There is nothing more refreshing than a healthy, homemade frozen treat during the summer months. It’s so much fun to make them as you experiment with various fruits to come up with your own unique favorites.

For many years, sorbets were used to both cleanse and stimulate the palate between courses. With today’s health conscience lifestyles, sorbets and other fresh and frozen fruit treats serve as a perfect refreshing snack for both children and adults. If you have a food processor (or blender) and a freezer, you already have everything you need in order to start experimenting.

Fresh frozen products should be consumed the same day they are made. You can use an ice cream maker for great results. Sugar helps with the consistency of your frozen products. Use too little, however, and ice crystals will form and the product will be grainy; use too much and the finished product will remain wet and syrupy. Follow the directions as described by the manufacturer or you can do it the old fashion way by simply placing it in the freezer. Enjoy!

Raspberry Ginger Lemonade Sorbet 3/4 cup Lemon Juice (fresh) 2 cups Sugar 2 cups Water 2 cups Raspberries (fresh) 1 ounce Ginger Root (fresh and sliced) 1 Egg White (whipped) Place sugar and water in a saucepan and bring the mixture to a boil. Remove from the heat and let set. This is your simple syrup. Extract the lemon juice from your lemons and reserve the juice. Keep the rinds from your lemons and reserve those as well. Add the ginger and lemon rinds to your simple syrup mixture and let steep for 20 minutes. Strain the liquid, add raspberries and bring back to a boil. Let cool. Purée the raspberry mixture through a fine-meshed sieve to catch the seeds. Add lemon juice and mix well. Refrigerate until cool and then freeze in an ice-cream maker according to the manufacturer’s directions. Or, place mixture in a shallow pan and let freeze for about three hours or until firm but not solid. Whip your eggs whites. If not using an ice cream machine, take the whipped egg whites and frozen mixture and beat with an electric mixer to a smooth and fluffy consistency. Return to the freezer for about another three to four hours or until firm. Best used within the first 24 hours.	Easy Melon Ice 4-1/2 cups of your favorite Melon (cantaloupe, honeydew or watermelon) 1/2 cup Orange Juice 1/2 cup Sugar 1 Egg White (whipped) Seed and dice your melon. Take the melon, juice and sugar and then purée together in a blender. Taste and adjust sugar if needed. Place mixture in the freezer for about three hours until firm but not solid. Whip egg whites. If not using an ice cream machine, take the egg whites and scoop the frozen mixture into a mixing bowl and beat with an electric mixer to make smooth and fluffy. Return to the freezer for about another three to four hours or until firm. Best used within the first 24 hours.
Piña Colada Sorbet 2 cups Cream of Coconut 2 cups Pineapple (fresh) 1 cup Orange Juice 1/4 cup Malibu Rum 1 tablespoon Lemon Juice (fresh) In a blender or food processor mix all ingredients in batches. Blend until you have a smooth mixture. Pour mixture into a shallow pan and place in freezer for about three hours or until firm but not frozen. Scoop mixture into a mixing bowl and beat with an electric mixer to a smooth and fluffy consistency. Return to the freezer for about another three to four hours or until firm. Best used within the first 24 hours.	Raspberry Yogurt Ice Pops 2 cups fresh Raspberries 1 cup Raspberry flavored Yogurt 1/4 cup White Grape Juice 1/4 cup Honey 1 tsp Lemon Zest Purée the raspberries in a food processor. Press the puréed raspberries through a sieve to remove the seeds. Combine the puréed raspberries with the yogurt and mix well. Stir in the white grape juice, honey and lemon zest. Take the mixture and divide it among the ice-pop molds and freeze until the mixture becomes thick but not completely frozen. Insert popsicle sticks and return to the freezer. Freeze until completely frozen. Variation…You can substitute the raspberries with any other berries, kiwi or peaches. You can also substitute the yogurt. Experiment with various fruit and yogurt.
Peach & Amaretto Sorbet 1/2 cup Water 1/2 cup Sugar 2 cups Peaches (very ripe, peeled and diced) 2 teaspoons Lemon Juice (fresh) 1/4 cup Amaretto In a medium saucepan, combine water, sugar and peaches. Simmer over medium heat until peaches are tender, about seven minutes. Remove from heat and cool. Purée cooled peaches in blender with lemon juice and Amaretto. Place mixture in a metal dish, cover and freeze for three to four hours, or until almost solid. Scoop mixture into a mixing bowl and beat with an electric mixer to a smooth and fluffy consistency. Return to the freezer for about another three to four hours or until firm. Best used within the first 24 hours.	Frozen Grapes One of the most refreshing, healthiest and easiest summertime snacks is frozen grapes. You’ll be surprised how quick your picky kids will empty the bowl! Take your favorite grape, wash them and freeze—it’s that simple! If you’ve not tried this before, you’ll be “hooked” once you have. Enjoy!