Mealtime Magic: Two Easy, Healthy Summertime Desserts

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The summer season has a sneaky way of making us crave sweet fruity flavors. In fact, at the end of every April it's like a whole new hunger awakens inside me. The morning drive to the grocery store I normally dread suddenly becomes exciting as I imagine purchasing my favorite summer fruits – such as watermelon, pineapple, mango, and lime – to devour as the temperature rises outside. My whole family loves to sit around and devour fruit – most especially in our desserts. Truth be told, we usually have dessert with our dinners at least once a week. As a mother who has recently decided to start watching her weight, you can imagine my newfound horror at having to prepare all these treats.

One night as I was preparing one of my signature summer desserts, however, a thought came rushing over me: 'These desserts don't have to be unhealthy. I'm sure I can try and lighten them up.' For the past few weeks, I've done some cutting-the-calories experimentation with my desserts and have put together two summer fruit desserts that are both delicious and healthy. For those of you who are looking to treat your body good and keep an eye on the health of your loved ones, these two sweets are great dishes to feature at your next family dinner.

Lightened-Up Key Lime Pie

1 (14-oz.) can fat-free sweetened condensed milk
3/4 cup egg whites
3 teaspoons lime zest
3/4 cup fresh lime juice
1 ready-made graham cracker pie crust, reduced-fat (Keep in mind, you can also make a healthier crust on your own from recipes like this.
Garnish options: thawed frozen whipped topping (preferably sugar-free, fat free, or light), lime wedges, or kiwi slices

Heat your oven to 350°. Combine the condensed milk, egg whites, lime zest, and lime juice, put in a blender, and process for 3 minutes or until it appears smooth. Pour the lime mixture into your pie crust. Put the pie in the oven and bake for 10 to 12 minutes or until the pie appears to be set. Let the pie cool down for an hour, garnish – if you wish – and enjoy!

Mango-Nana Milkshake

1 large mango, peeled, seeded, and diced
1 banana, cut in slices
1/2 fat-free frozen vanilla yogurt
1 tablespoon Stevia
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon, or to taste
2 cups skim milk

Combine the first three ingredients in a blender and top off with the stevia, cinnamon, and milk. Blend the ingredients for 3 minutes or until they look smooth. Pour into chilled glasses and serve.

It doesn't take a caloric feast to satisfy a sweet tooth. Utilize these two summer desserts for those hot summer nights with your family!

Melissa Miller is a cheerleader for online associate degree programs. Not literally, of course (since online schools don't have varsity football), but in the sense that her writings will encourage you to "B-E aggressive" about your education.