With the Fourth of July right around the corner, summer celebrations with your loved ones under the night sky as it beams with red, white, and blue fireworks are coming up as well. There are so many wonderful patriotic-themed treat recipes out there that you could make to share with friends and family, but most of these recipes have one thing in common—added sugar. And lots of it.
What’s the deal with added sugar anyway?
You may be thinking that added sugar isn’t that much of an issue, but many credible health sources say otherwise. This kind of sugar, unlike naturally occurring sugars in fruits, add little to no nutritional value to your heart healthy diet. Consuming large amounts of added sugar has been linked to weight gain, higher blood pressure, and an increased risk for heart disease. It can also lead to mental health issues such as depression. The American Heart Association recommends no more than 25 grams of added sugar a day for women, while no more than 36 grams of sugar is recommended for men. For comparison, according to Harvard, the average American consumes 68 grams of added sugar each day. This is equal to 270 extra calories in your diet that are not benefiting you.
While sugar is okay to consume in moderation, sharing multiple platters of sugar-filled sweets with your loved ones may not be a great idea. But this doesn’t mean you can’t still share some fun, tasty treats at your Independence Day celebrations! If you are looking for Fourth of July treat ideas that are low in sugar while keeping the same great taste, keep reading for some red, white, and blue treats recipes to savor as you watch fireworks dance in the night sky with your loved ones.
Monk Fruit Sweetened Cherry Pie
Share a sweet cherry pie that contains monk fruit with your loved ones!
Ingredients:
4 Cups Fresh Or Frozen Tart Cherries1 Cup Granular Monk Fruit Sweetener Bag, 800 Grams
4 Tbsp Cornstarch
Topping:
Instructions:
- Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.
- Place cherries in a medium saucepan over medium heat on the stove.
- In a small bowl, mix SweetLeaf® Granular Monk Fruit Sweetener and cornstarch together.
- Pour this mixture into the cherries on the stove and mix well.
- Cook over low heat until thickened, stirring frequently. Remove from heat and let cool.
- Pour cooled cherry mixture into crust (you can use store-bought or make your own).
- Sprinkle with SweetLeaf® Granular Monk Fruit Sweetener.
- Bake for about 50 minutes or until desired doneness. Remove from oven and place on rack to cool.
Dark Cherry Raw Ice Cream (No Churn)
Got dark cherries instead of tart cherries? Try making this low-sugar ice cream that makes 8 total servings to share.
Note:
“Using powdered xylitol should improve the consistency of the ice cream, providing a smoother, more uniform texture. It’s not necessary to include cashew butter, sunflower lecithin, or chia seeds. However, I do highly recommend using full-fat coconut cream. Otherwise, the ice cream will be more like a smoothie.” - @PlantBasedFlex_Debbie
Ingredients:
2 cups dark cherries, pitted (fresh or if using frozen, thaw and drain well)1 can (13.5 ounces) full-fat coconut cream, chilled
1/3 cup xylitol, ground to a fine powder
2 tablespoons lemon juice
2 tablespoons raw cashew butter (optional for added creaminess)
1 teaspoon sunflower lecithin (optional as an emulsifier)
1 tablespoon chia seeds (optional, pre-soaked in 3 tablespoons water until gel-like consistency)
Instructions:
Preparation:
- If using chia seeds, mix them with water and let sit for about 20 minutes until it forms a gel. This will be your natural thickener.
- Chill the coconut cream in the refrigerator for a few hours before use, ensuring it's very cold.
Blend the Base:
- In a blender, combine the cherries, chilled coconut cream, xylitol, and lemon juice. Blend until the mixture is smooth.
- Add the raw cashew butter and sunflower lecithin if using. Blend again until everything is well incorporated and smooth.
Add Thickener:
- If using the chia gel, add it to the blender and pulse a few times to mix it through the ice cream base without completely breaking down the gel structure.
Freeze:
- Pour the mixture into a freezer-safe container. If you don’t have an ice cream maker, place the container in the freezer.
- For the first 4 hours, stir the ice cream every 30 minutes to an hour to help break up any ice crystals that form. This can be done with a fork, whisk, or hand mixer.
Final Freeze:
- Allow the ice cream to freeze solid, typically about 6-8 hours or overnight.
Serve:
- Remove the ice cream from the freezer about 5-10 minutes before serving to let it soften slightly for easier scooping.
Sugar Free Yogurt Parfait with Fresh Berries
Too sick of red treats and instead want something white and blue? Make this easy sugar-free parfait for that extra splash of patriotic color.
Ingredients:
1 Cup Plain Greek Yogurt1/2 Cup Fresh Berries (Strawberries, Blueberries, Or Raspberries)
5 drops SteviaClear® Sweet Drops®, 288 Servings
Optional Toppings:
1 Tbsp Nuts, Chopped (Almonds, Pecans, Walnuts)1 Tbsp Shredded Coconut
1 Tsp Chia Seeds
Directions:
- In a bowl, mix Greek yogurt and SweetLeaf® Sweet Drops® Clear® with a spoon until the mixture is a creamy consistency.
- Take a tall glass or small bowl for your parfait and add a layer of yogurt to the bottom. Add berries and nuts between layers of yogurt until you reach the top.
Low Sugar Raspberry Sherbet
Try this next chilly treat to help keep you cool in the July heat.
Ingredients:
2 Cups Yogurt¼ Cup Milk
½ Cup Raspberry Juice
1 Tbsp. Fresh Orange Juice
1 Tsp. Vanilla Extract
1/8 cup 50% Reduced Calorie Coconut Sugar
1 Banana
Directions:
- In a blender blend all ingredients together until smooth.
- Pour into ice cream maker and churn until it becomes the consistency of ice cream.
- Use an ice cream scooper to serve into bowls or keep in the freezer and thaw for 5 minutes before serving.
- Optional to add fresh raspberries or red, white, and blue sprinkles.
Red Velvet Cupcakes
Want some healthy sweet treats to share? Red velvet cupcakes are a great option for any celebration.
Ingredients:
2¼ Cups All-Purpose Flour¼ Cup Unsweetened Cocoa Powder
½ Tsp. Salt
1 Stick (8 Tbsp.) Butter, Room Temperature
⅓ cup plus 1 Tbsp. Indulge Granular
2 Eggs
2 Tsp. Red Food Coloring
1 Tsp. Vanilla Extract
1 Cup Buttermilk
1 Tsp. Baking Soda
2 Tsp. White Wine Vinegar
Directions:
- Preheat oven to 350°F.
- Grease 2 muffin tins or line with muffin liners.
- Sift flour, cocoa powder and salt into a bowl.
- In a mixer, beat butter at low speed until creamy.
- Add SweetLeaf® indulge™, blending on medium speed for about 3 minutes.
- Add eggs, one at a time, blending well after each.
- Add natural food coloring and vanilla.
- On low speed, add the flour mixture and buttermilk, alternating between flour mixture and buttermilk into three separate additions.
- In a small bowl, mix together baking soda and vinegar.
- Stir into batter.
- Pour batter evenly into muffin tins, filling ¾ of the way full.
- Bake for 25 to 30 minutes or until cupcakes are baked through.
- Top with SweetLeaf® indulge™ Vanilla Frosting or SweetLeaf® indulge™ No-Added Sugar Chocolate Frosting (optional).
Frozen Strawberry Kiwi Daiquiri Mocktail
Need a drink to share as well? Try this strawberry mocktail!
Ingredients:
2 Squeezes Strawberry Kiwi Water Drops®, 48 Servings1 Cup Frozen Strawberries
1/2 Cup No Added Sugar Coconut Water
1/4 Cup Lime Juice
1 Cup Ice
Lime Wedges (For Garnish)
Directions:
- In a blender, add SweetLeaf® Water Drops® Strawberry Kiwi, frozen strawberries, coconut water, lime juice, and ice.
- Blend until smooth.
- Pour the frozen daiquiri into glasses.
- Garnish with a lime wedge.