Keep Cool with No-Bake Recipes

August brings us the last full month of summer, and along with it, lots of heat and humidity. As the mercury outside continues to climb, it's a great time to keep the kitchen cool. Create a light snack by pairing slices or cubes of cheese with food that brings out its unique flavors, such as fresh seasonal fruits, vegetables, crusty bread or whole grain crackers. Smoothies made with fresh fruit, yogurt and milk can also provide a cool and refreshing break from the unrelenting heat. Not only do these simple snacks offer great ways to enjoy dairy's delicious taste, but they provide nine essential nutrients, including calcium, vitamin D, and potassium. Another dairy-friendly snack perfect for a hot summer day is creamy dip served with raw vegetables. For a tangy twist, use plain yogurt in place of sour cream while whipping up your favorite dip recipes. You'll boost your calcium intake, while enjoying the enhanced flavor.

St. Louis District Dairy Council offers these easy recipes to keep you (and your kitchen) cool during summer's final hurrah.

Chipotle Pepper Dip

Makes 5 Servings, Prep time 10 min, Cook time 10 min

Ingredients:

1 teaspoon Chipotle pepper sauce

2 (8-ounce) containers low-fat plain yogurt

1/2 cup thick and chunky salsa

2 tablespoons cilantro, chopped

1/4 cup Cheddar cheese, shredded

Assorted cut vegetables or corn chips

Combine all ingredients in medium bowl; mix until blended and refrigerate. Add shredded cheese. Serve with assorted cut vegetables or corn chips.

Nutrition Facts

Calories: 90

Total Fat: 3 g

Calcium: 20% Daily Value

Protein: 6 g

Strawberry Frozen Yogurt Squares

Makes 9 servings, Prep times 10 min, Cook time 180 min

Ingredients:

1 cup crunchy wheat and barley cereal

3 cups fat-free strawberry yogurt

1 (10-ounce) bag frozen unsweetened strawberries (about 2 1/2 cups)

1 cup fat-free sweetened condensed milk

1 cup light or fat-free whipped topping (optional)

Line an 8x8-inch baking pan with foil. Sprinkle cereal evenly on the bottom of the pan; set aside.

Place yogurt, strawberries and condensed milk in a blender; cover and blend until smooth. Pour the mixture over top of cereal, gently smoothing yogurt mixture to edges of pan. Cover with foil (or plastic wrap) and freeze for 8 hours or until firm. Use edges of foil to loosen and remove from pan; let recipe thaw for 5 to 10 minutes. Cut into squares, top with whipped topping, if desired, and serve.

Storage tip: Squares may be individually wrapped and frozen for single servings.

Note: Create your own variations by using other flavor combinations of yogurt and fruit.

Nutrition Facts

Calories: 200

Total Fat: 0 g

Calcium: 20% Daily Value

Protein: 7 g

Strawberry Fields Smoothie

Makes 2 Servings, Cook time 15 min

Ingredients:

3 cups fresh whole strawberries, sliced (2 cups sliced)

1 cup fat-free milk

1/3 cup low-fat plain yogurt

2 tsp honey (optional)

1/2 tsp vanilla extract (optional)

In a single layer on a plate, freeze the sliced strawberries for at least 1 hour (or overnight). Add the frozen strawberry slices to a blender container along with the milk, yogurt and, if using, the honey and vanilla. Cover and puree until smooth. Pour into 2 tall chilled glasses.

Nutrition Facts

Calories: 140

Total Fat: 1.5 g

Calcium: 25% Daily Value

Protein: 8 g

Note: Freeze any leftover smoothie in Popsicle molds for frozen treats anytime.

Salad on a Stick with Honey Mustard and Cilantro Lime Dressings

Makes 8 Servings, Prep time 20 min, cook time 20 min

Ingredients:

Salad

1/2 cup fresh vegetables, cut into 1-inch chunks (suggestions: bell peppers, spinach, cucumbers, zucchini, tomato (cherry or grape), radish and mushrooms) (1/2 cup needed per skewer)

1 - 1 1/2 ounces of lowfat Cheddar cheese cut into cubes (3-4 cubes per skewer)

Honey Mustard Yogurt Dressing

1 cup plain, fat free or low fat yogurt

3 tablespoons sweet honey deli-style mustard

2 teaspoons honey

1 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon sugar

Cilantro Lime Yogurt Dressing

1 cup plain, fat free or low fat yogurt

1 tablespoons minced cilantro

2 tablespoon minced scallion

2 tablespoon fresh lime juice

Salt to taste

Salad: Alternate vegetables and cheese cubes on skewer. To create the salad, use spinach leaves and layer between vegetables

Honey Mustard Dressing: Stir all ingredients together until well blended. Store in refrigerator until ready to serve. Dip and enjoy!

Cilantro Lime Dressing: In a small bowl, combine the yogurt, cilantro, scallions and lime juice. Add salt to taste. Set aside for at least an hour to allow flavors to meld. Will keep 3 to 4 days in refrigerator.

Nutrition Facts

Per Serving (of Salad only):

Calories: 90

Fat: 3 g

Calcium: 20% Daily Value

Protein: 11 g

Per Serving (of Honey Mustard Dressing only):

Calories: 30

Fat: 1 g

Calcium: 4% Daily Value

Protein: 1 g

Per Serving (of Cilantro Lime Dressing only):

Calories: 16

Fat: 0 g

Calcium: 5% Daily Value

Protein: 1 g

For more information, visit St. Louis Dairy Council's website at www.stldairycouncil.org or contact Kelly Maher, R.D., L.D. at (314) 835-9668, or email at kmaher@stldairycouncil.org