3 ideas to freshen up your favorite summer treats

Summertime brings lots of picnics, barbecues and pool parties, along with tasty treats everyone loves to share. Want to make yummy desserts your friends will rave about, but with your own unique twist?

Add exotic new fruit.

Whether you’re making a fruit salad, a pie or another tasty fruit-forward delight, consider making a colorful statement with exotic fruits. Why settle for the usual grapes, oranges or bananas? There’s a world of amazing fruit out there!

Adventurous fruits to try: the bright pink dragon fruit, juicy passion fruit, orange and spiky horned melon, yellow Buddha’s hand or large green jackfruit. You can find these types of fruits more easily than you might think, but if they’re not at your usual grocery store, check your local specialty grocery stores and farmers markets or order them online.

Simple ingredient swaps can be your best-kept secret.

Consider creating a better-for-you version of your summer favorites with a few ingredient swaps. These tried-and-true simple substitutions will boost nutrition and even enhance the flavors of your favorite recipes.

For sugar (or artificial sweetener) use natural options like honey, agave, maple syrup or applesauce instead. You can substitute unsweetened (about 100 calories) applesauce for sugar (about 770 calories) in a 1:1 ratio, but for every cup of applesauce you use, reduce the amount of liquid in the recipe by 1/4 cup.

Boost nutrition and texture of home-baked bread or muffins by swapping out some flour with oat bran. Rich in fiber and protein, oat bran will help keep you full, and the fiber can also help lower cholesterol; your guests will have no idea, because oat bran holds moisture well so your baked goods won’t be dry.

Top it to the next level.

Elevate your dessert with a dollop of deliciousness. To make your creation even better, use a topping that’s so good, everyone will think it’s homemade. To upgrade a classic dessert, try a whipped topping like truwhip original, truwhip skinny or truwhip vegan. Use it to top your fresh fruit salad, dip your favorite cookies or swap it for old-fashioned whipped cream.

For a fresh summer recipe using truwhip, try this Blueberry Ginger Vegan Cheesecake.

Blueberry Ginger Vegan Cheesecake (Serves 6-8)

Ingredients:

Crust:
1/2 cup coconut butter (NOT coconut oil)
3 ounces (approximately 1 cup) fresh blueberries

Filling:
2 cups cashews, soaked in water for a few hours
Zest and juice of 1 lemon
1 tablespoon fresh grated ginger
1/4 cup maple syrup
1/2 cup full fat coconut milk
3 ounces (approximately 1 cup) blueberries
1 tablespoon vanilla
1/4 teaspoon salt

Topping:
1 container truwhip vegan
Blueberries for garnish

Directions:

1. Spray cake pan with cooking spray. Completely line the bottom and sides with plastic wrap, letting excess plastic wrap hang over the sides of the pan. Spray a little more cooking spray on bottom and sides and line with parchment paper.

2. Make crust. In a food processor, process coconut butter and blueberries until they form a paste. The mixture doesn’t need to be perfectly smooth; a little texture is good.

3. Press crust into bottom of cake pan and up sides. Make sure to create a smooth and even bottom. Set in freezer while you make the filling.

4. Using a blender, add filling ingredients. Puree mixture for a few minutes to be as smooth as possible.

5. Pour filling into the cake pan on top of crust. Set cheesecake in freezer for three hours, or until completely hard.

6. Once the cheesecake is frozen, pull it out using the plastic wrap overhang. The cheesecake should come out easily.

7. Place on cake plate or stand. Top with vegan truwhip and blueberries. Enjoy!

To find truwhip products in a store near you, use the store locator at truwhip.com. BPT