1. Strawberry-Yogurt Bars
Line a 25 x 35 cm baking pan with parchment paper. In a medium bowl, mix 3 cups of full-fat yogurt, ¼ cup honey, and 1 tsp vanilla extract. Spread the mixture in the pan and scatter 1 ½ cups of sliced strawberries and ¼ cup chocolate chips on top. Freeze for 3 hours until firm. Once ready, break into pieces and serve.
You can store the bars in the freezer for up to 1 month in an airtight container with parchment paper between the pieces. Before serving, let the bars sit out at room temperature for 15 minutes.
Caloric Profile per Piece (2 x 6.5 cm): 34 calories, 2 g protein, 4 g carbs, 0.2 g dietary fiber, 3.5 g sugars, 1.3 g fat, 0.8 g saturated fat, 2.8 mg cholesterol, 19.7 IU vitamin A, 4.6 mg vitamin C, 2 mcg folic acid, 27.7 mg calcium, 0.1 mg iron, 3.1 mg magnesium, 44.8 mg potassium, 7.6 mg sodium, 2 g added sugars.
2. Fruit Salad
In a bowl, combine 1 cup diced pineapple, ½ cup sliced strawberries, 1 cup mixed berries, and 2 ripe kiwis sliced thinly. Toss and serve with a dressing made from 1 tbsp of fat-free yogurt mixed with 1 tbsp lime juice, lime zest, and 1 tbsp sugar if desired.
Caloric Profile per Serving (¾ cup): 57 calories, 1 g protein, 13.9 g carbs, 3 g dietary fiber, 9.1 g sugars, 0.4 g fat, 82.5 IU vitamin A, 73.6 mg vitamin C, 28.3 mcg folic acid, 25.8 mg calcium, 0.5 mg iron, 18.1 mg magnesium, 220.6 mg potassium, 1.8 mg sodium, 0.1 mg thiamine.
3. Strawberry-Cream Popsicles
In a medium saucepan, combine 450 g of cleaned, quartered strawberries, 2 tsp lemon juice, and 2 tsp granulated sugar. Cook over medium heat for 8-10 minutes, stirring, until the sugar dissolves and the strawberries soften. Transfer the mixture to a bowl and refrigerate until completely cooled.
Let 1 ¼ cups of vanilla frozen yogurt soften at room temperature for a few minutes. Stir with a spatula to soften. Pour the yogurt and strawberry mixture alternately into popsicle molds, creating layers of different colors. Insert a popsicle stick into each mold and freeze for at least 6 hours.
Caloric Profile per Popsicle: 75 calories, 2 g fat, 5 mg cholesterol, 16 mg sodium, 14 g carbs, 1 g dietary fiber, 1 g protein, 10 g sugars, 1 g saturated fat, 111 mg potassium.
4. Watermelon “Pizza”
In a bowl, mix ½ cup low-fat yogurt, 1 tsp honey, and ¼ tsp vanilla extract. Cut 2 large round slices from the center of the watermelon and then cut each slice into wedges, like pizza slices. Spread the yogurt mixture on each piece. In another bowl, combine ⅔ cup sliced strawberries, ½ cup berries, and 1 diced orange. Top each piece of watermelon with the fruit, garnish with fresh mint leaves, and serve. Optionally, add nuts, but this will increase the calorie count.
Caloric Profile per 2 Wedges of Watermelon Pizza: 64 calories, 1.9 g protein, 14.6 g carbs, 1.4 g dietary fiber, 11.7 g sugars, 0.6 g fat, 0.2 g saturated fat, 0.9 mg cholesterol, 893 IU vitamin A, 21.7 mg vitamin C, 13 mcg folic acid, 45.7 mg calcium, 0.6 mg iron, 21.3 mg magnesium, 237.3 mg potassium, 12.8 mg sodium, 0.1 mg thiamine, 1 g added sugars.
5. Chocolate-Dipped Banana Bites with Peanut Butter
Peel and slice 3 large bananas lengthwise. Spread ¼ cup peanut butter on 3 of the banana slices and top with the remaining slices to make sandwiches. Cut each banana into 6-8 pieces. Place on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper and freeze for at least 2 hours. Melt 2 cups of chocolate chips or chopped chocolate in a double boiler or microwave. Dip each banana bite in the chocolate to coat well, then return to the baking sheet. Let the chocolate set and store the bites in the freezer.
Caloric Profile per Bite: 58 calories, 1 g protein, 7.7 g carbs, 0.9 g dietary fiber, 5 g sugars, 3 g fat, 1.2 g saturated fat, 10.9 IU vitamin A, 1.5 mg vitamin C, 4.1 mcg folic acid, 2.5 mg calcium, 0.2 mg iron, 10.6 mg magnesium, 80 mg potassium, 9.5 mg sodium, 2 g added sugars.
6. Pink Lemonade Granita
In a bowl, mix 1 ¾ cups water, ¾ cup lemon juice, and ⅓ cup sugar until the sugar dissolves. Add red food coloring until the lemonade reaches a nice pink hue. Pour the mixture into granita molds or plastic cups. Freeze until firm. After 1.5 hours, when the granitas have partially frozen, insert a popsicle stick into each one and freeze overnight until fully solidified.
Caloric Profile per Granita: 43 calories, 0.1 g protein, 11.4 g carbs, 0.1 g dietary fiber, 10.3 g sugars, 0.1 g fat, 1.6 IU vitamin A, 10.1 mg vitamin C, 5.2 mcg folic acid, 3.4 mg calcium, 2.2 mg magnesium, 27.7 mg potassium, 2.1 mg sodium.
7. Cherry Sorbet
Blend 4 cups of pitted cherries, 1 cup water, and 2-4 tbsp sugar until smooth. Strain through a fine sieve, pressing to extract as much liquid as possible. Transfer the mixture to an ice cream maker. Once the sorbet is ready, transfer it to an airtight container and freeze.
If you don’t have an ice cream maker, pour the strained mixture into a deep metal pan and freeze. Every half hour, scrape and stir with a fork for 2.5 to 3 hours until the mixture is fully frozen.
Caloric Profile per ½ Cup Sorbet: 46 calories, 0.8 g protein, 11.3 g carbs, 1.2 g dietary fiber, 8.4 g sugars, 0.2 g fat, 0.1 g saturated fat, 994.3 IU vitamin A, 7.8 mg vitamin C, 6.2 mcg folic acid, 13.3 mg calcium, 0.3 mg iron, 7.3 mg magnesium, 134.4 mg potassium, 3.3 mg sodium, 2 g added sugars.
8. Peach-Yogurt Ice Cream
In a microwave-safe bowl, combine 1 ½ cups diced ripe peaches, ¼ cup honey, and 3 tbsp water. Cover with plastic wrap and cut small holes in the top. Microwave on high for 2 minutes. Stir and microwave for an additional 1-2 minutes until the peaches are soft. Let cool for 10 minutes.
Transfer the mixture to a food processor and blend until smooth. Add 1 ¼ cups low-fat yogurt and blend until combined. Pour the mixture into popsicle molds, insert sticks, and freeze for about 6 hours.
Caloric Profile per Ice Cream: 98 calories, 3.2 g protein, 20.9 g carbs, 0.6 g dietary fiber, 19.3 g sugars, 0.8 g fat, 0.4 g saturated fat, 4.2 mg cholesterol, 292.8 IU vitamin A, 4.6 mg vitamin C, 1.8 mcg folic acid, 78.6 mg calcium, 0.3 mg iron, 3.8 mg magnesium, 80.5 mg potassium, 20 mg sodium, 14 g added sugars.
9. Watermelon Sorbet
In a medium saucepan, combine ½ cup sugar and ¾ cup water. Heat over medium-high heat, stirring until the sugar dissolves. Lower the heat and simmer for 5 minutes. Remove from heat and let cool for 45 minutes. Refrigerate for 1 hour.
In a food processor, blend 6 cups of seeded watermelon and 2 tbsp lime juice until smooth. Strain the mixture to remove seeds or large pieces and mix with the syrup. Pour the mixture into a metal pan and freeze until ice crystals form around the edges, about 30 minutes. Stir well, return to the freezer, and repeat every 20 minutes until fully frozen. Serve immediately or transfer to a storage container and let harden in the freezer.
Caloric Profile per ½ Cup Sorbet: 57 calories, 0.5 g protein, 14.7 g carbs, 0.6 g dietary fiber, 12.7 g sugars, 0.2 g fat, 0.1 g saturated fat, 10.7 IU vitamin A, 15.1 mg vitamin C, 6.4 mcg folic acid, 9.8 mg calcium, 0.1 mg iron, 7.1 mg magnesium, 79.2 mg potassium, 0.6 mg sodium, 4.3 g added sugars.
10. Watermelon-Strawberry Granita
In a blender, combine 2 cups of cleaned strawberries, 2 cups of seedless watermelon cut into cubes, ¼ cup lime juice, 2 tbsp brown sugar, and a pinch of salt. Blend until smooth and strain through a fine sieve, pressing to extract as much juice as possible. Pour the mixture into granita molds, insert a popsicle stick into each mold, and freeze for about 6 hours.
Caloric Profile per Granita: 57 calories; 0.8 g protein, 14.5 g carbohydrates, 1.6 g dietary fiber, 11.1 g sugars, 0.3 g fat, 301.6 IU vitamin A, 47.5 mg vitamin C, 1.6 mcg folic acid, 19.8 mg calcium, 0.4 mg iron, 15.2 mg magnesium, 179.9 mg potassium, 51.1 mg sodium, 4 g added sugars.
