Raspberry Avocado Sorbet with Vanilla Beans

Raspberry Avocado Sorbet with Vanilla Beans
Chocolate and Vanilla Lovers Rejoice!
Prep Time
15 minutes
Number of Servings
Serves 4
Ingredients
  • 1 medium avocado, peeled and pitted
  • [q:2 1/2] pints fresh raspberries
  • Juice of 1 lime
  • 3 tablespoons honey
  • 1 Simply Organic Madagascar Vanilla Bean, scraped
  • [q:1/4] cup dark chocolate chips
Directions
  1. Properly chill your ice cream or sorbet churning bowl in the freezer over night. (If you don't have an ice cream maker, see notes below).
  2. In a high-speed blender or food processor, combine avocado, raspberries, lime juice, honey and vanilla bean. Blend on high until smooth and creamy.
  3. Pour mixture into chilled ice cream maker and freeze for about 10 minutes. Stir in dark chocolate chips, then continue freezing according to the ice cream maker manufacturer's instructions. Serve or store in freezer.
Nutrition Info
306 Calories, 4 g Protein, 48 g Carbohydrates, 25 g Total sugars (16 g Added sugars), 18 g Fiber, 14 g Total fat (4 g sat), 9 mg Sodium, [nutrition:5] Vitamin C, [nutrition:2] Vitamin K, Folate, Magnesium, [nutrition:1] Vitamin B2 (riboflavin), B3 (niacin), B6, E, Iron, Phosphorus, Potassium, Zinc

Frozen Topped Bananas

Frozen Topped Bananas
Prep Time
Serves 4
Ingredients
  • 2 ripe, firm bananas, peeled
  • 1 cup semisweet chocolate chips or dark chocolate, chopped
  • 2 Tbsp vegetable oil
  • [q:3/4] cup combination of chopped nuts, dried fruit, granola, and/ or shredded coconut*
Directions
  1. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or nonstick foil.
  2. Slice bananas in half widthwise and insert a wooden frozen treat stick lengthwise into each banana half. Place bananas on baking sheet and freeze for 15 minutes.
  3. Melt chocolate with oil in a large bowl by microwaving at 50 percent power for 2 to 3 minutes. Stir occasionally with a spoon, until melted and smooth.
  4. Holding wooden stick, roll each banana half in melted chocolate. Quickly sprinkle desired toppings over.
  5. Freeze bananas until frozen and chocolate sets, 30 to 45 minutes. Serve immediately or freeze up to 1 week in an airtight container.
Nutrition Info
Made with dark chocolate and walnuts: 532 Calories, 8 g Protein, 1 mg Cholesterol, 37 g Carbohydrates, 19 g Total sugars (11 g Added sugars), 8 g Fiber, 41 g Total fat (13 g sat), 10 mg Sodium, [nutrition:3] Iron, Magnesium, Phosphorus, [nutrition:2] Vitamin B6, Zinc, [nutrition:1] Vitamin E, Potassium

Raspberry Granita

Raspberry Granita
A Tart Treat for Muggy Days
Prep Time
30 minutes, plus 3 hours freeze time
Number of Servings
Serves 6
Ingredients
  • 4 cups fresh raspberries
  • [q:1/3] cup honey
  • Zest of 1 organic lemon
  • 1 Tbsp lemon juice
Directions
  1. Toss raspberries with honey, lemon zest, and lemon juice in a bowl. Let sit for 20 minutes.
  2. Mash mixture with back of a large spoon or potato masher until mixture is well blended. Don’t mash so much that mixture becomes a purée.
  3. Transfer mixture to a 9-inch square metal pan. Place pan in freezer, covered, for 1 hour.
  4. Remove pan from freezer and stir mixture with a fork, breaking up frozen sections. Return pan to freezer and freeze until firm, about 2 more hours.
  5. Remove pan from freezer and, with a fork, use a chopping motion to break granita up into flakes. Serve.
Nutrition Info
103 Calories, 1 g Protein, 26 g Carbohydrates, 6 g Fiber, 1 g Total fat (0 g sat), 2 mg Sodium, [nutrition:3] Vitamin C

Kiwi, Melon, and Mint Fruit Sorbet

Kiwi, Melon, and Mint Fruit Sorbet
Prep Time
25 minutes, plus freeze time
Number of Servings
Serves 8
Ingredients
  • 6 kiwifruit, peeled and cut into chunks
  • [q:1/2] galia melon or honeydew melon (approximately 12 oz), peeled, deseeded, and cut into chunks
  • [q:3 1/2] oz caster sugar or superfine sugar
  • 4 sprigs of mint, leaves picked off
Directions
  1. Place all fruit in a freezer bag and freeze until firm. When ready, bring sugar and [q:3 1/2] fluid ounces water to boil in a saucepan. Simmer until sugar has dissolved. Cool until it is just lukewarm. (A quick way to do this is to place the saucepan in a basin of cold water.)
  2. While sugar syrup is cooling, remove fruit from freezer to soften a little. Place fruit in a food processor along with mint leaves and blitz, pouring in sugar syrup slowly. Continue blending until completely cooled. Mixture should have a soft-serve texture, meaning you could serve it straight away. Or, you could give it a few more hours in a freezer-proof tub in the freezer to firm it up before serving.
Nutrition Info
95 Calories, 1 g Protein, 24 g Carbohydrates, 2 g Fiber, 0 g Total fat (0 g sat), 10 mg Sodium, [nutrition:5] Vitamin C, [nutrition:1] Vitamin K

Blackberry and Orange Fruit Sorbet

Blackberry and Orange Fruit Sorbet
Prep Time
10 minutes, plus freeze time
Number of Servings
Serves 8
Ingredients
  • 1 lb, 5 oz frozen blackberries
  • 5 Tbsp maple syrup
  • Grated zest of 2 oranges and juice of [q:1/2] orange
  • [q:1/2] Tbsp vanilla bean paste or vanilla extract
Directions
  1. Place frozen blackberries, maple syrup, orange zest and juice, and vanilla bean paste into a food processor. Pulse until silky smooth. 
  2. Transfer to a freezer-proof container and freeze until needed. 
  3. Remove from freezer 10 minutes before you are ready to serve to soften sorbet slightly.
Nutrition Info
70 Calories, 1 g Protein, 17 g Carbohydrates, 4 g Fiber, 0 g Total fat (0 g sat), 2 mg Sodium, [nutrition:2] Vitamin C, [nutrition:1] Vitamin B2 (riboflavin), K

Save Time & Money with Frozen Foods

Save Time & Money with Frozen Foods
Your freezer is your friend
Jes Gallagher
Frozen organic cauliflower, broccoli and carrots

At the grocery store, most of us make a beeline to the produce, meat, and dairy departments. We sometimes forget there’s a wealth of foods in the freezer section that may be less expensive and even healthier!

Nutrients in Frozen Foods

Frozen fruits and vegetables are harvested at the peak of ripeness and then quickly frozen to lock in nutrients.

Fresh produce, on the other hand, tends to be harvested before reaching its nutritional peak. These items spend time in transport and then the store before finally reaching your home.

Multiple days of transportation and storage may affect a fresh food’s nutrient content (particularly vitamins A and C and folate).

Frozen foods last longer than fresh, since they’re kept in the freezer and are not as susceptible to spoilage.

Choosing Frozen Produce

Follow these tips when shopping for frozen fruits and vegetables.

  • Buy a variety of colors to get an optimal amount of nutrients.
  • Look for items that are pre-cut, saving you time when prepping recipes.
  • Read labels and steer away from products that contain unnecessary sugar, salt, and sauces.

Freezing Fresh Food for Later

If an item’s on sale in the meat department, consider buying additional amounts for freezing. For future convenience, prep fresh cuts by rubbing with spices or using a marinade and then freezing flat in freezer bags.

Packaged Foods that Freeze Well

  • guacamole
  • hummus
  • pesto
  • pasta sauce
  • tomato paste
  • tortillas

Foods You Should Avoid Freezing

  • fried items
  • raw potatoes
  • mayonnaise
  • dairy products, except:
    • butter
    • shredded cheese
    • casseroles

Freezing Tips

  • Do not freeze raw vegetables unless they’ve been blanched first.
  • Avoid freezing fruits and vegetables with high-water contents, such as:
    • lettuce
    • cantaloupe
    • watermelon
    • celery
    • cabbage
    • cucumbers
    • radishes
  • Be sure to freeze fresh items soon after purchase to lock in texture, taste, and nutrients.
  • Foods that become freezer burnt are still safe to eat, but the texture and taste of the item may suffer.
  • Reduce freezer burn by placing items in freezer-safe plastic bags and squeezing extra air out.
Sources

“5 ways your freezer can save you money (and time)” by Michaela Cisney, www.TheKitchn.com

“6 reasons frozen foods save time and money. . .” by Bonnie Taub-Dix, www.Today.com

Seriously Good Freezer Meals by Karrie Truman ($24.95, Robert Rose, 2018)

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The Taste for Life Staff
Tags
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Mocha Vietnamese-Style Lollies

Mocha Vietnamese-Style Lollies
Prep Time
20 mins prep time + 4 hours freeze time
Number of Servings
makes 8
Ingredients
  • [q:1 3/4] oz dark chocolate (minimum 70 percent cocoa solids)
  • [q:1/2] pt hot, strong coffee
  • 4 oz condensed milk
  • 8 ice-lolly (ice pop) molds and sticks
Directions
  1. Using the fine side of a box grater, grate chocolate into a bowl and pour over hot coffee. Stir until melted and add condensed milk. Mix until color is an even
  2. milky brown, and then pour into molds.
  3. Put molds in freezer for an hour or so before poking an ice-lolly stick into each mold. Continue to freeze for a further 3 hours or, preferably, overnight until solid.
  4. Remove lollies from freezer, dip molds briefly in hot water, and then gently pull lollies out of molds and serve straight away.
Nutrition Info
Per serving (1 ice lolly): 83 Calories, 2 g Protein, 11 g Carbohydrates, 1 g Fiber, 4 g Total fat (2 g sat), 20 mg Sodium, [nutrition:1] Phosphorus

Mixed Berry Goat Milk Yogurt Pops

Mixed Berry Goat Milk Yogurt Pops
Prep Time
5 minutes (Freeze Time: 6 hours)
Number of Servings
6 full-size ice pops (adjust recipe for smaller molds)
Ingredients
  • 12 oz (3 x 4oz pouches) KABRITA Goat Milk Yogurt & Fruit – Mixed Berry flavor
  • 12 oz fresh or frozen mixed berries (such as strawberries, blueberries and raspberries)
  • 4 oz water
  • Ice Pop molds of your choice
Directions
  1. Blend all ingredients until smooth.
  2. Fill ice pop molds with blended mixture.
  3. Freeze for at least 6 hours.
  4. When ready to serve, run molds under warm water for 15 seconds and ice pops should slide out easily.
  5. Serve and enjoy!
Nutrition Info
Per serving (1 pop): 65 Calories, 1.3 g Protein, 14 g Carbohydrates, 0.75 g Fat (0 g sat), 10 mg Sodium, [nutrition:2] Vitamin C, [nutrition:1] Vitamin D, [nutrition:1] Vitamin E

Watermelon Frozen Pops

Watermelon Frozen Pops
Number of Servings
Serves 8
Ingredients
  • 4 cups fresh watermelon (roughly chopped)
  • Juice of 1 lime 
  • Honey or agave to taste
Directions
  1. Combine all ingredients in a blender.
  2. Blend until smooth.
  3. Pour into pop molds and freeze until hard.
Nutrition Info
Made with 1 Tbsp honey: 20 Calories, 0 g Protein, 0 mg Cholesterol, 5 g Carbohydrates, 4 g Total sugars (2 g Added sugars), 1 g Fiber, 0 g Total fat (0 g sat), 0 mg Sodium, [nutrition:1] Vitamin C
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