Top 10 Low-Calorie Summer Desserts

It's every woman's greatest fear and enemy - weight loss before or during the summer time! Spending so much time pool or beach side this summer can pose the complicated challenge of how to stay cool, energized AND keep that summer figure (or not dash your chances of getting one!). An answer to all our prayers, here are the top ten summer treats to tame your appetite, satisfy your palate and keep within your summer dietary goals.

1. Creamy Fruit Shell

Ingredients:

• peach, apple, or other tennis or baseball sized fruit
• low-fat yogurt of any complimentary flavor
• cinnamon

Directions:

1. Cut your chosen fruit in half, removing the seeds or pit.
2. Drop a dollop of yogurt on each open-faced side of the fruit.
3. Sprinkle a pinch of cinnamon over the top of the yogurt.

2. Yo-Cheesecake

Ingredients:

• 1 container (32 oz.) plain or vanilla yogurt (low-fat)
• 3 cups pineapple juice
• 1 pint strawberries

Directions:

1. Line a sieve with paper towels. Place the sieve over a medium bowl. Stir yogurt in container for consistency before pouring into sieve. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate 24 hours, until yogurt thickens.
2. The next day, to continue preparation...in a small saucepan, bring pineapple juice to a boil. Cook over high heat 25 to 30 minutes. Juice will evaporate to some extent & lessen in quantity. Remove from heat and let cool. Cover and refrigerate until cold.
3. When ready to serve, remove yogurt from refrigerator and place a plate over the sieve. Turn plate and sieve over to unmold yogurt. Gently remove paper towels. With a knife, smooth yogurt on top to make a flat surface. Top with strawberries for a low-cal alternative to traditional cheesecake.

3. Berry-Juice Cream Pie

Ingredients:

• 3 cups fresh or frozen strawberries
• 1/4 cup sugar
• 1 package of gelatin (of complimentary flavor)
• 2 tablespoons frozen lemonade concentrate, thawed
• 3 egg whites, beaten
• Vanilla Wafers, to line edges of the pie
• 3 tablespoons orange juice
• Frozen light whipped topping, thawed

Directions:

1. Place the 2-1/2 cups strawberries in a blender. Cover and blend until nearly smooth.
2. In a medium saucepan, stir together the sugar and gelatin. Stir in the blended strawberries and lemonade concentrate. Cook while stirring over medium heat until the mixture bubbles and the gelatin is dissolved. Gradually stir about half of the gelatin mixture into the egg whites. Return mixture to the saucepan. Cook, stirring constantly, over low heat for 3 minutes or until mixture is slightly thickened. Do not allow to boil. Pour into a medium bowl; stir in 1 tablespoon of orange juice. Chill for 2 hours, stirring occasionally.
3. Stand Vanilla Wafers on their sides along the edge of a 9-inch springform pan. Arrange a layer of wafers in the bottom of the pan as well. Drizzle the remaining 2 tablespoons of orange juice over the wafers.
4. Fold whipped topping into strawberry mixture. Spoon into prepared pan. Cover and chill about 2 hours or until set. Garnish with strawberries.

4. Italian Ice

Ingredients:

• 1 cup sugar
• 3/4 cup water
• 1 tablespoon finely shredded orange peel
• 2 teaspoons finely shredded lemon peel
• 1 1/2 teaspoons finely shredded lime peel
• 1/3 cup orange juice
• 3 tablespoons lemon juice
• 2 tablespoons lime juice
• 4 cups sliced fresh strawberries

Directions:

1. In a medium saucepan combine sugar, water and all fruit peels. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer, uncovered for 5 minutes. Strain and discard peels. Stir in orange, lemon, and lime juices.
2. In a blender container combine half of the juice mixture and half of the strawberries. Cover and blend until nearly smooth. Some strawberry chunks should remain. Transfer to a 2-quart freezer container. Repeat with remaining juice mixture and strawberries. Cover and freeze overnight, stirring once after a few hours of freezing time.

5. Pineapple Coconut Pudding

Ingredients:

• 4 cups skim or 2% milk
• 1/4 cup cornstarch
• 1/3 cup firmly packed brown sugar
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 teaspoon coconut extract
• 8 slices whole wheat bread, cut into cubes
• 1 (16 oz) can crushed pineapple
• 2 teaspoons shredded coconut

Directions:

1. In a medium saucepan, combine milk, cornstarch, and brown sugar. Mix well to dissolve cornstarch.
2. Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, until mixture comes to a boil. Continue boiling for 2 minutes.
3. Remove from heat and stir in extracts.
4. Add bread cubes and pineapple. Mix well.
5. Spoon mixture into 8 inch baking dish, topping with coconut.
6. Cover and chill until ready to serve.

6. Tropi-Berry Fruit Pops

Ingredients:

• 6 ounces fresh blueberries
• 6 ounces fresh raspberries
• 12-14 strawberries
• 2 kiwis
• juice from a lemon

Directions:

1. Combine all ingredients in a blender until smooth.
2. Pour into ice trays and set up with toothpicks for holding.

7. Dried Fruit

Ingredients:

• any fruit of your choice (suggested: apples, bananas, apricots, peaches)
• salt
• water

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 140 degrees.
2. Slice fruit into 1-inch thick rings and soak for 10 minutes in the salt and water solution. Drain and spear fruit onto skewers.
3. Place in oven. Bake for 4-5 hours or until leather-like.
4. Let cool for 10-12 hours on paper towels. Place in an airtight container in a cool, dark place.

8. Cinna-Peach Frozen Yogurt

Ingredients:

• 4 ripe peaches
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1 cup water
• 1 teaspoon cornstarch
• 3 teaspoons water
• 2 cups frozen vanilla yogurt

Directions:

1. Chop peaches into bite-sized chunks, removing pit. Put peach chunks in a large pan with sugar, cinnamon and 1 cup water. Bring to a boil.
2. Reduce heat and simmer for 10 minutes. Mix cornstarch with 3 tablespoons water. Add to peaches while stirring.
3. Remove from heat. Spoon over frozen yogurt.

9. Pineapple Cream Delight

Ingredients:

• 4 fresh pineapple slices
• 2 tablespoons orange marmalade, melted
• 1 teaspoon sugar
• Ground cinnamon
• 1 cup frozen vanilla yogurt

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to broil. Layer pineapple slices on a pan or cookie sheet. Brush pineapple with marmalade; broil 5 minutes.
2. Combine sugar and cinnamon, and sprinkle over pineapple. Serve over frozen yogurt.

10. Pineapple Cream Angel Cake

Ingredients:

• 6 ounces angel food cake
• 2 - 1 oz. packages vanilla sugar-free instant pudding
• 3 cups skim or 2% milk
• 1 - 8 oz. package fat-free cream cheese
• 1 - 20 oz. can crushed pineapple
• Shredded coconut

Directions:

1. Slice angel food cake into 1 inch square pieces. Place cake in a 13 x 9 inch baking dish; set aside.
2. Beat pudding mix, milk, and cream cheese with a hand mixer at medium speed for 2 minutes or until thick. Stir in crushed pineapple.
3. Spoon pineapple mixture over cake. Cover and chill. Garnish with toasted coconut