Grapefruit Basil Sorbet
Celebrating the new year with a treat you can feel good about eating, Grapefruit Basil Sorbet.
Happy 2016! I hope I find you fully recovered from your New Year’s Eve party, and another year healthier, wealthier, and wiser.
I’m refreshed and ready to dive into a new year of fabulous dishes, accompanied by butt-busting workouts!
For me, comforting holiday dishes generally equal extra curves. So I’ve vowed to clean up my act, with health conscious meals over the next fews weeks… And pick up my workouts where I left off in early December.
The only problem is, I need dessert. Like air.
I’m not going to tell you that I will completely eliminate sweets. It’s just not possible.
Solution? Lighter, leaner treats. I’ll just think of it as a personal challenge this month.
My sweet hubby got me a new ice cream machine for Christmas. Our old machine bit the dust last spring and I managed to make it through the summer and fall without one.
We decided to give it a spin, starting with a light lemon sorbet. Only, there were just 2 lemons in the fridge. Not nearly enough for sorbet.
Instead we used freshly squeezed grapefruit juice, and HOLY HEAVEN, was it good! Dare I say better than plain lemon sorbet?
This delightfully addictive grapefruit basil sorbet offers a slightly bitter and tart bite, balanced by fresh sweet basil leaves.
It makes your tongue dance a little jig! In fact, Grapefruit Basil Sorbet is so lovely, I would consider giving up chocolate for it. (Please don’t hold me to that.)
Did you know grapefruit helps shrink your stomach, so you feel full?!
Grapefruit Basil Sorbet is fat free, dairy free, gluten free, vegan, utterly delicious, and tricks you into feeling full. You can even make a paleo version by using coconut palm sugar.
You can enjoy it all month when you need a little sweet bite to get you through your day of salads. I’d say that’s a win on all levels.
Take that, January diet.
Grapefruit Basil Sorbet
Ingredients
- 4 large ruby red grapefruits, juiced
- 2 cups water
- 1 3/4 cups organic cane sugar or palm sugar
- 2 lemons, zested and juiced
- 1 cup basil leaves, packed
- pinch salt
Instructions
- Bring the water and sugar to a boil in a small saucepan. Once boiling, add the lemon zest, basil leaves and salt. Stir, remove from heat, and cover. Steep the basil leaves in the simple syrup for at least 20 minutes.
- Meanwhile, add the lemon juice to a 4-cup measuring pitcher. Juice the grapefruits into the pitcher until you’ve measured 3 cups of combined juices.
- Strain the simple syrup and discard the basil leaves. Then mix the syrup with the juice. Refrigerate for 2-3 hours (or to speed up, put in the freezer for 1 hour.)
- Pour the sorbet mixture into an electric ice cream maker. Turn on and mix for 20+ minutes, until the mixture reaches a “soft serve” consistency.
- Eat the sorbet immediately, or put in an airtight container and freeze. After frozen, allow the sorbet to sit out for 10-15 minutes to soften before serving.
Notes
Nutrition
Looking for more healthy treats? Try these!
Paleo Nut Bars with Chocolate Drizzle
Ok I'm one of those people who love icecreams in winter. so sorbet hit the right spot! I just can't wait to buy an icecream maker!
What a perky little dessert for those of us who have vowed (at least for a few weeks) to eat healthier.
That's such a wonderful gift..I have always wanted to have an ice cream machine ;-)And a beautiful sorbet, guilt free too :-)Happy New year !
this sounds so refreshing right now.. i love how pretty it looks as well. thank you for sharing this and have a great day.
Very appealing sorbet; I could feel it on my tongue and love the tanginess of it; the addition of basil is original and worth trying; lovely photos too.
I need dessert too :P Don't know about wealthier, but I definitely hope wiser and healthier. I've started on an exercise program to chase away last year's "blahs" and this gorgeously pink delight will fit in really nicely – great excuse to use my ice cream maker too ;) Thanks!!!
Wow, what a lovely sorbet…I love the idea of basil and grapefruit…can only imagine the taste of it. The color is so nice and pretty :-) Happy New Year!
Now, that's refreshing. And delicious. The best way to start a New year!
What a refreshing and pretty treat! I am loving the basil you added!
Yum. You can't simulate that grapefruit color. Thanks.
I like unique sorbet and ice cream flavors. This one is definitely one of them.
Cheers,
Nisrine
Sounds very refreshing. I love grapefruit.
Cheers to hefty workouts. I am right there with you.
This seems so refreshing! And like you, I too, NEED dessert! :D
This looks so fresh, light and tasty! Definitely welcome after all the holiday indulgences!
Basil is such a wonderful flavor. I often add it to my chocolate cakes…love it. Congrats on making Foodbuzz Top 9…well deserved!!
Winner winner chicken dinner! Best dessert of the new year already!
oooh, grapefruit and basil sounds like a winning combo! Well done :)
I love grapefruit! I just never thought to put them in sorbet… genius!