More often than not, I make healthy food choices. {I know that's hard to believe when you see this, this, and this.}
Luckily, I actually enjoy a lot of the veggies, fruits, and grains that are considered healthy, so it doesn't feel like I'm "being good", it just feels like I'm eating some tasty things that don't make me feel completely horrible afterwards. {Unlike how I feel when I treat myself to one of my weaknesses: French Fries.}
I've mentioned before that I think moderation is a key component to living a healthy life -- even too much of a good thing can turn not-so-good if you overdo it. I also happen to feel that life is too short to completely deprive yourself of things you love, which is why I eat some form of dessert pretty much every day.
Sometimes that means 2 Oreo cookies {Yes, I make myself stop after 2... it's an exercise in will power}. Or a scoop of Talenti Tahitian Vanilla Bean Gelato {even though I could easily eat the whole pint}. Other times it means a banana with some almond butter. Or Nutella straight off a spoon.
The objective here is to get a little sweetness in my life without completely going overboard and feeling bad about it afterwards. {Or having my health-nut of a husband giving me judgmental sideways glances.}
I am sure I eat more sugar than I technically should, even though I am careful about it. But, like I said, I look forward to a sweet treat and think it's ok to allow a moderate indulgence without going too crazy about it.
Anyway, the reason I'm yammering on about this is because this Bittersweet Chocolate-Cherry Sorbet is a good way to get your daily dessert fix without crossing into deep fried, butter-laden, cream filled territory.
Yes, it's got a bit of sugar. But it's also got a nice richness that you wouldn't expect from something without milk or cream, which is a nice surprise for your well-behaved taste buds.
Topped off with a fruity Fresh Cherry Compote, you will be more than satisfied with just a scoop, and still slip right into your skinny jeans at 1.3 grams of fat and just under 200 calories per serving.
Now that's what I call having your scoop & eating it too. 🙂
Bittersweet Chocolate-Cherry Sorbet with Fresh Cherry Compote
via Cooking Light
Sorbet:
¾ cup red cherry jam {I used Favorit brand}
½ cup Dutch process cocoa {I used Ghiradelli}*
¼ cup sugar
⅛ teaspoon salt
2 cups water
Compote:
1 tablespoons sugar
½ pound fresh cherries, pitted & halved
Whisk together first 4 ingredients in a small saucepan over medium heat. Slowly whisk in water.
Bring to a boil for about a minute, then remove from heat.
Pour into a heat safe bowl to cool {I used a glass baking dish}, and bring to room temperature. Refrigerate for 4 hours or overnight. {If you are in a rush, you can put it in the freezer for about 1-2 hours until it is cold.}
Pour mixture into the bowl of an ice cream maker, and follow manufacturer's instructions.
Spoon sorbet into a freezer-safe storage container and freeze for an hour to harden slightly.
For Compote:
Sprinkle ¼ cup sugar over fresh cherries and toss together gently. Leave mixture to at room temperature for about 1 hour.
To Serve:
Spoon ¼ cup compote over a scoop of sorbet.
*I only had slightly sweetened cocoa on hand, so I reduced the sugar amount a bit to compensate.
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