Staying cool during the dog days of summer is no easy task. I find his time of year my desire to bury my head like an ostrich in a gallon of ice cream becomes pretty intense. I mean who doesn’t want some cold, delicious, creamy, sugary, melty goodness on a hot day once in a while? Or every day…twice a day….or your know, three times? Ok, sorry I lost myself there for a moment but, I’m back! My point being is that, as wonderful as it is to indulge in ice cream now and again, over indulging it will do nothing for your bathing suit bod. So why not trade that high-fat, creamy, delight for a lower calorie option like granita. This chilly treat is sure to hit the spot…and I mean the taste spot, not that squishy spot on your hips where all delicious things seem to land! If made with fresh oranges granita, has far less sugar than most standard ice creams plus, it is fat-free. You can also substitute even lower-calorie options as sweetners. For example, sweeten to your taste with stevia or artificial sweeteners like Splenda or SweetNlow (though I personally try and steer clear of chemically processed sweeteners) instead of sugar.
Stay Cool Through the Dog Days of Summer
So what is granita? Granita: A frozen dessert made from sweet liquids with NO fat. This cool treat is very similar to ice in texture. It’s made by freezing juices and scraping or shaving the flavored ice.
Next question, how do you make it? GLAD YOU ASKED!
Orange Granita:
4C Fresh Orange Juice
To Taste Sugar
3 sprigs Basil
2 Tbs Grand Marnier
1- Combine OJ, Basil, Sugar, and Liqueur and let sit for 15 minutes
2- Strain the mix into a large baking dish
3- Freeze
4- Scrape the ice with 2 forks and serve immediately or store in fridge