Does anything say summer more than a fresh margarita? Dinah and I have both been playing around with our favorite tequila recipes in quarantine, trying to personalize them to be exactly to our taste. We’ve included a few of our favorite options below, but please tweak them to be exactly how you like them! I’ve found the most cocktail recipes are too sweet for me, so I tend to make the recipes with fewer ingredients, while Chad likes everything spicy, so he always goes for the extra jalapeño or Tajin. Dinah is all about recreating drinks from her most-loved Boston restaurants. These cocktails probably wouldn’t pass a formal exam to be official “margaritas,” but they have everything we consider essential-ice, tequila and fresh lime juice!

Watermelon Margarita

Our first foray into “healthier” margaritas was the GOOP Watermelon Margarita recipe. It’s delicious, and everyone in our family loves it. The only problem with this recipe is that you have to double or triple it if you’re having a party because everyone will want some! It’s still pretty sweet, so it’s a good option for people who normally like a traditional fruity margarita. You can find the exact recipe here, but if goes something like:

1. Put three cups of chopped  watermelon into a blender or Cuisinart and blend until it’s a smooth juice consistency and pour it into a pitcher.

2. Stir 1/4 cup agave nectar into 1/4 cup of very hot water until they combine.

3. Add the agave, 1/4 cup of fresh lime juice and 3/4 cup of Tequila to the pitcher of watermelon juice, stirring well.

4. Dip the rims of your glasses into lime juice and then roll in salt.

5. Add ice to the glasses, then pour in your drink and add a lime wedge for garnish.

Grapefruit Margarita

This spring, I got very into making a drink that’s a mix of a Paloma and Margarita. I’ll vary it depending on my mood, but it’s something like:

1. Add a lot of ice to a glass

2. Pour in a shot of tequila (Silver for me, Reposado with a jalapeño for Chad)

3. Add some grapefruit seltzer (or any other flavor if I’m out of grapefruit)

4. Add a few splashes of grapefruit juice

5. Squeeze at least a half of a lime in, then run the lime around the rim before dropping it into the drink. (If we’re really doing a spicy marg, I’ll coat the rim in lime juice and then in Tajin (any chili-lime seasoning will work!) before I do the ice).

Coco Marg

Dinah here to share my favorite Boston margarita, the Coco Marg at Loco Taqueria & Oyster Bar. I’m not sure this one qualifies as “healthy-ish) but my friends and I are obsessed with these. Since they are pretty sweet (and have milk in them) we usually have just one or two to get the night started, or as dessert after dinner. I introduced the family to these during a very thematic Cinco de Mayo celebration and they were a huge hit with our mother and our two brothers. This recipe makes two Coco Margs so that you can have one with a friend!

1. Put a little bit of agave on one plate and coconut flakes on another. Then put your two glasses rim-down into the agave, and then the coconut flakes to create a delicious garnish. Add ice to the glasses.

2. Mix 1.5 ounces of Coco Lopez (I found this in the beverage aisle at our grocery store) with 1.5 ounces of milk.

3. Add 2 ounces of lime juice - fresh is the best- and 2 ounces of triple sec.

4. Add 4 ounces of tequila, or to taste. I prefer silver tequila since there is already so much going on.

5. Mix together well and pour over the ice - I like to go heavy on the ice and let this one dilute a little bit as I drink it.