It’s Memorial Day weekend which means picnics, food, more food, drinks, and most importantly honoring those who lost their lives defending our freedom.

It can wreak havoc on your weight loss goals, and speaking of goals, I’m getting close.  I do not want to derail,

The only thing I like better than a big hunk of chocolate is lemon with berries.  This has just enough tart with the sweet, and is more than enough to make me feel like I’m indulging when I’m not.  They are 4 Smartpoints a cup.

If you simply refrigerate these you get a nice, thick whipped cream effect.  If you freeze for an hour before serving it is more like a pie filling effect.  The choice is yours!  Me?  I like the frozen effect!

Ingredients:

1 1/3 cup Non-Fat Dry Milk Powder
1/2 cup water
1/2 cup Sweet Additions Stevia Baking Mix (found at Aldi, or you could use the Splenda brand)
1/2 cup Lemon Juice
1 tsp Lemon Zest
1 8 oz Tub Fat Free Cool Whip, defrosted

For Fruit Filling:

2 Pint Strawberries diced – + 1/8 cup Stevia Baking Mix mixed thoroughly
4 Cups Blueberries – + 1/8 cup Stevia Baking Mix mixed thoroughly

9 ounce clear cups

Method of Preparation:

Mix dry milk powder and water thoroughly.  Cover and microwave for 30-60 seconds.  You just want to warm it up, do NOT let it boil.

Give it a good stir and add in your Stevia.

You must refrigerate this mixture for at least 2 hours.

After the 2 hours is up add your lemon juice and zest and mix fully.  I actually put it in my stand mixture and whirl it around on high for about a minute because the milk powder can get lumpy.  This gives it a great consistency.

Once the lemon juice and zest are incorporated add your cool whip and gently mix them together.

Layer Bluberries (about 3 tablespoons, give or take) , 1/4 cup lemon cream, strawberries (about 3 tablespoons, give or take), 1/4 cup lemon cream in clear cups.  You can mound your top and place a blueberry on top like the featured image, or flatten and place blueberries and a strawberry for decoration on top.

You should get 15 cups with this recipe.  If you like this recipe you’ll love my Key Lime Pie Bowls.

There are two reasons why I could never do the low carb/whole 30/Atkins type diets.

1. Dessert
2. Potatoes

I know, I know sugar is BAD.  White stuff is BAD.  You know what?  I don’t care.  I want sugar sometimes.  I want a huge whopping baked potato sometimes.  Do I have dessert every night?  Unfortunately not.  Do I eat mounds of potatoes every night?  No, but that is what my personal heaven will be.

I can eat those things in moderation though, which is why Weight Watchers works for me.  You pay dearly though, so when I can make something that is good with my Smartpoints balance and satisfies my cravings, we are talking Win! Win! people.

These mini pavlova’s are only 2 Smartpoints each! I modified it from one of my favorite cookbooks,  The Skinnytaste Cookbook: Light on Calories, Big on Flavor.

Now this may seem intimidating at first, but I’m telling you it isn’t hard at all!  Read the recipe first, read it again, and then begin.

Ingredients:

2 Large Egg Whites (room temp, this is important!)
1 Teaspoon Vanilla Bean Paste (or vanilla extract)
1 Teaspoon Cornstarch
1/8 Teaspoon Salt
6 Tablespoons Sugar

Fruit Topping:

1 Pint Strawberries (sliced)
1 Cup Frozen Blueberries
4 Stevia Packets

Lemon Blueberry Sauce:

1 Cup Frozen Blueberries
1/2 Lemon (Juiced)
1/2 Lemon (Zest)
3 Stevia Packets

Optional:  Cool Whip (fat free or another variety Smartpoints not included – I like it better without)

Method of Preparation:

Preheat oven to 200 and prepare a cookie sheet with parchment paper.

Beat egg whites, vanilla, cornstarch and salt on medium speed for 2 minutes.  They should be getting all foamy at that point.  Increase the speed to medium-high and beat for 3 minutes.  Slowly add your sugar, sprinkling it in one tablespoon at a time, until all 6 tablespoons are in.  Beat mixture on high for 3 to 4 minutes.  You know it’s ready when stiff peaks form and the mixture is glossy.

Carefully scoop about 1/4 cup of the meringue mixture and form a little nest on the cookie sheet.  I have an ice cream scoop that is 1/4 cup and it works perfectly.  Using the back of the scoop I form a little well so that when done there will be an indentation for the fruit.

You should get nine Mini Pavlovas.  Bake for 1 1/2 hours, then turn oven off but leave in the oven for a minimum of 2 hours.  Your pavlovas should be dry on the outside but not brown.  I peaking in the oven window around an hour to make sure they aren’t browning.  If you see that they are browning shut the oven off, crack the door for a few seconds and then close.

While your pavlovas are baking prepare your fruit topping.  My favorite combination in the world is strawberries and blueberries, but you can experiment with your favorites.  Any kind of fruit goes well with these!

Slice your strawberries and mix with your blueberries and stevia.  Cover and place in the refrigerator.

For your blueberry-lemon sauce place blueberries, lemon zest, and lemon juice in a sauce pan on low heat.  Bring to a boil and reduce to a simmer.  Cook for five minutes.

Strain through a fine mesh strainer, pushing your blueberries until there is only skin left.  Put back on heat and simmer for 2 more minutes.  Put sauce in a bowl and refrigerate.

You will want to assemble these pretty close to when you eat them as the pavlovas will get soggy after an hour or so.  Drizzle sauce, add as much fruit as you want and top with whipped cream if you want.

Enjoy!

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