Mango Ginger Floats
Makes 4 servings
Ingredients:
- 1 (3/4-pound) mango
- 3 tablespoons fresh lime juice, or to taste
- 1 tablespoon sugar, or to taste
- 1 pint mango ice cream
- About 16 ounces chilled ginger ale
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Peel and pit mango, then chop. Purée with lime juice and sugar in a blender until smooth. Divide among tall glasses, then top with ice cream and ginger ale. Serve with straws.
What a great alternative to a fatty shake or ice cream float!
* Recipe courtesy of Gourmet
Honeydew Lime Popsicles
Makes 6-10 popsicles
Ingredients:
- 1/4 cup superfine or regular granulated sugar
- 1/4 cup water
- 1 (3 1/2-lb) ripe honeydew melon, peeled, seeded, and cut into 1/2-inch pieces (4 cups)
- 2/3 cup fresh lime juice
- Special equipment: 6 to 10 Popsicle molds and sticks- could just use paper cups!
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Dissolve sugar in water by stirring if using superfine or by heating in a small heavy saucepan if using regular granulated (then cool).
Blend half of melon and half of lime juice in a blender until smooth. Add syrup and remaining melon and lime juice and purée until smooth. Force purée through a fine-mesh sieve into a 2-quart glass measure or bowl, pressing on solids and then discarding them.
Pour mixture into molds and freeze until slushy, about 2 hours.
Insert sticks, then freeze Popsicles until completely hardened, at least 6 hours.
Simple, healthy, and fun!
* Recipe courtesy of Gourmet
Deep Dark Chocolate Cookies
Makes 24
Ingredients:
- Nonstick vegetable oil spray
- 1 1/2 cups bittersweet chocolate chips (about 9 ounces), divided
- 3 large egg whites, room temperature
- 2 1/2 cups powdered sugar, divided
- 1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
- 1 tablespoon cornstarch
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
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Preheat oven to 400°F. Spray 2 large baking sheets with nonstick spray. Melt 1 cup chocolate chips in glass bowl in microwave, stirring twice, about 2 minutes. Cool slightly.
Using electric mixer, beat whites in large bowl to soft peaks. Gradually beat in 1 cup sugar. Continue beating until mixture resembles soft marshmallow crème. Whisk 1 cup sugar, cocoa, cornstarch, and salt in medium bowl to blend. On low speed, beat dry ingredients into meringue. Stir in lukewarm chocolate and 1/2 cup chocolate chips (dough will become very stiff).
Place 1/2 cup sugar in bowl. Roll 1 rounded tablespoon dough into ball; roll in sugar, coating thickly. Place on prepared sheet. Repeat with remaining dough, spacing 2 inches apart. Bake until puffed and tops crack, about 10 minutes. Cool on sheets on rack 10 minutes. Transfer to rack; cool.
This recipe is ideal because it does not require butter or flour, cutting off a lot of extra calories that chocolate cookies usually pack, all while still being chocolaty as ever!
* Recipe courtesy of Bon Appétit
Whole Wheat S’more Cookies
Makes 36
Ingredients:
- 3 cups whole wheat flour or white whole wheat flour
- 1 1/2 cups (packed) golden brown sugar
- 3/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 2 large eggs
- 1/2 cup buttermilk
- 1 tablespoon robust-flavored (dark) molasses
- 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, melted
- 1 1/2 cups milk chocolate chips (about 9 ounces)
- 1 cup mini marshmallows
- 3/4 cup coarsely chopped walnuts
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Preheat oven to 350°F. Line 3 large rimmed baking sheets with parchment paper. Whisk flour, sugar, salt, and baking soda in large bowl. Whisk eggs, buttermilk, molasses, and vanilla extract in medium bowl; whisk in butter. Add egg mixture to dry ingredients, stirring until dough is evenly moistened. Stir in chocolate chips, marshmallows, and nuts.
Drop cookie dough by rounded tablespoonfuls onto prepared sheets, spacing about 3 inches apart (about 12 cookies per sheet). Bake cookies, 1 sheet at a time, until golden brown, dry to touch, but still slightly soft, about 15 minutes. Let cookies cool on sheets 10 minutes. Transfer cookies to racks and cool (cookies will firm up).
This is a slightly more nutritious version of s’mores, with the plus being whole wheat flour.
