Chill out

By Published On: June 1st, 2013

When the mercury rises, an ice-cold refreshment is just the […]

When the mercury rises, an ice-cold refreshment is just the thing an expectant mama needs. From decadent ice creams and silky frozen yogurts to icy granitas and creamy smoothies, keeping your cool can be delicious. All you need is an ice cream maker or freezer and some fresh ingredients to create a chilling treat that’s perfect for the most sweltering days of summer. sorbetCarrot-beet-apple sorbet
2 large beets (13 ounces)
2 red apples 1 cup carrot juice
juice of ½ lime

Boil beets until cooked through and tender. Allow to cool until you can handle them, then remove the skin and bottoms. Dice and place in a food processor, pulsing until smooth. Peel, core and dice the apples, then add them to the beets and continue to process until smooth. Add carrot juice and lime juice and process to combine. Freeze according to your ice cream maker’s instructions. If you prefer a firmer texture, freeze for an additional 30 minutes. Enjoy as soon as possible for best results.
Makes about 3 cups.earlgrayChocolate- Earl Grey and blueberry ice cream
3 cups whole milk
1 cup whipping cream
½ cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1⁄3 cup Earl Grey tea leaves (use decaf if you’re concerned about caffeine)
8 large egg yolks
1 cup sugar
¾ cup blueberries
½ cup (2.5 ounces) 70 percent cocoa chocolate bar or chips

Bring milk, cream and cocoa powder to a simmer in a medium saucepan over medium heat, whisking to combine. Remove from heat and stir in tea leaves. Cover and let steep for 15 minutes, then strain and discard tea leaves. (Reserve the strainer; you’ll need it one more time.) Meanwhile, whisk the egg yolks and sugar together vigorously in a large heatproof bowl until the sugar dissolves and the mixture turns creamy. Bring the strained milk and cream back to a simmer, then slowly pour into the egg and sugar mixture, stirring constantly. Return to the saucepan and continue to stir over medium heat, taking care not to bring it to a boil, for several more minutes until the mixture has thickened. Create an ice bath in a large bowl. Set a strainer over a smaller bowl inside the larger bowl and pour the custard through the strainer. Stir to allow the custard to chill until lukewarm, then refrigerate until chilled completely (this may take a couple hours; feel free to let it chill overnight if that works best for your schedule). Freeze according to your ice cream maker’s instructions, adding blueberries and chopped chocolate a few minutes before the ice cream is frozen.
Makes about 5 cups.grantiaCoconut-orange granita
1 cup coconut water
½ cup fresh squeezed or unsweetened orange juice
2 tablespoons simple syrup (see below)

Stir coconut water, orange juice and simple syrup together. Taste and add simple syrup if necessary, depending on the tartness of the oranges. Place in a shallow pan and freeze for 1 hour, then stir with a fork. Continue stirring every 30 minutes or so to break up the ice until the granita takes on a slushy consistency.
Makes 2 cups.
To make simple syrup: Bring 1 cup water and 1 cup sugar to a boil in a small saucepan, stirring frequently until the sugar is completely dissolved. Let cool, then transfer to a bottle and store in the refrigerator.bananabreadBanana bread frozen yogurt
4 ripe bananas
5 cups whole milk plain yogurt, strained for several hours or overnight
¼ cup brown sugar, packed
1 ½ teaspoons ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
3⁄4 cup roughly chopped walnuts
½ cup mini chocolate chips

Purée bananas in a blender or food processor until smooth. Add yogurt, brown sugar, cinnamon and vanilla extract, and process just until combined. Freeze according to your ice cream maker’s instructions, adding walnuts and chocolate chips shortly before frozen. Serve immediately or freeze an additional 30 minutes to 1 hour if you prefer a firmer frozen yogurt.
Makes about 5 ½ cups.