Kaki, this is one of my favorite types of recipe: it’s not really a recipe, it’s more like a formula.

• Take some frozen fruit.
• Add something creamy.
• Add something sweet.
• Blend it up.

The frozen fruit can be anything.  I usually use strawberry, but recently I saw a Mango-Papaya-Strawberry mixture that I had to try.  I’m trying to think if there are any fruits that wouldn’t work… and coming up blank.  Use ’em all.

The something creamy can be anything.  I’ve used milk, yogurt, coconut milk, silken tofu… I wonder if a nut butter would work?

The something sweet can be many things.  I’d stay away from your liquid sweeteners, as I think honey, maple syrup, or agave nectar would get too cold and not mix as well as a granular sweetener.  But you know, try it out, see if it works.  Personally I just use white sugar, but brown sugar would work, too, as would Splenda I bet.  Maybe not powdered sugar, now that I think about it.

Then you blend it.  Until I got my new food processor (with which I am still fully enamored), I did this with my immersion blender.  Which, admittedly, took a bit of time and effort.  Use the food processor.

This is one of my go-to, “I need to bring something to book club tonight, and have nearly nothing in the house.” recipes.  And a great “What dessert can I bring to a potluck that my vegan and gluten-free friends are attending?” recipe.  Also perfect for “What’s something quick, easy, and vaguely healthful that I can serve after dinner this summer?” occasions.  Use it.  Do it.

Easiest Sorbet

adapted from Mark Bittman

serves 4-5

Ingredients

• 16 oz. frozen fruit
• 1/2 cup milk, yogurt, coconut milk, or silken tofu
• 1/4 cup sugar, or other sweetener, if desired
• several tablespoons water

Combine the first three ingredients in bowl of a food processor and pulse until smooth, stopping to scrap down the sides of the bowl as needed.  Add some water as needed to keep the mixture moving in the food processor.  Stop short of combining it so much that it’s essentially a smoothie.

If you’re going to eat this more than a couple of hours after blending it, consider adding a tablespoon or two of some kind of alcohol to keep the sorbet from freezing too solid.  Vodka, gin, bourbon… you know, just, consider it.