Ricotta & Strawberries

I had never had much experience with ricotta cheese except as part of lasagna and
it just seemed kind of blah to me, so I've never been inspired to do anything
else with it. I've been reading over this last year about people here using it
with sweeteners and fruit, though, and finally decided to try it today for
breakfast (I kept BUYING it -- I just never got around to USING it). I had some
overripe sliced strawberries and thought the ricotta might be a good fit. So I
mixed 5 oz of strawberries, mashing some of the mushier ones, with 1/2 cup of
ricotta and some liquid Splenda -- OMG! It was WONDERFUL! Ricotta will now be
the standard solution to my mushy strawberry dilemma -- probably with the not-
quite-ripe-ENOUGH ones, too! It's a lot less work than whipped cream and a LOT
fewer calories. For what I had today, the net carbs were 10.3 (4 ricotta, 6.3
strawberries) and 240 calories (200 ricotta, 40 strawberries). It was a nice
treat for my 1-year anniversary on Atkins!

--
Saffire
205/154/125 - 5'2.5"
Atkins since 6/14/03
Progress photo: http://photos.yahoo.com/saffire333

Saffire...

The innards of cannolis are made with ricotta.

I posted an LC cannoli dipping cream recipe for use with strawberries a
few weeks ago.

Give it a try, you'll love it.

STRAWBERRIES AND CANNOLI DIPPING CREAM

4 Servings

1 pint strawberries, wash and dried

Cannoli Dipping Cream:

1 cup heavy cream
1/3 cup Splenda
1/4 teaspoon almond extract
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/3 cup whole milk ricotta

Whip heavy cream until foamy, and then add Splenda and extracts.
Continue to whip on high until stiff peaks form.

Gently fold in the ricotta cheese. Place in pretty bowl and garnish
with lemon zest.

Serve with strawberries for dipping.

Saffire wrote:

I had never had much experience with ricotta cheese except as part of lasagna and
it just seemed kind of blah to me, so I've never been inspired to do anything
else with it. I've been reading over this last year about people here using it
with sweeteners and fruit, though, and finally decided to try it today for
breakfast (I kept BUYING it -- I just never got around to USING it). I had some
overripe sliced strawberries and thought the ricotta might be a good fit. So I
mixed 5 oz of strawberries, mashing some of the mushier ones, with 1/2 cup of
ricotta and some liquid Splenda -- OMG! It was WONDERFUL! Ricotta will now be
the standard solution to my mushy strawberry dilemma -- probably with the not-
quite-ripe-ENOUGH ones, too! It's a lot less work than whipped cream and a LOT
fewer calories. For what I had today, the net carbs were 10.3 (4 ricotta, 6.3
strawberries) and 240 calories (200 ricotta, 40 strawberries). It was a nice
treat for my 1-year anniversary on Atkins!

I've gotten to know my ricotta cheese. Pollyo and Sargetto are the best so
far. Davici Vanilla sugar free syrup sweetens nicely. Try chopping up a 1 in
piece of very dark chocolate and stirring in (Lintz 85% cocoa=1 carb a
square) I have this for dessert a few nights a week.

diet!? what diet? don't tell me I can't stay on this for a long time!--
Diane
Atkins since 12/4/2003
234/196 /150 5"8

CCLL about 27

Enjoy life & keep the calories down to your weight x 10
and watch the salt!
"Saffire" wrote in message
.. .
I had never had much experience with ricotta cheese except as part of
lasagna and
it just seemed kind of blah to me, so I've never been inspired to do
anything
else with it. I've been reading over this last year about people here
using it
with sweeteners and fruit, though, and finally decided to try it today for
breakfast (I kept BUYING it -- I just never got around to USING it). I
had some
overripe sliced strawberries and thought the ricotta might be a good fit.
So I
mixed 5 oz of strawberries, mashing some of the mushier ones, with 1/2 cup
of
ricotta and some liquid Splenda -- OMG! It was WONDERFUL! Ricotta will
now be
the standard solution to my mushy strawberry dilemma -- probably with the
not-
quite-ripe-ENOUGH ones, too! It's a lot less work than whipped cream and
a LOT
fewer calories. For what I had today, the net carbs were 10.3 (4 ricotta,
6.3
strawberries) and 240 calories (200 ricotta, 40 strawberries). It was a
nice
treat for my 1-year anniversary on Atkins!

--
Saffire
205/154/125 - 5'2.5"
Atkins since 6/14/03
Progress photo: http://photos.yahoo.com/saffire333