Low carb mojitos

I have always had a fondness for mojitos, they're pretty much my go to cocktail of choice when I'm out (and not on plan) as they're so refreshing and I love the combination of mint and lime together. I do, however hate the ready made mojito mixes you buy which are not only full of carbs, but leave a horrible sugary coating on your teeth and whose taste does definitely not warrant the carb splurge.

Homemade Mojitos are however, a different kettle of fish, readily available ingredients, fresh and most importantly, reasonably hard to get wrong, unless you're my friend Rachel who somehow managed to make a clear version that tasted only of soda water with a strong hit of rum at the bottom- though more of that another time.

For two Mojitos, you will need:

• One big lime, two if the limes are pretty small
• I big handful of mint plus more to garnish
• 3 teaspoons of sweetener, again you can still use sugar as the rest of the ingredients are pretty low carb, if you do you'll need about two tablespoons sugar, though it all depends how sweet/sour you like them as it's pretty personal. 
• 100ml White rum (ie two double measures per glass)
• Soda water
• Crushed ice, though normal will do, just crush it by popping it inside a clean teatowel and beating it with a rolling pin
• Two long Mojito Glasses or any wide long glasses. 

Then to make them:

• Roll your lime between your hands or against the worksurface. This loosens everything up and is almost always a good idea when using lemons and limes.
• Cut your lime into small wedges (about 7) and divide equally between your glasses, reserving one small wedge
• Pop about 10 mint leaves into each glass
• Add your sweetener or sugar
• Use a muddler or a wooden spoon or rolling pin to muddle the ingredients together. Do this by bashing them, reasonably gently about 10 times. any more any you'll release the bitterness from the white part of the lime (I once learnt on a hen do cocktail class). 
• Use your last lime wedge to smear around the inside of your glasses, and follow this by smearing a couple of mint leaves around the glass. 
• Add the rum to the mixture 
• Top your glasses to just more than halfway full with the ice 
• Top up with soda water
• Stir gently with a long cocktail spoon
• Garnish with a sprig or two of mint
• Enjoy and relax in the knowledge that there's less than 2g carbs in a glass!