All year ’round, it’s a struggle to find yummy things to eat that won’t expand your waistline while curing your craving… but I find that other than holiday season, Summertime’s frozen treats are especially hard to find with healthy ingredients that actually taste good! Until now, where Weight Watchers comes in and makes us all feel a little better about picking up the spoon and diggin’ in to some homemade treats.
Watermelon Granita
Starting with seedless watermelon makes this a breeze to put together.
- 5 cups roughly chopped watermelon (seeds removed)
- 1/4 cup sugar
- 1 Tbsp lime juice
- Combine the watermelon, sugar and lime juice in a food processor fitted with a chopping blade. Process until the fruit is liquefied. Pour the mixture into three ice cube trays and freeze until solid.
- Place the frozen cubes into a food processor and pulse on and off until the cubes are chopped and slushy. Yields about 1/2 cup per serving.
Number of servings: 6
Grapefruit Sherbet
Sherbet relies on egg whites, rather than cream, for a velvety texture. To segment grapefruit, slice off rind with a knife. Holding the fruit over a bowl, cut between the white membranes, letting the segments and any juice fall into the bowl.
- 2 cups grapefruit segments and juice
- 2 tsp finely grated orange zest
- egg white
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 1/4 tsp cream of tartar
- 2/3 cup sugar
- Place the grapefruit segments, juice and zest in a blender; pulse until pureed.
- With an electric mixer on high speed, beat the egg white, cream of tartar and salt in a small bowl until foamy.
- Mix the sugar with 3 tablespoons water in small saucepan. Boil 2 minutes without stirring. With the electric mixer at medium speed, beat this sugar syrup into the egg whites, drizzling it in a steady trickle. Continue beating until cool, about 5 minutes. Fold in the grapefruit puree. Chill 2 hours.
- Freeze in an ice cream machine, following the manufacturer’s instructions. Alternatively, pour the chilled mixture into a 9×13-inch pan; place it in the freezer 1 hour. Stir, breaking up any ice crystals; continue stirring every 15 minutes until slushy but smooth. Yields about 2/3 cup per serving.
Number of servings: 4
Strawberry Sorbet
Because many sorbets are fat-free, they’re able to highlight the great flavor of fruit without costing you too much. This one features the luscious strawberries of summer.
- 1/2 cup sugar
- 1/2 cup water
- 1 quart strawberries, stemmed and quartered
- 2 Tbsp light corn syrup
- 2 tsp lime juice
- 1/4 tsp salt
- Place the ingredients in the order listed in a blender; pulse twice, then blend until smooth.
- Freeze in an ice cream machine, following the manufacturer’s instructions. Yields about 1/2 cup per serving.
Number of servings: 6
