Lemon Panna Cotta with Strawberry Sauce

I've been really good, working out at 5:00 am, watching what I eat, drinking my water.  But after a day or two of that (come on, how long is a girl supposed to keep that up?) I need dessert.  This time of the winter I crave oranges, lemons,  grapefruit and strawberries.

Can you imagine strawberries in January in Fairbanks?  They are tasteless.  I have trained myself not to buy fresh strawberries at the store, but I still need my fix.  So, after smelling the fresh berries in the produce dept., I head to the frozen foods and get a 1 lb. package of frozen berries.

This dessert is the perfect thing for this time of year.  It is light in calories, has citrus and I add strawberry sauce over the top so it hits all my requirements.  With the left over strawberry sauce I'll make a rhubarb crisp with an oatmeal crumble...what? oatmeal is good for you.

Lemon Panna Cotta with Strawberry Sauce
Panna Cotta adapted from January Cooking Light 2013 

• 1 lemon
• 11 tablespoons 2% reduced-fat milk, divided 
• 1/2 cup half-and-half
• 1/3 cup sugar
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1 3/4 teaspoons unflavored gelatin
• 1 1/2 cups reduced-fat buttermilk
• Cooking spray
• 1. Remove rind from lemon using a vegetable peeler, avoiding white pith. Squeeze 3 tablespoons juice from lemon. Combine rind, 1/2 cup milk, half-and-half, sugar, and salt in a small saucepan; bring to a simmer over medium heat (do not boil). Remove pan from heat; cover and let stand 20 minutes. Discard rind. Sprinkle gelatin over remaining 3 tablespoons milk in a small bowl, and let stand at least 10 minutes. Return half-and-half mixture to medium heat; cook for 1 minute or until very hot. Add the gelatin mixture, stirring with a whisk until dissolved (about 1 minute). Stir in buttermilk and 3 tablespoons juice. Divide mixture among 4 (6-ounce) ramekins or custard cups coated with cooking spray. Cover and refrigerate for 4 hours.
• 2. Run a knife around outside edges of panna cotta. Place a plate upside down on top of each cup; invert onto plate. 

• 

  Frozen strawberries, frozen orange juice, and sugar make a delicious sauce.

Strawberry Sauce
1 lb. pkg. frozen whole strawberries without sugar

1/4 cup orange juice

1/4 to 1/3 cup sugar, depending on sweetness preference

Let frozen berries thaw slightly, cut into 1/4ths with scissors or knife.  Put in medium saucepan over medium heat.  Add orange juice and sugar.  Bring to a boil and reduce heat to a simmer.  Simmer until strawberry mixture reduces by about 1/3 and begins to get syrupy.  Cool completely.  Use as suace for Panna Cotta, french toast, or pancakes.

January 18, 2013     Daylight 5 hours, 28 minutes, 52 seconds   Temp. H -17/ L -20 ºF