Lean Libation: Rachael Ray's White Sangria

Nothing says sunshine like a fresh pitcher of Sangria! I don't know about you, but the ladies around here love to get together and share a pitcher (or two) of this fun, summer libation when the weather starts to warm up. And the weather is warming up!! As we know, many of the fruity, fun cocktails we love are also loaded with sugar, carbs and calories. Actually knowing the number of calories in each margarita or glass of sangria you have is good, but it can also seriously take the fun out of it!

Well, I am happy to share this slim sangria with you so that fun with friends is the only thing on your mind. It is Rachael Ray's White Sangria recipe, with a few twists. I'm no mericle worker, so there are still calories. But switching a couple of ingredients around create a lean libation for your next backyard or poolside celebration. CHEERS!


WHITE SANGRIA
Serves You and 3-4 Lucky Friends...2 glasses each!

INGREDIENTS

3 tablespoons SPLENDA

3 shots Motts for Tots Apple Juice (reduced sugar)

1 lime, sliced

1 lemon, sliced

2 ripe peaches, cut into wedges

3 ripe green apples seeded and cut into wedges

1 bottle white Rioja Spanish wine or other dry white wine

1 pint raspberries

Sprite Zero or Diet Ginger Ale, for topping off glasses of sangria at table

DIRECTIONS

Combine SPLENDA, apple juice, lime, lemon, peaches and apples in a large pitcher. Cover with 1 bottle of white wine and chill sangria several hours. To serve to your guests, spoon fruits into glasses or goblets, adding a few fresh raspberries in each glass, pour wine over top of the fruit. Top glasses of sangria off with a splash of SPRITE ZERO or diet ginger ale and serve.

RESULTS

Yummy! It is sweet and refreshing....a wonderful libation to sip on during the spring and summer months. The fresh fruit and juice add wonderful flavors to the wine. Even for those that are not "wine drinkers", I still feel this recipe is worth a shot!

The changes were simple. I left out the apple liquor from the original recipe, swapped SPLENDA for sugar and used zero calorie sprite instead of sugary soda. All are very subtle changes that add up if you have more than one glass...and I can guarentee you will!

Nutrition Facts (per delicious glass **w/fruit garnish):

Before~ 173 calories and 26 carbohydrates

After~ 106 calories and 16 carbohydrates

SAVES!~  67 calories and 10 carbohydrates

**If you choose not to eat the fruit, you will save even more. The nutrition facts include the fruit...not just the juice.



CHEERS!