HOMEMADE STRAWBERRY SORBET— LOW-FAT AND FABULOUS

What kind of a treat do you serve at an LDS (Mormon) Young Women activity after you've had a lesson on healthy eating?

I wasn't going to make brownies or even homemade ice cream, that's for sure!


I planned to use my new Freeze & Play Ice Cream Freezer ball (that I wrote about a couple of weeks ago) to make a low-calorie, nutrition-packed strawberry sorbet. But I realized it wouldn't make enough to feed the class.
So, I pulled out my electric ice cream maker. I never thought I'd like making homemade ice cream until a few years ago.  It just seemed like a hassle, with all the mixing and pouring and packing with rock salt and ice.

But, when I did a story on homemade ice cream for the Deseret News a few years ago, I had to buy an ice cream maker. Since I was footing the bill and didn't think I'd ever use it again, I got the cheapest one I could find -- a $19.95 special.

But while doing the story I discovered it wasn't as big of a hassle as I thought. Although I don't make ice cream frequently, I've probably gotten my money's worth from the machine, and it's still cranking away.   

For me, it's most valuable in making fruit sorbets that satisfy your sweet tooth, but are fat-free and actually good for you. And I've developed a few recipes that are pretty easy to do. 

With this strawberry sorbet, you don't have to peel, pit or chop anything.  I used frozen strawberries and bottled lemon juice, which are pretty economical. You don't even have to add sugar because the syrup-packed berries and the jam add plenty of sweetness.  The pectin in the jam gives the sorbet a more pliable texture, instead of being icy like a snow-cone.  And with Independence Day coming up, the color matches the red, white and blue theme perfectly. 

STRAWBERRY SORBET

2 16-ounce packages frozen strawberries, thawed
1 16-ounce container frozen sliced strawberries in syrup, partially thawed
2 tablespoons lemon juice
1 cup strawberry jam

Puree the strawberries, lemon juice and jam in blender. You should have about 6-7 cups of sorbet mixture. Pour into the container of an ice cream machine.  Churn using the manufacturer's directions. In my ice cream machine, I place ice and rock salt around the sorbet-filled container, and allow the mixture to churn for about 45-60 minutes, or until mixture is thick and partially firm. Scoop into a plastic container and transfer to the freezer for several hours. 

Makes about 2 quarts.