Although we’ve already had a taste of summer-like weather, the official start of the season has not arrived. As you slather on sunscreen to have some fun in the sun, work in your garden, visit the beach or other vacation destinations or even just sit on the patio to enjoy the breeze, dairy should be a part of your summer routine. Buttermilk is the low-fat portion of milk or cream remaining after it has been churned to make butter. It is a healthy, refreshing drink that aids digestion and helps keep our systems in balance. People who are lactose intolerant can often drink buttermilk since most of the lactose has been converted to lactic acid. To cool off on those hot summer days try this berry delicious dessert:
Lemon Raspberry Buttermilk Popsicles
Ingredients:1 1/2 cups low fat buttermilk
4 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
4 tablespoons honey or sweetener of your choice
1 cup raspberriesDirections:Whisk the buttermilk, lemon juice and honey together in a bowl. Pour the mixture into eight 3-oz popsicle molds. Place the raspberries in a bowl and crush them with a fork until pureed. Spoon equal amounts of the raspberry puree into the popsicle molds. Using a chopstick, carefully push the raspberry puree down into the buttermilk mixture, trying not to mix it in too much (if you mix it too much, the popsicles will turn pink). Place the popsicle sticks into the popsicles, cover and freeze for 2-3 hours until solid. Alternatively, if you don’t have popsicle molds, you can use small paper cups. To unmold, dip the popsicle molds in warm water and then pull the popsicles out. Enjoy!
