Sumer Melon Granita

Note the gratuitous berry garnish (optional)

Cook Time: 40 minutes (plus freezing time)

Cost: 10 bucks

Ingredients:

3 cups of cubed melon (1 1/2 c honeydew, 1 1/2 c cantaloupe)

1 1/2 c apple juice

1 1/2 c water

1/2 c sugar (or a bit more/less depending on the sweetness of your fruit)

1 tsp vanilla extract

Full disclosure: I'm lactose intolerant.  So that means every time I make an ice cream, mac and cheese or cream-based soup/sauce, my digestive system pays for it dearly later that night....and the next morning, and the next afternoon.  So here's a simple, sweet treat that is thankfully lactose free.

1. In a deep pot, combine the apple juice, water, sugar and vanilla.  Bring the liquid to a gentle simmer until the sugar dissolves.

2. After the sugar dissolves, add the cubed melon and continue to simmer until the melon softens, about 5 minutes or so.  At this point, the bright green honeydew will dull in color.  Be prepared, it doesn't look too pretty.  Teacher tip: I know, I always buy a honeydew or other melon and can never eat enough in one sitting, so I bag up the leftover cubes and freeze them.  The melon I used here were previously frozen so I just plopped the thawed melon into the pot and simmered until they were thoroughly thawed through.

3. Take the pot off the heat and allow to cool, about 20 minutes or so.  Then, use an immersion blender to blend the melon mixture until smooth.  You really want to get it as smooth as possible.  At this point, you may want to taste test your warm melon mixture to make sure it's the right sweetness -- some fruit is sweeter than others based on the season and other variables.

4.  Let this mixture cool a bit.  It's probably best to let it sit in the fridge for a few hours or overnight.  Then, pour it into a 9x13 cake pan and place in the freezer overnight. (Yep, that's two days).

5. When you're ready to serve, scrape over the frozen mixture with a spoon creating soft, fluffy, shaved-ice like crystals.  Place in a glass and serve -- your tummy will thank you later.