The June 2007 issue of Health magazine has some snazzy cocktail recipes to beat the heat and ring in the 4th. Not only are they all lower in calories than regular cocktails, they put a refreshing spin on drinks with new flavors. My favorite part: none of the drinks use sugary mixes or artificial sweeteners (yuck.)

For recipes for the Pom-rita (modified margarita), Simple Blueberry Summer Cooler (modified screwdriver), and the Strawberry Kiss (modified strawberry daiquiri), click here.

Or you can try my favorite (homemade!) tropical smoothie recipe, which is pretty healthy, virgin, and easy to adjust.

You need:

• pineapple chunks (fresh or frozen)
• mango chunks (fresh or frozen)
• 1 small ripe banana (sliced)
• strawberry slices (fresh or frozen)
• 1 navel orange
• shredded coconut (sweetened or unsweetened)
• vanilla soymilk or almond milk
• ice cubes

It works best with a combination of fresh and frozen fruit, which helps to keep it cool and frothy. The amounts for the fruit vary depending on personal preferences, and use the soymilk to get it to the consistency that you like. Place all the ingredients in a blender and whip it up. You can use more shredded coconut on top, and can garnish with a fruit slice or maraschino cherry. Because this recipe doesn’t use additional sweeteners, this is not an overly sweet drink. It is crisp, refreshing, and very filling. Yum!