Last January, my family did a sugar fast. After gorging ourselves on all manner of chocolates, sweets, and goodies during Christmas, it was marvelous... for the first week. By January 6, my sweet tooth demanded satisfaction. So, I turned to the all-knowing Google for some help. After a few minutes of searching, I found this marvelous recipe for Healthy 5 Minute Berry Frozen Yogurt. Not only is it delicious (everyone went back for seconds and thirds) and sugar-free, I was also able to make a batch that was lactose-free for a friend that was visiting!
As I was putting it back into the freezer, I thought to myself, "This stuff is great, but next time, I'm going to do a few things differently." So, here's my version. Bon Appétit!
Fruit "Gelato"
2 c. frozen fruit
½ c. plain Greek yogurt* (for lactose-free, use the same amount of almond yogurt)
¼ tsp. stevia♦
½ tsp. vanilla or lemon (optional)
- In your food processor, puree the frozen fruit and yogurt until mixture is creamy.
- Pour into a freezable container and add stevia and vanilla, blending very well.
- Freeze for at least 3 hours or overnight.
- Pull out of the freezer about 30 minutes before you serve it to let it thaw a bit.
- Serve and garnish with mint, whipped cream, almond slivers, etc.
*Increase the amount of yogurt to make it creamier
♦The original recipe called for 2 tbsp. of honey. If you would prefer to avoid stevia, be sure to melt some of the fruit blend (in step 1) and blend it with the honey. Then add the honey mixture back into the fruit and combine well. Otherwise, the honey will solidify, leaving you with honey chunks in your gelato.
Just as the apple season was beginning this year, I was in the mood for a hot apple dessert. However, apple pie, apple crisp, or any of the other conventional sweets didn't quite appeal (pun intended). So, I decided to make my own kind of thing. The end result was one of the absolute best apple recipes I think I've ever had in my life. Try it, and let me know what you think in the comments!!!
Baked Apples with Honey
4 pie apples
1/2 c. walnuts, chopped coarsely
1/8 c. brown sugar
1/4 c. butter, cubed
Honey mixture:
1/4 c. honey
1/2 tsp. vanilla
1/2 tsp. cinnamon
1/8 tsp. allspice
dash of cloves
dash of salt
Apple cider icing:
1 c. powdered sugar
¼ tsp. vanilla
1 tbsp. apple cider
1 tbsp. milk
- Preheat oven to 350°F
- Combine honey mixture and apple cider icing in separate bowls. Set aside.
- Core apples and slice thinly; place in a casserole dish. drizzle honey mixture over the apples, toss until apples are coated.
- Cover and bake for 10 minutes. Pull out the pan and sprinkle brown sugar, walnuts, and butter on top. Cook for another 15 minutes, or until walnuts are soft.
- Serve onto individual plates and drizzle with icing. Serve immediately.
Yield: 5-7 servings
Note: when doubling the recipe, double the cooking time.
