I love any reason to throw a party. With the Kentucky Derby coming up, it’s the perfect excuse to gather friends, family, or neighbors for a little celebration! If you’ve ever thrown a Derby Day party, then you know you need two things: mint juleps and fancy hats. Juleps have been a Kentucky favorite for many, many years. It was even declared the official Derby drink in 1938, so this popular cocktail has been around for ages! Since we like to put our own twist on things, we've created two thirst-quenching julep recipes that are equally delicious and perfect for any Derby party. As always, we tried to make them a little healthier than usual, too. Scroll down for the full ingredients and instructions! Lemon Basil Julep Prep time: 5 minutes Cook time: -- minutes Makes: 1 serving Ingredients 5 basil leaves 1 teaspoon lemon juice ½ teaspoon agave 2 ounces bourbon 2 ounces Lemon LaCroix Crushed ice to your liking Directions Muddle the basil with the lemon juice in a lowball glass. Add crushed ice, if desired. Pour in agave and bourbon, then gently stir. Top with Lemon Lacroix. Give it another gentle stir. Sip responsibly! ------------ Cran-Ras Mint Julep Prep time: 5 minutes Cook time: -- minutes Makes: 1 serving Ingredients 5 mint leaves 8 raspberries Splash of cranberry juice 2 ounces bourbon 2 ounces Coconut LaCroix Crushed ice to your liking Directions Muddle the basil with the lemon juice in a lowball glass. Add crushed ice, if desired. Pour in bourbon and gently stir. Add a splash of cranberry juice, then top with Coconut LaCroix. Give it another gentle stir. Sip responsibly!

Ingredients 2 oranges, juiced and zested 1 tablespoon fresh ginger, grated 5 ounces vanilla soy yogurt 1 teaspoon vanilla ½ cup vanilla Nourish plant-based protein powder 1 cup ice Directions Blend. Enjoy! NUTRITIONAL INFO PER SERVING Calories 450 (60 from fat) Total fat 7g Saturated fat .5g Cholesterol 0mg Sodium 360mg Carbohydrate 72g (16g dietary fiber, 45g sugar) Protein 28g WARNING: This post is not intended to replace the advice of a medical professional. The above information should not be used to diagnose, treat, or prevent any disease or medical condition. Please consult your doctor before making any changes to your diet, sleep methods, daily activity, or fitness routine. iFit assumes no responsibility for any personal injury or damage sustained by any recommendations, opinions, or advice given in this article.

Ingredients 2 scoops vanilla Nourish protein powder 8 ounces 1% milk ⅛ teaspoon cinnamon ⅛ teaspoon nutmeg 2 drops rum extract Sprinkle of salt Directions Add the the milk to your iFit protein shaker, then add the remaining ingredients. Shake until blended and enjoy! *You can also heat this mix in a microwave-safe cup and enjoy it warm. NUTRITIONAL INFO PER SERVING Calories 240 (25 from fat) Total fat 2.5g Saturated fat 1.5g Cholesterol 20mg Sodium 510mg Carbohydrate 15g (og dietary fiber, 2g sugar) Protein 38g WARNING: This post is not intended to replace the advice of a medical professional. The above information should not be used to diagnose, treat, or prevent any disease or medical condition. Please consult your doctor before making any changes to your diet, sleep methods, daily activity, or fitness routine. iFit assumes no responsibility for any personal injury or damage sustained by any recommendations, opinions, or advice given in this article.

With the holiday season in full force, it's likely many of you are cozying up by the fire with a delicious cup of hot cocoa (possibly with a ton of those magical mini marshmallows on top). And, if you're anything like me, you're the adventurous type that likes to spice things up a bit with the toppings and mix-ins. I'm always on the lookout for the best hot cocoa, which is why I asked our nutrition team to put together eight new and revamped recipes. Then, we had the iFit team put on their best ugly Christmas sweaters and choose their favorites. The process: Our nutrition team worked their magic in the kitchen developing a wide assortment of hot cocoa recipes. Between dark, milk, and white chocolates, they did their best to vary up the flavors while still staying true to a chocolate base. For each matchup, two competing hot cocoas were presented to the team. After a taste test, the winner was marked by each team member on their individual bracket. This process was repeated for all of the recipes. The contenders: Gingerbread Indian Spiced iFit Nourish Coconut Cioccolata Calda Salted Caramel Amaretto Rum Cherry And the results are... Cioccolata Calda takes the prize! While the other contenders definitely put up a strong fight, it was this rich Italian classic that took the cake. Customarily eaten with a spoon and served in a small shot-sized glass, this treat is a true indulgence. You only need a little, but just a small amount will leave you beyond satisfied. This one pairs especially well with some fresh berries! Do yourself a favor and try this recipe! Trust me, you'll be so glad you did. Which recipes would we make again? While the Cioccolata Calda was mind-blowingly outstanding, we had to give some of the other contenders some credit and strong seals of approval. Click the links to find out how you can make them at home. Our Nourish hot cocoa recipe is the perfect choice for those days you want to indulge but still want to make a health-conscious decision. As we drank this creamy beverage, we had to keep reminding ourselves that it was, in fact, healthy. Doesn't expand the waistline AND tastes like molten chocolate lava? Count us in. The Amaretto Hot Chocolate is the perfect choice for kids and milk chocolate lovers. The velvetiness of the chocolate mixed with the warm flavors of amaretto extract (no alcohol in this one!), make for the perfect cozy cup for your winter night in. Add some mini marshmallows on top, and you're in business! For you fans of the salty/sweet combination, look no further than our Salted Caramel Hot Chocolate. The sea salt brings out the richness and flavor of the chocolate, and caramel just makes everything taste better. Pair this one with a crispy biscotti and a good book for the perfect winter evening. And last, but certainly not least, our Indian Spiced Hot Chocolate is perfect for those of you who are looking to switch things up a bit. This white chocolate hot cocoa is paired with warm Indian spices for an indulgent, yet lighter version of the classic hot chocolate. Don't be scared, give this a try!

Ingredients ½ cup sugar 2 cups whole milk, divided 3 teaspoons cornstarch 3 ounces dark chocolate, chopped 1 tablespoon cocoa Directions In a medium-sized saucepan, whisk together sugar, and 1½ cups milk. Heat on medium-low until bubbles start to form around the edges. Mix the remaining ½ cup of milk with the cornstarch. Whisk the cornstarch mixture to the milk mixture. Cook for an additional minute, or until the mixture thickens slightly. Add the chocolate and cocoa stir until smooth. When chocolate has melted completely, serve in mugs. Keep in mind that the longer it sits out, the thicker it will become. NUTRITIONAL INFO PER SERVING Calories 310 (120 from fat) Total fat 13g Saturated fat 8g Cholesterol 15mg Sodium 65mg Carbohydrate 44g (3g dietary fiber, 36g sugar) Protein 6g WARNING: This post is not intended to replace the advice of a medical professional. The above information should not be used to diagnose, treat, or prevent any disease or medical condition. Please consult your doctor before making any changes to your diet, sleep methods, daily activity, or fitness routine. iFit assumes no responsibility for any personal injury or damage sustained by any recommendations, opinions, or advice given in this article.

Prep time: 5 min Cook time: 5 min Serving size: ¾ cup Makes: 2 servings Ingredients 1½ cups 1% milk 40 grams milk chocolate ¼ teaspoon caramel extract ¼ teaspoon salt Directions Warm the milk in a small pot over medium heat. Add in chocolate, caramel extract, and salt. Stir until chocolate is melted and milk is warmed to your desired temperature. If you’d like, you can also simply heat the milk in the microwave for about 1 minute, add the remaining ingredients, then stir until the chocolate is melted. Enjoy! NUTRITIONAL INFO PER SERVING Calories 190 (70 from fat) Total fat 8g Saturated fat 5 Cholesterol 15mg Sodium 410mg Carbohydrate 22g (1g dietary fiber, 21g sugar) Protein 8g WARNING: This post is not intended to replace the advice of a medical professional. The above information should not be used to diagnose, treat, or prevent any disease or medical condition. Please consult your doctor before making any changes to your diet, sleep methods, daily activity, or fitness routine. iFit assumes no responsibility for any personal injury or damage sustained by any recommendations, opinions, or advice given in this article.

Ingredients 2 cup 100% pomegranate cherry juice 5 cup 100% apple juice ½ teaspoon rum extract 2 pounds dry ice (more if you want it smoking all night long) Directions Mix juices and rum extract together. Be sure to leave lots of head room in your serving dish to allow for bubbling. Carefully add dry ice and stir every few minutes to prevent the ice from sticking to the bottom. NUTRITIONAL INFO PER SERVING Calories 60 (0 from fat) Total fat 0g Saturated fat 0g Cholesterol 0mg Sodium 10mg Carbohydrate 15g (0g dietary fiber, 13g sugar) Protein 0g WARNING: This post is not intended to replace the advice of a medical professional. The above information should not be used to diagnose, treat, or prevent any disease or medical condition. Please consult your doctor before making any changes to your diet, sleep methods, daily activity, or fitness routine. iFit assumes no responsibility for any personal injury or damage sustained by any recommendations, opinions, or advice given in this article.

Ingredients 1 tablespoon chia seeds ¼ cup water 1 cup frozen peaches 1 frozen banana ⅔ cup milk (we used almond) 2 cups spinach Directions Soak the chia seeds in the water overnight. Divide into two cups. Blend peaches, banana, milk, and spinach until smooth. Pour over the chia seeds, mix if desired. * To make the eyes, pierce blueberries with toothpicks and dip ¾ of the way into vanilla yogurt. Freeze until hard. NUTRITIONAL INFO PER SERVING Calories 140 (35 from fat) Total fat 3.5g Saturated fat 0g Cholesterol 0mg Sodium 105mg Carbohydrate 27g (6g dietary fiber, 14g sugar) Protein 4g WARNING: This post is not intended to replace the advice of a medical professional. The above information should not be used to diagnose, treat, or prevent any disease or medical condition. Please consult your doctor before making any changes to your diet, sleep methods, daily activity, or fitness routine. iFit assumes no responsibility for any personal injury or damage sustained by any recommendations, opinions, or advice given in this article.

Ingredients ¾ cup 100% carrot juice ½ cup frozen blueberries 1 cup frozen mango 2 cups fresh spinach Directions Blend until smooth and enjoy! * To make the eyes, pierce blueberries with toothpicks and dip ¾ of the way into vanilla yogurt. Freeze until hard NUTRITIONAL INFO PER SERVING Calories 160 (10 from fat) Total fat 1g Saturated fat 0g Cholesterol 0mg Sodium 85mg Carbohydrate 39g (5g dietary fiber, 29g sugar) Protein 3g WARNING: This post is not intended to replace the advice of a medical professional. The above information should not be used to diagnose, treat, or prevent any disease or medical condition. Please consult your doctor before making any changes to your diet, sleep methods, daily activity, or fitness routine. iFit assumes no responsibility for any personal injury or damage sustained by any recommendations, opinions, or advice given in this article.