Skinny Strawberry Cheesecake

This cheesecake recipe is perfect for Valentines Day that is right around the corner. It is creamy, smooth, and has just a touch of sweetness.

Ingredients:

7 sheets honey graham crackers
1 Tbs. salted butter, melted and cooled
1 egg white, room temperature
2 Tbs. milk, 1 %

Filling:

2 (8 oz.) 1/3 fat cream cheese
1/2 c. sugar
1 egg white, room temperature
2 tsp. cornstarch
1 tsp. vanilla
1/4 c. sugar free strawberry preserves, melted and cooled

Preheat the oven to 300 degrees. Pulse the graham crackers in a food processor until it forms fine crumbs. Mix in the butter, egg white and milk and stir together until smooth.

Spray a spring-form pan with non stick cooking spray and spread out the crust in an even layer. Bake for 8 minutes.

In an electric mixer, beat the cream cheese and sugar together until smooth. Add in the cornstarch, egg white and vanilla. Spread the cream cheese on the cooled crust.

Pour the strawberry preserves in a random pattern on top. Use a toothpick and make a zigzag pattern through the preserves. Put into the oven and bake for 30 more minutes. Remove from the oven and let cool fully before slicing and serving.

Feta Strawberry Watermelon Salad

Although it is the transition of Spring to Fall right now, watermelon and strawberries are still in great shape, which gives you a great opportunity to take advantage of this salad and how great it is! It combines sweet fruit with savory cheese and fresh herbs!

Ingredients:

3 c. strawberries, diced
3 c. watermelon, cubed
1/2 c. feta cheese, crumbled
1/3 c. sliced almonds
8 basil leaves, chopped

Combine all of the above ingredients together in a large bowl. Let sit in the refrigerator for a half hour to merry together before serving.

Pineapple Salsa

Another sweet salsa recipe that heightens the flavor of  a perfectly ripe pineapple! Combine with strawberries, kiwi and fresh cilantro and you've got a hit salsa!

Ingredients:

4-6 kiwi, peeled and diced

7-10 strawberries, cored and diced

1/2 fresh pineapple, small diced

3 Tbs. fresh cilantro, chopped

Combine the above ingredients together in a large bowl and let sit room temperature for at least 15 minutes before serving, so the flavors have time to set together. I like to serve this salsa with homemade cinnamon tortilla chips!

Strawberry Kiwi Lemonade Bounce

Here is another variation of my late Aunt Jean's Bounce recipe. I had to cut up a bunch of kiwi for a fruit salad and wanted to do something with the kiwi peel (I am not brave enough to eat it, even though I know technically you can, and know some people that do). This bounce turned out perfect and is a great flavor profile for the hot summer days to come!

Ingredients:

3 c. Burnett's Pink Lemonade Vodka
4 large strawberries, chopped
Peel from 6-8 kiwi
5 tsp. Splenda

In a large bottle, combine the above ingredients. Place the cap back on and shake everything together. I like to place a label saying when the Bounce will be done (4-6 weeks, or if you are impatient, you can test it out after two). Every day, shake the bottle and set back down. After the time has passed, strain the liquid and place into a different bottle. Now all you have left to do is tip a shot back!

Strawberry Custard Cake

I wanted to make something special with the feeling of Spring for Mother's day this year. Putting together layered cakes and making cupcakes are usually my favorite type of dessert to jump to, but my mom isn't a huge fan of either of those so I wanted to pick something that would look slightly like a cake, but have the texture of a custard. This fit the bill perfectly! It has a smooth custard texture, firm enough to slice and is packed with chopped strawberries.  

 Ingredients:

1 1/2 c. strawberries, chopped

4 eggs, separated

3/4 c. Splenda

1 Tbs. lemon juice

1 tsp. vanilla

1 stick butter, melted

3/4 c. flour

2 c. warm milk (heat in the microwave for about 30 seconds, check, heat again 20 seconds if need be)

*Optional (what I used), whipped cream, crystallized rose sugar

Preheat the oven to 325 degrees. Grease an 8 or 9 inch springform pan with non stick cooking spray and set on top of a baking sheet. Separate the eggs, placing the whites in an electric mixer, and the yolks in a large bowl. Using the whisk attachment, whip the egg whites until stiff peaks form. 

Meanwhile, add the Splenda in with the egg yolks and whisk together. Add the lemon juice, vanilla and melted butter and whisk again until everything is well combined. Add in the flour and whisk again. Add the milk, 1/2 cup at a time, and whisk until everything is incorporated. The batter will be VERY runny, which is what you want. 

Gently fold in the whipped egg whites until about half of them are incorporated in with the egg yolk mixture. There will be really weird looking egg white lumps left, and no worries, it is supposed to look like that.

Pour the batter into the prepared pan. Spread out the chopped strawberries. The egg white should still be stiff enough to hold the strawberries on top. Bake for 1 hour in the oven, checking after 40 minutes because each oven can vary. The cake should no longer giggle in the center when touched. Let the cake cool for 20 minutes before slicing or removing from the springform pan. 

Top with whipped cream and crystallized rose sugar!

Strawberry Overnight Oats

This recipe is almost as easy as 1, 2, 3. Measure, mix and pour is almost all of the work that you need to do, minus chopping up the strawberries! This is a really easy recipe that is a very refreshing breakfast ready to go for the next day!

Ingredients:

1 c. Oats

2/3 c. milk, 1 %

1/2 c. fat free plain yogurt

4 tsp. chia seeds

1/2 tsp. vanilla

1/4 tsp. salt

1/2 c. fresh chopped strawberries

In a large bowl, combine the above ingredients, minus the strawberries. If you want your overnight oats to be on the sweeter side, you can use vanilla yogurt or add a small amount of sugar. 

Fill 2 small mason jars with 1/4 of the oatmeal mixture. Add 1/2 of the strawberries to each jar. Fill the rest of the way and top with the oatmeal. Place the lid back on and refrigerate overnight (or at least 4 hours) before diving in!

Strawberry Mojito Punch

 

The strawberries and mint make a very refreshing drink for a hot summer day. Throw a shot of rum in it and it also makes for a very refreshing night!

Ingredients:

1 1/2 c. shopped strawberries (plus garnish)
5-6 mint leaves, chopped very fine
3 Tbs. sugar
2 bottles of sparkling water
Lime, sliced thin and cut in half
Rum (I used Malibu, coconut rum)

In a medium size bowl, mash the strawberries, minced mint and sugar together. Scoop into the bottom of a large pitcher. Pour in the sparkling water and stir to mix together. Add a slice of strawberry to the side of your serving glasses and a 1/2 lime slice to the bottom. Pour into your serving glasses. If you want to leave the option of alcohol like I did, leave shots of rum on the serving tray with the prepared glasses.

Strawberry Mango Salsa

Best fruit salsa EVER! The cucumbers give it a nice crunch and the mix of the fruits combined with the cilantro and lime sends it over the edge!

 Ingredients:

1 cucumber, chopped into small cubes
1 mango, peeled, cored and chopped into small cubes
1 lime, juiced
2 Tbs. fresh cilantro, chopped
12 large strawberries, stem removed and chopped

Combine all of the above ingredients together in a large bowl. Ta da! It's done! It is so simple and so fresh!

Strawberries and Angel Food Cake

This recipe is a fun tart twist on strawberry shortcake. Instead of the normal pound cake, it is layers of Angel Food Cake loaf slices, strawberries and Cool Whip! I made this recipe while downstate in Oscoda, and it was so delicious that I made it again last night at my parents house for Memorial Day.

Ingredients:

1 Loaf Angel Food Cake, cut into 12 slices
1 c. Strawberry Lemonade, Skinnygirl Sparklers
3 c. chopped strawberries
2 Tbs. sugar
Cool Whip, Light

Combine the strawberries, sugar and Skinnygirl strawberry lemonade in a small bowl until everything is mixed well. Let sit on the counter for at least a half an hour so that the strawberries can soak up the liquid. Cut the Angel Food cake loaf into 12 slices. Lay out six bowls or serving dishes and place one layer of cake in the bottom of each bowl. Add about 1/4 c. of strawberries on the bottom layer of cake, place another piece of cake on top, and evenly distribute the remaining strawberries on top. Dollop each with a large scoop of light Cool Whip.

Chocolate Strawberry Frozen Yogurt Milkshake

Ingredients:

1 1/2 c. strawberries, fresh, chopped
2 c. Kemp's Neopolitan Frozen Yogurt, Low Fat
1 c. Ice cubes
1/2 - 1 c. Unsweetened Almond milk, more or less to determine consistency
*Optional, yogurt and chocolate chips

Place the above ingredients into a blender and blend together until everything is mixed well and there are no large clumps in the milkshake. Top with chocolate chips and garnish with a strawberry slice. Simple and refreshing.

3-way Strawberry Parfait

Ingredients:

1 pkg. sugar free, fat free, Strawberry Jell-O
2 containers low fat Strawberry yogurt (I used Yoplait)
Fat free Redi-Wip
Fresh Strawberry slices

Prepare the jell-o as directed on the box. Fill your serving glasses/dishes half way full with the jell-o. Place the cups in a pan lined with a washcloth or small towel and lean the classes tipped on their side at a 45 degree angle. Place in the refrigerator and let set. When the jell-o is set, add the strawberry yogurt and top with the whipped cream. Add a slice of strawberry on top!

(Makes 8 servings, 1 WW point per serving)

Strawberry Heart Meringues

 

Ingredients:

3 egg whites
1/4 tsp. salt
1 package Strawberry Kool-Aid mix
3/4 c. sugar
1 Tbs. white distilled vinegar

Preheat the oven to 250 degrees. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and set aside. In an electric mixer with the whisk attachment, whip the egg whites and salt together until foamy. Add in the Kool-Aid mix and then the sugar, a small amount at a time. Whisk on high speed until stiff peaks form, and then add in the vinegar and continue to mix for another minute or so. Spoon into a piping bag with your choice of tip. For Valentines day, I piped most of the meringue batter into heart shapes. Bake for 25 minutes in the oven, and then turn the oven off and keep in the oven for another 20 minutes. Remove from the oven and transfer the parchment with meringues to a wire rack to cool fully. Peel off and store in a container that has venting.

Angel Food French Toast

Ingredients:

8 thin slices of Angel Food cake, flattened down (shown in picture below)
2 eggs
1/4 c. coconut milk (or whatever kind of milk you prefer)
1-2 tsp. cinnamon
Melted peanut butter
Sugar Free Smuckers strawberry ice cream topping
Powdered Sugar

Heat a large flat skillet or pan to medium heat. Whisk the eggs, coconut milk and cinnamon together in a medium size bowl. Spray the skillet with non stick cooking spray. Dip and cover each piece of flattened Angel Food cake with the egg mixture and place onto the skillet. After 1 1/2 to 2 minutes, check to make sure the bottom is golden brown and flip over. Repeat for the other side.

Place your Angel Food french toast onto your serving plates and drizzle with melted peanut butter. Top with strawberry ice cream topping, and dust with powdered sugar. Tastes just like a PB&J sandwich!