Refreshing Summer Desserts

Hey everyone!  While eating healthy is important, everybody knows that sometimes you just need to have something sweet.  That's why this summer, I've been making tasty and healthy desserts that are not only good for you, but so refreshing during the summer months!  I'll be sharing three today :)

1) Strawberry Coconut Ice Cream
I got this idea from fitsugar.com via the Tone it Up girls.  The only ingredients are light coconut milk, strawberries, vanilla extract, and stevia.  If you don't like stevia, you can substitute it for agave nectar.  The first time I made this, I used coconut milk from a carton (like regular milk or almond milk) and the consistency was not very good.  SO---I highly suggest using the canned light coconut milk.  It'll end up more like ice cream whereas my first attempt was more like a smoothie, albeit a tasty smoothie.  For the whole recipe plus a chocolate sauce to go with it, click here.

First you mix all the ingredients together in a blender and you will get a concoction like this:

Then you put it in the freezer and stir it every 30 minutes until it reaches an ice cream consistency.  For me, it was ready in 1.5 hrs.  

 
And, if you want, you can turn them into popsicles!  I found some popsicle molds at CVS for $1.  Pour the mixture in there, and then you can take them with you to the pool!

2) Fat-Burning Key Lime Pie Bars
This recipe came from Kim Snyder, a celebrity nutritionist in Los Angeles.  I found it on her website and all I have to say is wow.  These bars are so easy to make and are even more delicious.  Best of all, once you make them, you can keep them in your freezer for a few weeks!

Ingredients: lime juice, coconut oil, honey, cashews, liquid stevia, and water.
First you combine all the ingredients except water in a blender, then mix in the water.  Then you pour it in a pan and freeze it for 4 hrs or overnight and then you have DELICIOUS desserts to nosh on for the next few weeks.  I think it's brilliant!

The picture on the left is Kimberly Snyder's version.  The picture on the right is my attempt.  Clearly her presentation is better but myyyy do they taste good!  You'll love them!

(link to kimberly's website for this recipe -- scroll down once there) 

3) Figs & Mascarpone 

I first had this combination for my dessert on Valentine's Day, and I've been thinking of it ever since!  My boyfriend wasn't a fan, but he agreed that this combination was certainly my style.  

If you've never tried mascarpone, it is actually an Italian mild cheese (you may have tasted it in tiramisu before).  Please don't let that description deter you from trying it!  It's so good it'll knock your socks off.

Anyway, the picture above had black mission figs, mascarpone, and I believe a brandy sauce.  But just the other day I bought some mascarpone and organic black mission figs and I just take a fig here and there, put a little mascarpone on it, and voila!  You HAVE to try this!  

I use BelGioioso mascarpone (because that's what my mama used to buy) and because it has fewer calories than competitors.  

I hope you all have a great weekend and enjoy these recipes!