Tag: frozen

Watermelon Sorbet

The inspiration for this recipe came from “The Vegan Scoop,” a dairy-free ice cream cookbook by Wheeler Del Torro.  Eating vegan is always my goal, but I realize that simply because something is vegan doesn’t make it healthy.  In fact many vegan recipes, especially those for desserts, contain so much fat and sugar that you might as well eat the real thing;  if health is your concern there’s not much difference.  So, I just had to tweek this recipe to make it a bit more acceptable.

This is a refreshing summer cooler.  With all the added artificial ingredients found in most frozen treats it’s  nice to find one that contains no added sugar, and has all the healthy lycopene found in watermelon naturally.  (Lycopene is thought to reduce the risk of cancer).  The sweet crisp taste will please both young and old alike, and of course, it’s low in calories.  This one won’t weigh you down on a hot summer day 🙂

Ingredients:

6 – 8 cups diced seedless watermelon

1/4 cup Xylitol crystals

Zest of 1 lime, finely chopped or 1 – 2 tsp lime juice

pinch salt

1/4 tsp. Stevia powder

Method:

Using a food processor, puree watermelon into 4 cups.  In a large saucepan over medium heat, bring 1 cup watermelon puree, Xylitol, and lime to a simmer, stirring until sugar dissolves.  Season with salt.  Pour in remaining 3 cups watermelon puree, then add Stevia — whisk until evenly blended.

Pour entire mixture into a metal cake pan and freeze overnight.

The next day, allow frozen watermelon to thaw at room temperature for 5 – 15 minutes.  Using a knife (if it’s too hard let it thaw a little longer), carefully break up puree into 2-inch pieces.  Transfer to food processor in batches and pulse until smooth.

Store in plastic container in freezer for up to one week.

Yield: App. 1 quart

Zucchini, Zucchini, and More Zucchini!!!

IMG_0141By mid July most home gardeners find themselves drowning in zucchini. We loved planting those seeds a couple of months ago and the almost instant gratification when we saw the sturdy green sprouts poke through the soil. But by now we are asking why we ever planted so much zucchini (face it, you really only need one plant and you’ll have all the zucchini you need for the summer). You know it’s bad when friends start to avoid you because they’re afraid you’ll try to “bless” them with more of your zucchini harvest!
Well, did you know that you can freeze fresh shredded zucchini , and it’s so easy to do? Simply wash the zucchini. Don’t peel it, but cut off the stem and the blossom end. Shred the whole zucchini. Zucchini is very moist, so you will want to get most of the water out. An easy way to do that is to put the shredded zucchini in a colander or large strainer; salt and toss it so that the salt is evenly distributed. Let it sit for about 15 minutes, then squeeze out the moisture — you will be surprised how much comes out. You can freeze the drained shredded zucchini in one cup portions, and then it will be ready to use it in your favorite recipes all winter.
Hiding this shredded zucchini in whatever you cook (soups, stews, “meat” loaves) is a great way to get more green veggies into your kids’ diets. Hint: to make it even more inconspicuous, peel the zucchini before shredding and they will never suspect a thing:)