Low-Calorie Variations Of Our Most Caloric Beverage
Introduction
There’s a good reason to steer clear of the egg nog bowl: the calories. Egg nog is so delicious, but it’s also one of the most caloric foods on earth. Our recent survey of five supermarket brands showed 190 to 230 calories per tiny four ounce portion. That’s without the rum and brandy, not to mention the vanilla ice cream added to many party nogs. Have a cup or two and you can easily consume 1000 calories.
So, you might want to taste just a spoonful (or none at all) of the real thing, and celebrate with one of the four diet versions below. Diet egg nog is not the same thing, of course; but it’s a the first step toward a new years’ resolution to eat a healthier diet!
For the history of egg nog and how it got its name, click here.
Diet Egg Nog #1: Simplest Individual Serving
1 cup of cold fat-free milk (we use ultra-premium—fat-free with the richness of 2%)
1/4 teaspoon of rum extract
Dash of ground cinnamon
Dash of ground nutmeg (we grind our own fresh with a nutmeg grinder)
2 packets of Equal, Splenda or equivalent sweetener
1/8 teaspoon real vanilla extract
Pour the ingredients into a blender with an ice cube. If you don’t have a blender, use a glass and use a milk frother to whip up a foam; a Blender Bottle, or any bottle with a tight cap. Pour into glass (with ice if desired) and dust with extra nutmeg.
You can keep re-cycled 16-ounce water bottles filled with the nog during the holidays or anytime—it’s a tasty way to get your milk requirement with no added calories.
The calories will be 90 or 110 per eight-ounce glass, depending on the milk you use. The spices and sweetener are calorie-free.
Diet Egg Nog #2: With Da Vinci Sugar-Free Egg Nog Syrup
Da Vinci makes many flavored syrups, including a sugar-free line, that are used to make mochaccinos and other beverages. Understanding the seasonal egg nog conflict for dieters and diabetics, they make a sugar-free, calorie-free egg-nog syrup sweetened with Splenda.
You can add it to milk, or to any diet vanilla shake recipe...and of course, to coffee, cappuccino, and diet hot chocolate to create your own holiday specialties.
6 cups of fat-free milk (preferably ultra-premium)
1 cup of Egg Beaters® (or comparable product)
Equal® or Splenda® equal to 6 tablespoons of sugar
1 teaspoon of real vanilla extract
1 tablespoon of rum extract
Ground nutmeg and cinnamon to taste
Heat the milk, Egg Beaters® and sweetener in the microwave on high (or in a saucepan on the stove) until thickened, stirring every minute or so. Remove from microwave or stovetop and stir in the remaining ingredients. Cover the mixture tightly with plastic wrap and chill. Dust with additional nutmeg.
Makes six eight-ounce servings of 100 to 120 calories, depending on the milk used.
Diet Egg Nog #4: South Beach Diet Adaptation
This version comes from a friend who’s on the South Beach Diet. We haven’t had it, but she says it’s terrific.
4 cups fat-free milk, divided in half
1 package instant sugar-free vanilla pudding mix
1 cup egg substitute
1 tablespoon rum extract
1 teaspoon real vanilla extract
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
In a medium bowl combine 2 cups of milk and the pudding mix; stir well until thickened. Add the remaining 2 cups of milk and the egg substitute; mix well. Stir in the rum extract, vanilla extract, salt and nutmeg until well-blended. Refrigerate overnight. Makes four eight-ounce servings, 121-141 calories, depending on milk used.
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Da Vinci makes many flavored syrups, including a sugar-free line, that are used to make mochaccinos and other beverages. Understanding the seasonal egg nog conflict for dieters and diabetics, they make a sugar-free, calorie-free egg-nog syrup sweetened with Splenda.