Healthy Treats for Summertime

It's likely the warm weather during the summer has prompted you to seek cool, refreshing foods. The vast array of fruit available now will keep you refreshed and satisfy your sweet cravings, all while being kind to your waistline. Take advantage of this time of year and indulge in some of the following sweet endings using your favorite fruits.

Dairy-Free Banana "Ice Cream"
Peel four ripe bananas and place them in the freezer for eight hours or overnight. Remove the bananas and let them thaw for a few minutes, then place in a food processor and process until thick and smooth. Add a little water or lemon juice if needed for ease of processing. Enjoy plain or with a little chocolate syrup and fresh raspberries.

Frozen Grapes
There's not much to do here, but these are really scrumptious. Simply freeze seedless grapes overnight, and enjoy. Grapes are not usually my favorite fruit, but I personally can't get enough of them frozen!

Frozen Fruit Smoothie
Blend your favorite fresh fruit with milk in a blender. Then add one cup of partially thawed frozen fruit and blend again. The smoothie will be cold and creamy and delightful.

Fruity Ice Pops
This is a classic treat I remember from childhood. Simply fill some small paper cups with one hundred percent pure fruit juice (your favorite flavor) and place in the freezer until firm. About an hour and a half into freezing time, stick popsicle sticks into the cups.

Homemade Fruit Gelatin
Boil one-half cup of water in a small saucepan and add one envelope of unflavored gelatin. Stir the mixture until the gelatin dissolves. Combine the gelatin mixture with one and one-half cup of pure fruit juice of your choice and refrigerate until set. You can also add some fresh sliced fruit to the gelatin about a half an hour into the chilling time.

Tropical Fruit Salad
Chop up several of your favorite tropical fruits into bite-sized pieces and place them in a large bowl, cover and chill for a few hours. Some fruits to consider using are pineapples, mangoes, kiwis, guavas, and papayas. Bananas can be used as well, but make sure they are sliced and added just before serving, or they will turn brown and mushy. Scatter dried tropical fruit pieces or shredded coconut over the salad, or stir in some passion fruit pulp. You can also add a little coconut milk to the salad for a richer, more indulgent flavor.