Category Archives: Summer

Mint Chip Pops

Even though I make these pops in a Zoku maker, you can make any of these recipes in traditional pop makers – each pop here is 2 oz. so adjust accordingly. And if you love pops like me, then do yourself a favor and get a Zoku 🙂 Their recipes turn out fantastic pops – I often skinny them up a bit, but I mostly use their measurements and basic recipe and am always pleased with the results. Though the original recipe does not call for it, I always add a couple of drops of green food coloring – it just tastes more minty if it’s green – hehehe

Mint Chip Pops
Mint Chip Pops

6 servings
159 calories per serving

1 ½ c skim milk
3 T simple syrup (heat equal amounts sugar and water until sugar is all dissolved – cool)
1 t peppermint extract
½ t vanilla extract
Pinch salt
¼ c semi sweet chocolate chips
6 T magic shell (available in the ice cream section of your market)
A few drops of green food coloring (optional)

Whisk together the first 5 ingredients. If you want to chocolate chips in the pops (this method only pertains to pops made in a Zoku) dip the chips in the mint base then using tweezers, place the walls of the mold. Then pour in the mint base and freeze completely (7-9 minutes in the Zoku, 6 hours in the freezer). If desired, add the quick shell by brushing on or watering down a bit and then dipping the pops into the shell – I usually leave mine bare 🙂

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Grilled Asian Drumsticks

Sometimes when you marinate or cook with a glaze on, all the best flavor is worn off before you get to eat. But by slathering on the glaze at the very end, you end up with TONS of flavor. And this is a great one – vinegar, soy, honey and garlic – yummy !

Grilled Asian Drumsticks
Grilled Asian Drumsticks

4 servings
210 calories per serving

8 chicken drumsticks, skinned
Pam
3 T balsamic vinegar
3 T soy sauce
3 T honey
1 t garlic chili sauce (available in the Asian section of your market)

Preheat your grill and spray the rack with high heat Pam. Coat chicken with spray and grill 10 minutes then turn and cook another 10 or until done. Mix vinegar, soy, honey and chili sauce in a pan and bring to a boil. Then reduce heat and cook until reduced to 1/3 c of glaze. Put chicken on a large baking sheet and pour the glaze over the legs.

Fudge Pops with Bananas

I recently got a Zoku Quick Pop Maker. BEST THING EVER ! I love making pops but hate the wait time. Now I have ‘em in 7-9 minutes 🙂 This is one of the recipes I pulled from the Zoku book – of course, I’ve tweaked many of the recipes to suit my own tastes, bring down calories, and to get creative with the pops, but some are in their original goodness.

You can make any of these recipes in traditional pop makers – each pop here is 2 oz. so adjust accordingly. And if you love pops like me, then do yourself a favor and get a Zoku 🙂

Fudge Pops with Bananas
Fudge Pops with Bananas

6 servings
132 calories per serving

1 c water
2 1/3 oz. bittersweet chocolate (I used Ghiradelli bittersweet morsels)
1/3 c sugar
1 pinch salt
1/3 c skim milk
1 T fat free half and half
½ c very thin banana slices

In a saucepan whisk chocolate, sugar, water and salt and cook until completely melted, about 5 minutes. Let cool about 10 minutes in the fridge and then whisk in the milk and half and half. Then return to the fridge and cool completely (about ½ hour).

Working in 2 batches – Place bananas on the sides of the maker molds then pour in the mix. In 7-9 minutes you’ll have creamy, fudgy goodness with a bit of banana thrown in for interest 🙂

If you are using traditional molds, you can suspend the bananas by filling the molds half way, freezing a bit, then adding the bananas and the rest of the mix. Or you can just let the drop to the bottom – it will still taste dandy ! Freeze 6 hours.

Caribbean Chicken

This recipe makes a nice mellow flavored meal full of Caribbean richness and warmth. Try serving with a tossed green salad and some rice.

Caribbean Chicken
Caribbean Chicken

4 servings
187 calories per serving

¼ c minced onion
1 T sugar
1 T finely chopped jalapeno pepper (seeds removed)
2 t cider vinegar
2 t soy sauce
½ t salt
½ t ground allspice (or a mix of ground cloves and ground nutmeg)
½ t thyme
½ t pepper
¼ t red pepper flakes
1 ½ lb. boneless, skinless chicken thighs
Pam

Combine all except chicken and Pam in a large bowl. Add chicken and toss well to coat. Heat a grill pan (or the BBQ grill in the backyard !) on medium high heat and spray with Pam. Cook 5 minutes per side or until done.

Glazed Grilled Steak

This recipe includes a simple marinade that makes the steak taste like a million bucks ! You’ll never grill a naked steak again !

Glazed Grilled Steak
Glazed Grilled Steak

4 servings
280 calories per serving

½ c steak sauce
½ c low fat balsamic vinaigrette
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 t oregano flakes
1 t onion powder
2 beef rib eyes (total 1 lb.)

Mix all ingredients other than the meat and reserve ¼ c for later use. Place the meat in a zip loc along with the sauce, mush it around so the sauce coats the meat evenly, then refrigerate for 30 minutes (or up to a couple hours). Heat grill and cook steak 4-5 minutes per side or to desired doneness. Serve topped with extra sauce.

Grilled Pork Salad

This tasted equally as good all nestled inside a wrap for easy portability…what a great brown bag lunch !

Grilled Pork Salad
Grilled Pork Salad

4 servings
400 calories per serving

¼ c oil
2 T lime juice
1 T Dijon mustard
½ t salt
1 lb. pork tenderloin
Raspberry Vinaigrette
3 bunches watercress torn into pieces
1 small peach, cut into ½ inch pieces
½ c raspberries

Mix oil, lime, mustard, and salt in a zip loc bag and add pork. Mix up and refrigerate in the sealed bag at least 1 hour. Heat grill and cook pork 10 minutes each side or until done. Cut diagonally into ¼ inch slices and set ½ of it aside for another meal. Arrange meat on watercress pieces and drizzle with vinaigrette then garnish with fruit.

Vinaigrette
¼ c oil
2 T raspberry vinegar
1 t honey
½ t salt
½ t ground mustard

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Teriyaki Chicken

Teriyaki give the chicken a great glaze that then gets nice and crispy when you put it on the grill. The flavor is simple and that means this dish pairs up well with a myriad of different sides.

Teriyaki Chicken
Teriyaki Chicken

4 servings
160 calories per serving

4 4 oz. boneless skinless chicken breasts
1 c teriyaki sauce
¼ c lemon juice
2 t minced garlic
¼ t pepper
2 t sesame oil

Marinate chicken in all the mixed ingredients in a zip loc bag in the refrigerator for 24 hours. Heat grill and cook the chicken 6 minutes each side or until done.

Grilled Tomatillos

Tomatillos are spicy little green fruits in the tomato family – you have probably eaten them in some salsas (salsa verde which translates to green salsa) and tomatillo sauces. Grilling them brings out a nice sweet flavor. This is a nice spicy addition to a meal that may be a bit on the blander side.

I served it aside Broiled Cod with Chili Powder – it was a great double whammy of flavor 🙂

Grilled Tomatillos
Grilled Tomatillos

4 servings
154 calories per serving

¼ c basil leaves
1 clove garlic
1 T lemon juice
6 tomatillos cut into 1/2″ thick slices
1 T oil

Heat grill and oil grates or a grill pan. In a food processor mix the basil, garlic and lemon juice until smooth (adding 1-2 t water if needed). Brush tomatillo slices with oil and season with salt and pepper. Grill until lightly charred and then serve with basil sauce.

Lemon Mousse

This is so super refreshing – so very lemony ! And just the perfect dessert on a hot summer night. The consistency is VERY light – it’s like eating a lemon cloud.

Lemon Mousse
Lemon Mousse

12 servings
99 calories per serving

2 .3 oz. sugar free lemon jello
2 c boiling water
14 oz. diet Sprite
¼ c lemon juice
12 oz. Cool Whip Lite, thawed

Mix jello with water and stir to dissolve then add soda and lemon juice and chill until slightly thickened. Beat until frothy and then stir in Cool Whip. Pour into individual cups and chill at least one hour.

Fruit and Yogurt Pops

Take one hot and sunny day, add 6 frozen fruit and yogurt pops, and you end up with a perfect way to spend the summer 🙂

Fruit and Yogurt Pops
Fruit and Yogurt Pops

6 servings
98 calories per serving

1 ½ c strawberry slices
¼ c sugar
1 ½ c blueberries
1 ¼ c low fat plain yogurt

Puree strawberries in food processor with 1 T sugar. Whisk yogurt and 2 T sugar. Puree blueberries in food processor with 1 T sugar. Make layers of fruit and yogurt in your ice pop mold, insert sticks and freeze at least 3 hours.

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