Reducing or eliminating sugar is the fastest way to experience freedom from unwanted pounds and lagging energy and moods. However, deprivation isn't liberating. So what to do? Naturally sweet recipes that allow you to indulge and be free from guilt (and hours in the kitchen).
Here are some red, white and blue ideas to spark your own health revolution this July 4 holiday. To get the skinny and learn which dessert is the hottest food trend, check out my most recent NBC segment here.
Watermelon Gazpacho
Ingredients:
About 3 cups of watermelon, chopped
1 cucumber, diced
1/2 small onion, chopped
2 T lemon juice
1 T olive oil
3 T fresh chopped lime basil (check out your farmer's market for fun basil flavors to make this recipe your own)
Dash salt and pepper to taste
Directions:
In a VitaMix, blender or food processor, combine half of the watermelon, cucumber, and onion.
Add olive oil and lemon juice and puree until smooth.
Combine the remaining ingredients in a large bowl and mix well.
Add pureed ingredients and stir to combine. Add more salt and pepper, to taste.
Chill for at least one hour, to allow flavors to combine, and stir well before serving.
Coconut Macaroons
Ingredients:
8 dates
1 medium banana
1 1/2 cups unsweetened coconut flakes
1/4 tsp celtic sea salt
Directions:
Preheat oven to 325 degrees.
Soak the dates for 30 minutes. Save the water in case you need to add a little to help blend the banana and dates.
Put all ingredients minus the coconut flakes into the blender.
Remove from blender and mix with coconut.
Scoop out 1 T each of mixture, and roll into individual balls. Place balls on a parchment-lined cookie sheet.
Bake for 10-15 minutes, until golden brown on the bottom
Coconut Blueberry Popsicles
Ingredients:
1 cup full fat coconut milk
1 cup organic blueberries, plus extras to place into each popsicle mold (I got mine from Farmer Tom at Headhouse Square farmers market. Best blueberries I've ever tasted!)
2 T Wildflower honey (if at farmers market, get a bee keepers recommendation on flavor to make it your own)
Popsicle molds
Directions:
Blend all ingredients in a blender (minus the extra blueberries for the molds)
Place blueberry coconut milk into molds, filling 3/4 the way full (freezing will make the contents expand). Add a couple of blueberries per mold.
Freeze for 2-4 hours (each freezer is different)
Image via Mango & Tomato
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