Refreshing Summertime Treats
Is the sizzling summertime heat wearing you down? Need to refresh your dry, parched mouth and replace those lost fluids? Why not quench your thirst and nourish your body with a splash of fruit? Lounge by the pool with a tangy lemon smoothie, snack on an assortment of fresh fruit with orange-vanilla ricotta dip or cool off with a watermelon popsicle. They all taste good and are simple to prepare. They're also good for you. Enjoy! Ricotta Fruit Dip Ingredients: 1/3 cup part-skim Ricotta cheese
1 tbsp sugar
1 tsp finely shredded orange peel
1 tbsp orange juice
1/2 cup vanilla low-fat yogurt
Assorted fresh fruit, cut up Preparation: Combine Ricotta cheese, sugar, orange peel and orange juice in blender or food processor. Cover and blend until smooth. Stir cheese mixture into yogurt. If desired, cover and chill up to 24 hours. Serve with assorted fresh fruit. Number of servings: 2 Nutritional Information (per serving):
| Calories: |
136 |
| Total fat: |
4 g |
| Saturated fat: |
2 g |
| Cholesterol: |
16 mg |
| Sodium: |
91 mg |
| Calcium: |
22% daily value |
| Protein: |
8 g |
| Carbohydrates: |
18 g |
| Dietary fiber: |
0 g |
Sunshine Lemon Smoothie
Ingredients: 2 cups skim milk
2 cups low-fat lemon yogurt
1/2 cup ice
3 tablespoons powdered lemonade mix Preparation: In blender, combine all ingredients and blend until the mixture is smooth and creamy. Serve in a tall glass and garnish with a lemon wedge. Number of servings: 4 Nutritional Information (per serving):
| Calories: |
180 |
| Total fat: |
2 g |
| Saturated fat: |
1 g |
| Carbohydrates: |
32 g |
| Protein: |
10 g |
| Calcium: |
300 mg |
| Sodium: |
140 mg |
Watermelon Popsicles Ingredients:
3 cups watermelon juice
1/2 cup sugar
2 tsp fresh lemon juice
1/2 cup water Preparation: Cut watermelon into cubes and rub through a strainer to remove seeds. In small saucepan, mix together sugar and water; simmer 3 minutes. Remove from heat. Stir in watermelon juice and lemon juice. Place in popsicle molds. Freeze. Number of Servings: Approximately 6 (depending on size of popsicle molds). Nutritional Information: Values are approximate.
| Calories: |
40 |
| Fat: |
0 g |
| Cholesterol: |
0 mg |
| Sodium: |
3 mg |
| Vitamin A: |
5% |
| Vitamin B6: |
3% |
| Vitamin C: |
23 mg (38%) |
| Carbohydrates: |
6.1 g |
Sources: Dairy Management, Inc. North Carolina Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services
This article was reviewed and updated June 2007.
| 
