Most of the dessert recipes that I post end up falling under the "seldom splurge" category. Sure, they are lighter than a typical sweet treat but they still contain too many calories and too much sugar to be considered "guilt-free". This dessert is more diet-friendly than most of the others and provides a large portion for only 110 calories. Farmers have reported that strawberries (and peaches) are reaching their peak ripeness ahead of schedule this year. That means that you can already find the red, juicy varieties in your grocery store. Strawberries are one of my all time favorite fruits so I decided to use them to create a sugar-free strawberry shortcake. I actually ran across the recipe on the back of a box of Truvia natural sweetener. I know that I tend to use Splenda in place of sugar in a lot of my recipes but that is mostly because granulated Splenda measures cup for cup like sugar, making it very easy to substitute. Otherwise, I like to use Truvia. The recipe called for a low-fat baking mix to make the shortcake. I used Carbquik because it is lower in calories and higher in fiber than other baking mixes but you could use Heart Healthy Bisquick for slightly higher calorie stats and less fiber. I loved so many things about this recipe. It was very quick and simple. It used only a few ingredients. It made 4 portions so there weren't a ton of leftovers to go to waste. The portions were quite large for a minimal amount of calories. And most of all, it was lightly sweet, fluffy, and absolutely delicious. This strawberry shortcake will definitely be a go-to summer dessert in my house.

1. Prepare fresh strawberries: rinse, hull and slice. Sprinkle 6 packets of Truvia onto strawberries. Stir and set aside.
2. Preheat oven to 425 degrees.
3. Mix together baking mix, 3 packets of Truvia, and milk. Stir until a soft dough forms. (You may have to add a couple more tablespoons of milk)
4. Drop 4 spoonfuls of dough onto an ungreased cookie sheet. Bake for 9-12 minutes until golden brown. Cool.
5. Slice shortcakes in half and fill with strawberries and cool whip. Top with an additional layer of strawberries and cool whip.

Nutrition: (with Carbquik) 110 calories, 21g carbohydrate, 5g protein, 5g fat, 12g fiber
weight watchers points: 1
weight watchers plus points: 3

Nutrition: (with Heart Healthy Bisquick) 148 calories, 29g carbohydrate, 3g protein, 3g fat, 2g fiber
weight watchers points: 3
weight watchers points plus: 4

In my opinion, the word "recipe" implies the inclusion of a list of ingredients followed by a set of step-by-step directions. Therefore, I don't think I can classify this post as an actual recipe, considering it is simply the mixing of two items: Crystal Light lemonade powder mix and diet ginger ale. This combination produces the perfect light, bubbly punch without the sugar and calories of many party drinks. I served this punch for a bridal shower in July. It was quite the compliment to the humid southern heat and I was asked for the "ingredients" numerous times throughout the event. I have also found that it is a great replacement for alcoholic beverages, although you can still serve it in champagne/wine glasses for an elegant appeal. This presentation is especially fun for children. As for directions, pour one package of Crystal Light lemonade powder mix (package meant to make 2 quarts of lemonade) into a 2-liter bottle of diet ginger ale and shake well to mix. A funnel is not necessary but it helps to get the powder in the bottle quickly. You must screw the lid back on the bottle pretty quickly or the drink will begin to fizz and overflow (definitely do this over the sink). Along with its fabulous fizz, the drink is less than 5 calories per serving/glass and contains no sugar. Time to have a guilt-free party!