Frozen Desserts

Some artificial sweeteners do not bear up well under heat, so they are not a good choice for baked desserts - but they are the ideal choice for no-cook and frozen desserts that need sweetening. Here are three recipes for frozen desserts using artificial sweeteners that your family will love.

Strawberry Smoothie

10-12 large frozen strawberries

1 ? cups of milk

1 teaspoon of vanilla

1 packet of artificial sweetener

Sugar free whipped cream (below)

Put all ingredients in the blender and whirl at medium-low until all ingredients are blended and strawberries are completely crushed. Pour into a dessert glass or milkshake glass and garnish with a dollop of whipped cream if desired. Eat with a spoon or sip through a straw and enjoy!

Vanilla Ice Milk

Gelatin adds body to this simple dessert for vanilla ice milk. Egg substitute means that you do not have to worry about raw eggs in the mix and the artificial sweetener reduces the calories and prevents the sugar spike that you'd get with a sugar-sweetened dessert.

2 ? cups cold skim or 1% milk

1 cup of nonfat dry milk

1 tsp unflavored gelatin

4 oz. egg substitute

5 teaspoons of artificial sweetener

2 teaspoons of vanilla extract

1/8 tsp. lemon or almond extract

Pour skim milk into a small saucepan and sprinkle gelatin over the top. Allow gelatin to soften for a few minutes, and then stir mixture over low heat until gelatin is completely dissolved. Remove from heat and cool quickly by placing saucepan into a bowl of ice water.

While milk is cooling, combine remaining ingredients in blender or food processor until well-blended. Add cooled milk-gelatin mixture and blend for a few seconds longer. Chill in refrigerator till very cold. When ready to freeze ice cream, blend mixture for a few seconds, then pour through a strainer into ice cream machine. Follow manufacturer's directions to freeze ice cream. Makes 1 quart of vanilla ice milk.

Sugar Free Whipped Cream

1 pint whipping cream

2 teaspoons of vanilla extract

5-6 teaspoons of artificial sweetener to taste

Chill bowl and beaters in freezer before whipping cream.

Pour very cold whipping cream into chilled bowl.

Beat with chilled beaters until cream begins to thicken.

Slowly add artificial sweetener and vanilla while continuing to whip cream.

Continue to whip cream until stiff peaks form.

Candy Treats

want a sweet, crunchy, melt in your mouth treat to kill the craving for sugar? Try these sugar free meringues - they're quick and easy and very light in calories and crabs!

Sugar Free Meringues

2 egg whites

? teaspoon flavored extract (vanilla, strawberry, peppermint or other desired flavor)

? teaspoon cream of tartar

2-3 packets of artificial sweetener

Make sure that beaters and metal bowl are completely grease free. Beat egg whites and cream of tartar together in deep bowl on low speed until foamy. Once the eggs are foamy, add artificial sweetener and flavored extract and continue beating on medium until the mixture is fluffy. Switch to high speed and continue beating until egg whites form stiff peaks.

Drop egg white mixture by teaspoonfuls on a cookie sheet lined with brown paper or foil. Leave about ? inch between meringue drops. Bake at 300 degrees for ten minutes, or until meringues are lightly browned. Keep in an airtight container.

Sugar Free Key Lime Pie

Key lime pie is one of the staples of the Southern dessert menu - but it's so very high in sugar. Here's a sugar free alternative using artificial sweetener.

Filling:

1 packet unflavored gelatin

3 tablespoons of lime juice

? cup boiling water

9 packets of heat stable artificial sweetener

1 cup evaporated skim milk

1 teaspoon vanilla

Juice of 1 ? limes

Green food coloring

For crust:

1 9-inch graham cracker crust

Lime zest

Thin lime slices for garnish

Sprinkle gelatin over lime juice in a small bowl and let soften for 1 minute. Add boiling water and sweetener to mixture and stir till gelatin is dissolved. Refrigerate until slightly thickened.

Put milk and vanilla in small deep bowl and freeze for 30 minutes. Remove from freezer and whip at high speed until stiff peaks form. Stir juice from fresh limes into whipped milk. Add two drops of green food coloring.

Blend gelatin mixture into whipped milk at low speed, or fold in gently. Spoon filling into crust and chill in refrigerator until firm. Garnish with lime slices and lime zest.