If you're watching your diet, just substitute nonfat or lowfat nondairy whipped toppings for whipped cream in these recipes. Lowfat or nonfat sour cream and yogurt also work well when full fat products are specified in the recipe. Laurie Colwin's inspiring book Home Cooking prompted me to use unflavored gelatin, a bit of sugar, and fruit juices as a substitute for those brightly colored commercial gelatin products. Use 1 envelope (1 Tbsp.) unflavored gelatin, 2 cups of fruit juice, and 3-4 Tbsp. sugar for each 3 oz. package of commercial Jell-o. Increase or decrease the sugar amount according to your taste. If you'd like to use sheet gelatin, four sheets equal one tablespoon unflavored gelatin.
For clarity's sake, unflavored gelatin is packaged in small paper envelopes (Knox is one brand) and contains no sugar, flavorings, or color. In the 1970s, women were encouraged to add this product to their diet for longer, stronger fingernails. You can find vegetarian gelatin substitutes online. The 3 ounce boxes of flavored gelatin are the traditional brightly colored Jell-O products that we all know and love.
Molded and Frozen Salads
- Orange Cream Salad
This salad is wonderful for breakfast eaten with a bakery muffin or bagel. As a bonus, you'll get more than 100% of your daily Vitamin C requirement with just one serving! - Heavenly Cheese Mold
This creamy, smooth, sweet and savory salad is a real hit with kids. - Honeydew Salad Wedges
This beautiful salad is so good for you and so fun to make. - Divinity Frozen Fruit Salad
I have never seen this fabulous recipe on the internet or in cookbooks. My sisters and I always requested this salad on our birthdays. It's smooth, sweet, creamy, chewy, and just wonderful. Try it! - Frosty Fresh Fruit Salad
Buttermilk is the secret ingredients in this cool, creamy, and sweet salad. Use any fresh fruit that is ripe and luscious in this easy recipe. - Carrot Pineapple Salad
I love this salad, traditionally served at Thanksgiving in my house, topped with a drop of low fat mayonnaise. The combination of savory mayonnaise and sweet salad is fabulous. - Stuffed Peaches
Canned peaches are filled with a seasoned cream cheese ball, then the whole thing is set into a tender lemon gelatin. This recipe is superb. - Molded Cucumber Salad
I love that simple cucumber salad made with dill and sour cream. This molded version is a bit more sophisticated and just as delicious. - Sour Cream Cherry Fruit Salad Mold
Dinah Shore, in her fabulous cookbook Someone's In the Kitchen with Dinah calls this Sour Cream Cheese Fruit Salad Mold. This is my family's variation, and it's known as Dinah Shore Salad. Period. - Apricot Bavarian
Canned apricots, apricot gelatin, and sour cream combine to form a suave and creamy cool gelatin salad that's perfect for breakfast. - Frozen Banana Salad
This super easy frozen concoction tastes like a frozen popsicle - except better. - Molded Gazpacho
Cold gazpacho soup makes a fabulous summer meal. This salad is just gazpacho in a new form. Top it with a bit of sour cream and salsa for a great summer lunch.
