Tropical Fruit Salad with Toasted Coconut

 Ingredients:

• 1 (20 oz.) can pineapple chunks in juice, drained
• 1 (15 oz.) can mandarin oranges in light syrup, drained
• 2 small bananas, sliced
• 2 kiwi fruit, peeled, halved lengthwise, and sliced
• 3 (6 oz.) containers raspberries
• 1/4 cup light pancake syrup
• 1/2 cup unsweetened flaked coconut, toasted

Makes 8 (1 cup) Servings 

Combine all the ingredients except the coconut in a serving bowl. Sprinkle with the coconut and serve at once or refrigerate, covered, up to 6 hours. 

WW POINTS VALUE: 3 pts. 

Note: This recipe appears in the WW in 20 Minutes Cookbook. A fruit salad is great way to start your day for  breakfast or as a light lunch. This fruit salad is flavorful and filling. If you have access to fresh fruit such as pineapples and oranges, I highly recommend using them because they are not contained in syrup or sodium. You can also use blueberries, strawberries, blackberries, apples and other fruit to this salad and it will be just as tasty. 

Berry-Topped Cake with Strawberry Sauce

Ingredients:

• 2 (6 oz.) containers raspberries
• 2 (6 oz.) containers blackberries
• 2 tbsp. thinly sliced fresh mint
• 1/4 cup + 2 tbsp. granulated sugar
• 1 tbsp. + 2 tsp. fresh lime juice
• 2 cups strawberries, hulled
• 1 (9 oz.) store-bought angel food cake, cut into 6 wedges

Makes 6 Servings (1 wedge per serving)

1. Gently toss together the raspberries, blackberries, mint, 2 tablespoons of the sugar, and 2 teaspoons of the lime juice in a large bowl; set aside. 
2. Combine the strawberries and the remaining 1/4 cup sugar and 1 tablespoon lime juice in a blender or food processor and puree. 
3. Place a wedge of cake on each of 6 plates. Spoon about 3 tablespoons of the strawberry sauce around each wedge and top with about 2/3 cup of the berry mixture. 

WW POINTS VALUE: 5 pts. 

Note: This recipe appears in the WW in 20 Minutes Cookbook. This is a wonderful sweet ending after a filling meal. The combination of angel food cake and mixed berries is quite refreshing. The original recipe calls for 1/2 cup of granulated sugar but you can cut the sugar in half and the berry mixture and sauce still tastes just as delicious. 

Ricotta Mousse with Berries

Ingredients:

• 1 cup light ricotta cheese
• 2 tbsp. orange liqueur
• 2 tbsp. agave nectar or honey
• 1 tsp. orange zest
• 1/2 cup sliced fresh strawberries
• 1/2 cup fresh blueberries
• 1/2 cup fresh raspberries
• 1/2 cup fresh blackberries
• 1 tsp. fresh lemon juice
• 1 tsp. honey
• fresh mint leaves (optional)

Makes 4 Servings

1. In a small bowl, whisk together ricotta, 1 tablespoon of the orange liqueur, agave or honey, and orange zest. Cover and chill 1-24 hours.
2. In a medium bowl, combine the berries, lemon juice, and the remaining 1 tablespoon orange liqueur. Cover and let stand at room temperature 15 minutes to develop the flavors.
3. To serve, divide fruit mixture among four dessert dishes, spooning any juices over fruit in dishes. Top with ricotta mixture. Drizzle with honey. If desired, garnish with mint.

WW POINTS VALUE: 3 pts.

 

Note: This recipe appears in the New Sonoma Cookbook. The original recipe calls for this dish for dessert but you can enjoy this sweet dish for breakfast, brunch, dessert, or even a snack. The combination of berries, ricotta cheese and orange liqueur is absolutely divine. If you don't have orange liqueur on hand, use lemon liqueur (such as Limoncello), brandy, rum, or even a mint liqueur. You can also use lemon zest in place of the orange zest. The best part of this sweet dish is that there is no added sugar in this dish. 

Buttermilk Sorbet with Crushed Blackberry-Mint Sauce

Ingredients:

• 3 1/2 cups low-fat buttermilk
• 1/3 cup honey
• 4 tbsp. granulated sugar
• 1 tsp. vanilla extract
• 1/2 tsp. grated orange zest
• 2 cups fresh blackberries
• 1 tbsp. chopped fresh mint + 6 small sprigs

Makes 6 Servings (2/3 cup sorbet with 1/4 cup blackberry sauce)

1. Whisk together buttermilk, honey, 3 tablespoons of sugar, vanilla, and orange zest in a medium bowl until sugar is dissolved. Pour buttermilk mixture into ice cream maker and freeze according to manufacturer's instructions. Transfer sorbet to freezer container and freeze until firm, at least 4 hours or up to 2 days.
2. To make sauce, combine 1 1/2 cups of blackberries and remaining 1 tablespoon sugar in a small bowl. With a fork, crush remaining berries until very coarse puree is formed; let stand 10 minutes. Stir in remaining 1/2 cup blackberries and the chopped mint. (Can be made up to 4 hours ahead and refrigerated.)
3. To serve, scoop sorbet into 6 dessert dishes and top with 1/4 cup blackberry sauce. Garnish with mint sprigs.

WW POINTS VALUE: 8 pts.

 

Note: This recipe appears in the WW Family Meals Cookbook. This is what I call an elegant dessert. If you're having company over for dinner, serve this dessert. Break out the china and crystal this dessert is worth it. The buttermilk sorbet on its own is good but it's even more  delicious with the blackberry-mint sauce. The buttermilk sorbet is so nice and creamy it melts in your mouth. The sauce leaves a nice aftertaste in your mouth.

 

Strawberry-Blackberry Crush

Ingredients:

• 1 (6 oz.)  container blackberries
• 1 tbsp. pure maple syrup
• 1 (16 oz.) package frozen whole strawberries, thawed slightly
• 1 cup coarsely crushed ice cubes
• 3 tbsp. granulated sugar
• 1/4 cup + 1 tbsp. sliced blanched almonds
• 1 tsp. fresh lemon juice
• 1 tsp. vanilla extract
• 1 tsp. almond extract

Makes 4 Servings (3/4 cup crush, 1/4 cup blackberries & 1/4 tsp. almonds  per serving)

1. Toss together blackberries and maple syrup in a small bowl; set aside.
2. Put the strawberries, ice, sugar, 1/4 cup of the almonds, lemon juice, vanilla and almond extracts in a food processor and puree. Immediately divide the mixture evenly among 4 wineglasses. Top evenly with the blackberry mixture and sprinkle with the remaining 1 tablespoon of almonds. Serve at once.

WW POINTS VALUE: 3 pts.

 

Note: This recipe appears in the WW Best-Ever Desserts Cookbook. This is what I call a cool and refreshing sweet ending. This dessert literally takes 10 minutes to make and the end result is delicious. It's flavorful and gives you a nice feeling after having a delicious dinner. You can use blueberries or raspberries in place of the blackberries and the dessert will still be good. The ordinal recipe calls for 6 tablespoons of granulated sugar but I reduced it to 3 tablespoons and added 1 teaspoon of vanilla extract for more flavor and the end result is delicious. 

Silky Strawberry Sauce

Ingredients:

• 1 (1 lb.) container strawberries, hulled and sliced
• 1/4 cup light corn syrup
• 1/4 cup water
• pinch salt
• 2 tsp. fresh lemon juice

Makes 8 Servings (1/4 cup per serving)

1. Combine the strawberries, corn syrup, water, and salt in a large saucepan and set over medium heat. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the berries soften and the mixture forms a sauce, about 10 minutes. Stir in the lemon juice.
2. Pour the berry mixture through a fine-mesh sieve set over a medium bowl, pressing hard on the solids to extract as much liquid as possible; discard the solids. Cool the sauce to serve at room temperature, or transfer to a covered container; refrigerate up to 1 week.

WW POINTS VALUE: 1 pt.

 

Note: This recipe appears in the WW Best-Ever Desserts Cookbook. This is what I call a dessert sauce. It's so succulent and silky it will melt in your mouth. I highly recommend adding a touch of pure vanilla to make the sauce more flavorful. You can also use blackberries, blueberries, cherries, raspberries or even a combination and the sauce will be delicious. Raspberries and blackberries have much larger seeds so they have to be strained through a coarse sieve. I highly recommend serving this sauce over chocolate ice cream because it will taste like a frozen chocolate truffle for dessert.

Triple Berry Cooler

Ingredients:

• 3/4 cup fresh or frozen raspberries
• 3/4 cup fresh or frozen blueberries
• 3/4 cup (6 oz.) low-fat or nonfat yogurt
• 1/4 cup skim or 1% milk
• fresh berries, for garnish

Makes 2 (1-cup) Servings

 

In a blender or food processor, puree the berries. Add the yogurt and milk. Process until smooth. Pour into 2 tall glasses and garnish with additional fresh berries, if desired.

 

WW POINTS VALUE: 3 pts.

 

Note: This recipe appears in the South Beach Diet Super Quick & Easy Cookbook. This quick and easy drink is filled with vitamins, calcium, antioxidants and other good stuff to keep you filled and keep you going. You can use any kind of berry (blackberry, blueberry, raspberry, strawberry, etc.) in a combination or just using one berry and it will be comforting. I highly recommend adding a touch of vanilla extract for more flavor because vanilla goes so well with fruit. Claire Robinson will love this drink because it has 5 ingredients or less.

Yogurt & Fruit Parfait

Ingredients:

• 1/2 cup assorted cut-up fruit & berries
• light drizzle of agave syrup
• pinch of salt
• 1/2 cup plain nonfat yogurt
• 2 tbsp. toasted Crumble Topping (see recipe)

Makes 1 Serving

1. Combine fruit, agave syrup, and salt in a bowl. Let sit for 5 minutes.
2. Place 1/4 cup of the fruit

WW POINTS VALUE: 5 pts.

 

Note: This recipe appears in the New Sonoma Cookbook. You can enjoy this treat for breakfast, lunch or a light snack any time of the year. This is a quick and easy recipe with colorful layers of flavors. If you're a busy parent or person, this snack is perfect you and the kids on busy mornings or as an after-school snack. You can use any kind of seasonal assorted fruit in this recipe and your parfait will be delicious: strawberries, blueberries, raspberries, blackberries, mango, pineapple, peach, nectarine, grapes, figs, bananas, etc. I highly recommend tossing a 1/2 teaspoon vanilla in with the fruit because vanilla adds flavor and goes well with fruit.

Lemon-Raspberry Muffins

Ingredients:

• 1 cup quinoa flakes
• 1 cup whole-wheat flour
• 2 tbsp. granular sugar substitute
• 2 tsp. baking powder
• 1 tsp. grated lemon zest
• 1/2 tsp. baking soda
• 1/4 tsp. salt
• 3/4 cup light buttermilk
• 3 tbsp. safflower or canola oil
• 1 large egg
• 1 cup fresh or frozen (thawed and drained) raspberries

Makes 12 muffins (1 muffin per serving)

1. Heat the oven to  375 F. Line a 12-cup muffin tin with paper liners.
2. In a large bowl, stir together the quinoa flakes, flour, sugar substitute, baking powder, lemon zest, baking soda and salt.
3. In another large bowl, whisk together the buttermilk, oil and egg. Make a well in the center of the dry ingredients, add the buttermilk mixture, and fold until just combined. Fold in the raspberries.
4. Spoon the batter into the muffin cups and bake for 20 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center of a muffin comes out clean.

WW POINTS VALUE: 3 pts.

 

Note: This recipe appears in the South Beach Diet Super Quick Cookbook. The people at the South Beach Diet have done it again. These fruity muffins are deliciously filling. These muffins are better than the ones you but at the grocery store and at your local bakery. This was also the first time I cooked with quinoa and it was surprisingly delicious. Quinoa is filled with protein so it will keep you going like the Energizer Bunny. You can also use blueberries or blackberries in place of the raspberries and your muffins will still be delicious.

Berry Compote

Ingredients:

• 1 1/2 cups berries, frozen
• 1/2 cup water
• 2 1/2 tbsp. agave syrup
• 1/2 tsp. vanilla extract
• 1 pinch of salt
• 1/2  tsp. lemon juice
• 1 tsp. cornstarch
• 2 tsp. water

Makes 8 Servings (2 cups total, 1/4 cup per serving)

1. Combine berries, 1/2 cup water, agave syrup, vanilla, and salt in a small saucepan. Bring to a low simmer. Cook 5 minutes or until the water takes on a rich color and the berries are warmed through. Stir in the lemon juice.
2. In a small bowl, combine cornstarch and 2 teaspoons water. Stir into the berries. Bring to a low simmer; cook for 1 minute. If it is too thin, add a little more cornstarch mixed with water.

WW POINTS VALUE: 1 pt.

 

Note: This recipe appears in the New Sonoma Cookbook. Fruit compote is a dessert that's been around since the seventeenth century. It's made usually with fresh fruit and gently cooked over low heat until it becomes a thick sauce. The original recipe was a blueberry compote but you can use strawberries, raspberries, blackberries, cherries, nectarines and even mangoes. Heck you can use a combination of these fruits and the compote will be delicious. Don't boil the berries because  they will burst and lose their flavor and nutrients. The combination of water and cornstarch is an easy way to thicken a sauce. It has to be stirred before adding to the hot sauce because the two ingredients will separate when they're left to sit and can form lumps. There are different ways to flavor compote such as vanilla or almond extracts, lemon, lime or orange zests, cinnamon, nutmeg and even ginger. Compote is delicious with yogurt, pancakes, waffles and other baked goods. Homemade compote also has less sugar than the traditional store-bought jams and has more natural fruit flavor.

 



Fresh Blackberry Tartlets

Ingredients:

• 12  frozen mini phyllo tartlet shells, defrosted
• 15 blackberries
• 3/4 cup fat-free or light whipped topping
• 1 tsp. fresh lemon juice
• 1/4 tsp. vanilla extract

Makes 4 (3-piece) Servings

1. Heat the oven to 350 F. Arrange tart shells on a baking sheet and bake until crisp, 3-5 minutes. Allow to cool before filling, about 5 minutes.
2. Set aside 12 blackberries for topping tarts. Place remaining blackberries in a small bowl and mash with a fork. Add whipped topping and stir to combine. Stir in lemon juice and vanilla.
3.  Spoon 1 tablespoon of the whipped topping mixture into each tart shell. Top each tart with a blackberry and serve.

WW POINTS VALUE: 2 pts.

 

Note: This recipe appears in the South Beach Diet Taste of Summer Cookbook. Who doesn't love fresh berries once in a while? This quick and easy dessert looks pretty and tastes nice. It's perfect for that little treat that quickly fills you up. The combination of berries, lemon juice and vanilla is divine. You can make these elegant treats for a party and they will quickly go, I guarantee. You can use any kind of berry and/ or lime juice and they will still be delicious. This treat is a 5-ingredient fix and will certainly impress Claire Robinson.

 

Blackberry-Banana Breakfast Smoothie

Ingredients:

• 2 small bananas, quartered (1 1/2 cups)
• 1 cup blackberries, plus extra for garnish (optional)
• 1 1/2 cups nonfat or low-fat yogurt
• 1 tbsp granular sugar substitute
• 1 tbsp wheat germ
• 4 ice cubes

Make 4 Servings

In a blender, combine bananas and blackberries; puree until smooth. Add yogurt, sugar substitute, if using, wheat germ and ice cubes; blend until smooth, about 1 minute. Pour into 4 (10 oz.) glasses, garnish with whole blackberries, if using and serve.

WW POINTS  VALUE: 1 Pt.

Note: This recipe appears in the South Beach Diet Taste of Summer Cookbook. This breakfast smoothie can be enjoyed anytime of day. It's also a delicious treat to enjoy when you don't feel like cooking and/or there's a massive heat wave and you want to cool off. You can also use any kind of berry in this recipe and it will still taste delicious. You can also use wheat bran in place of wheat germ and it won't make a difference. This is also a nice treat if you're ever sick or you have a sore throat. The sugar is there to sweeten to tartness of your berries.

 

Three Berry-Stuffed French Toast

Ingredients:

• 1/3 cup blackberries
• 1/3 cup blueberries
• 1/3 cup raspberries
• 2/3 cup semisoft farmer's cheese
• 1 tbsp granular sugar substitute
• 8 slices whole-grain sandwich bread
• 3 large eggs
• 1/4 cup skim milk
• 1/4 tsp ground cinnamon
• 1/4 ground nutmeg

Makes 4 Servings

1. In a medium bowl, combine blackberries, blueberries, raspberries, cheese and sugar substitute. Using a fork, mash together lightly. Lay 4 slices of the bread on a work surface. Spread berry mixture evenly on slices and top with remaining bread slices to form sandwiches. Lightly press around the edges to seal.
2. In a shallow dish, beat eggs with milk, cinnamon and nutmeg. Dip both sides of sandwiches into egg mixtures, allow wxcess to drip off, and place sandwiches on a platter.
3. Lightly coat a nonstick skillet or griddle with cooking spray and heat over medium heat. Cook French toast in 2 batches until golden brown, about 2 minutes per side. Serve warm.

WW POINTS VALUE: 6 pts

Note: This recipe appears in the South Beach Diet Taste of Summer Cookbook. The combination blackberries, bueberries and raspberries burst with so much juicy flavor when mixed with farmer's cheese. You can also use strawberries, cherries or any other kind of berry with this recipe and the French toast and it will still be delicious. You can have this dish for breakfast, lunch or dinner and can be enjoyed anytime of the year. If you cannot find semisoft farmer's cheese, you can use fat-free cottage cheese as well.

Berry-Stuffed Cinnamon Crepes

Ingredients:

• 1 cup mixed berries, such as blueberries, raspberries, blackberries, etc.
• 2 tsp packed brown sugar
• 1 tsp lemon juice
• 1 large egg
• 2/3 cup fat-free evaporated milk
• 2 tsp granular sugar
• 1 tsp unsalted butter, melted
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 1/2cup all-purpose flour
• 1/2 cup whole-wheat flour
• 1/2 tsp cinnamon
• 1/3 cup reduced-fat ricotta or cottage cheese

Makes 4 Servings

1. Gently toss together the berries, brown sugar and lemon juice in a medium bowl; set aside.
2. To make the crepes, beat the egg, evaporated milk, granulated sugar, butter and salt in a large bowl. Whisk in the all-purpose flour, whole wheat flour and cinnamon until smooth.
3. Spray an 8-inch nonstick skillet with a nonstick spray and set over medium heat. When a drop of water sizzles in it, pour in a heaping 2 tablespoons of batter, tilting the skillet to coat the bottom evenly with the batter. Cook until set on the bottom, about 30 seconds. Turn and cook until lightly browned, about 10 seconds longer. Slide the crepe onto a sheet of wax paper. Repeat with the remaining batter to make a total of 8 crepes, stacking them between sheets of wax paper.
4. Spread about 2 tsp of the ricotta in the middle of each crepe and top with 2 tablespoons of the berry mixture; roll up each crepe. Place 2 crepes on each of the 4 plates.

 WW POINTS VALUE: 4 per 2 filled crepes

Note: This recipe appears in the WW in 20 Minutes Cookbook. Crepes are a delicious treat for breakfast, lunch and even a light dinner and dessert. If you don't have the patience for making crepes in a nonstick skillet, I highly recommend buying a crepe maker so you won't be frustrated. The Crepe Maker will make your life much easier, trust me. When a recipe calls for ricotta, you can substitute cottage cheese and it will taste just as good. The taste of berries and ricotta/cottage cheese is so delicious it will leave you satisfied.

Pankcakes with Peachy Compote

Ingredients:

• 1 peach, sliced or 1 cup drained sliced canned peaches (not in syrup)
• 1/4 cup orange juice
• 3 tbsp sugar-free apricot or orange preserves
• 1 tsp ginger
• 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
• 2 cups blackberries or blueberries
• 2 cups whole wheat or whole grain pastry flour
• 1 tsp baking soda
• 1/2 tsp baking powder
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1 egg
• 1 egg white
• 2 cups buttermilk
• 1 tbsp vanilla extract
• 2 tsp canola oil

Make 12 pancakes

Compote:

In a small saucepan, combine the peaches, orange juice, preserves, ginger and cinnamon. Cook, stirring occasionally, over medium heat for 5 minutes, or until fruit is soft. Add the berries and cook for 2 minutes longer. Keep warm over very low heat.

Pancakes:

1. In a large bowl, combine the flour, baking soda, baking powder and salt.
2. In a medium bowl, whisk together the egg and white until very foamy. Whisk in the buttermilk, vanilla extract and oil. Stir into the flour mixture just until the batter is combined and pourable.
3. Heat a large nonstick skillet (or Griddler) coated with cooking spray over medium heat. Pour 1/3 cup batter into hte skillet to form a 4" pancake. Cook for 2-3 minutes, or until the bottom is browned. Turn and cook  for  1-2 minutes longer, or until golden brown. Remove to a plate and keep warm. Repeat to make a total of 12 pancakes. Serve the pancakes with the warm compote.

WW POINT VALUE: 2

Note: This recipe appears in the South Beach Diet Cookbook. I've always wanted to try this recipe and I'm glad I did. The compote was so delicious as were the pancakes. You can also serve the compote in crepes, oatmeal, stuffed french toast and even vanilla ice cream. The ginger and cinnamon add nice flavor to the fruits.