Strawberry Agua Fresca Spanish for “fresh water,” agua fresca is a refreshing, fruit-infused drink that is served throughout Mexico. This smooth, cool, and utterly refreshing frozen drink is so simple: fresh strawberries, lime juice, sugar, and water in a blender. At just 71 calories, it tastes more indulgent than it really is.
Strawberries don’t have to be dessert—you can work them into a main dish, too. Our Chicken and Strawberry Salad is a wonderful no-cook dish that’s a snap to make, combining sweet strawberries, tangy vinaigrette, moist chicken, and rich blue cheese.
Ingredients
Dressing:
1 tablespoon sugar
2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
1 tablespoon water
1/8 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
Salad:
4 cups torn romaine lettuce
4 cups arugula
2 cups quartered strawberries
1/3 cup vertically sliced red onion
12 ounces skinless, boneless rotisserie chicken breast, sliced
2 tablespoons unsalted cashews, halved
1/2 cup (2 ounces) crumbled blue cheese
Preparation
To prepare dressing, combine first 5 ingredients in a small bowl. Gradually drizzle in oil, stirring constantly with a whisk.
To prepare salad, combine romaine and next 4 ingredients (through chicken) in a bowl; toss gently. Place about 2 cups chicken mixture on each of 4 plates. Top each serving with 1 1/2 teaspoons cashews and 2 tablespoons cheese. Drizzle about 4 teaspoons dressing over each serving.
Strawberry, Pistachio, and Goat Cheese Pizza
This dish is a refreshing departure from traditional pizza. Substitute your favorite soft cheese or greens.
Ingredients
1 (12-ounce) prebaked pizza crust (such as Mama Mary’s)
1/3 cup (3 ounces) crumbled goat cheese
1 cup sliced strawberries
1 cup trimmed watercress
1/2 teaspoon extra-virgin olive oil
1/2 teaspoon fresh lemon juice
Dash of salt
Dash of freshly ground black pepper
1/4 cup (1 ounce) shaved fresh Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese
- tablespoons shelled dry-roasted pistachios, chopped
Preparation
Preheat oven to 425°. Place crust on a baking sheet. Bake at 425° for 8 minutes. Remove from oven; arrange goat cheese evenly over crust. Combine strawberries, watercress, olive oil, juice, salt, and black pepper; toss gently to coat. Arrange strawberry mixture evenly over goat cheese. Sprinkle pizza with Parmigiano-Reggiano and nuts. Cut into 12 wedges. Serve immediately.
Layer fresh berries with a creamy ricotta mixture for a crowd-pleasing no-baketreat.
Ingredients
4 cups sliced strawberries, divided
1/4 cup granulated sugar
1 cup fat-free ricotta cheese
1/2 cup (4 ounces) 1/3-less-fat cream cheese, softened
1/4 cup powdered sugar
1 tablespoon water
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 cup amaretti cookie crumbs (about 8 cookies)
1/2 cup frozen reduced-calorie whipped topping, thawed
2 tablespoons slivered almonds, toasted
Preparation
Place 2 cups of strawberry slices and granulated sugar in a blender or food processor, and process until smooth. Set strawberry puree aside.
Combine ricotta and next 4 ingredients (ricotta through vanilla) in a medium bowl; stir well with a whisk. Spoon 2 tablespoons cookie crumbs into each of 4 parfait glasses. Top each portion with 2 tablespoons strawberry puree, 1/4 cup strawberry slices, and 3 tablespoons ricotta mixture; repeat the layers. Drizzle the remaining strawberry puree over each serving. Chill for 2 hours. Top each parfait with 2 tablespoons whipped topping and 1 1/2 teaspoons almonds.