impact on my body.
Don’t let the mint leaves intimidate you. Who has mint just lying around? Well, thanks to that same beautiful friend I mentioned before, she unknowingly shared a very prolific mint plant with me when she was thinning out her iris bulbs. At first, we pulled it up like a weed, but now we love our little lush mint garden and use it as much as we can. Just a word of caution though: if you buy a mint plant, plant it in the ground in the pot so it doesn’t spread because trust me, my friend, it will!
In the winter, I buy fresh mint in the produce section. My family enjoys this drink all year. At the holidays, I like to throw in a few frozen cranberries just because it’s fancy and pretty and keeps my drink colder longer. I hope you love it just as much as I do!
Low Carb Mojitos Recipe
2 oz fresh squeezed lime juice (or organic Santa Cruz lime juice)
1-2 oz Tito’s vodka
1-2 squirts of liquid stevia (I use organic stevia from Thrive Market or Trader Joes)
2 fresh mint leaves (bruise with the back of a spoon to release the oil, or mull with a mortar and pestle if you like it super minty)
1-2 lime wedges
Ice
Directions: Mix the vodka, lime juice and stevia and pour over ice. Add mint and mull the mint leaves. Add a squeeze of fresh lime and top off with lime LaCroix, stir and enjoy!
You can also make a pitcher of mojitos by multiplying out your servings. If you do this, still add the Lacroix just as you’re serving it.
If you’re out and about and want to have a low carb drink, order a shot of Tito’s vodka, with club soda and 3-4 lime wedges over ice. It’s light and delicious and even lower carb than this mojito recipe.