Written by Kelly of Sass & Veracity.

I suppose you could convince me there is a dessert that typifies summer more than shortcake, and you might be able to string me along for a while before I came to my senses to explain delicately that, at least to me, not much else can compete.

My shortcake memories go back years, but they always begin the same: with a biscuit. Not a slice of angel food cake, or pound cake. A lowly biscuit. One that, if you’re me, would normally be found on a plate filled with beans, rice, and coleslaw. That kind of biscuit. The one that not much else can compare to when it comes to soaking up juice and binding everything together, whether it’s dessert or not.

Sure, I’ve tried a variety of recipes, combinations of flavors and ingredients, but in the end I’m only truly satisfied with that slightly salty bite of biscuit and the tart sweetness of fresh berries tempered by the richness of cream. It’s fabulous.

Written by Amy Green of Simply Sugar & Gluten-Free.
Photo of BlueberryTiramisu from Simply Sugar & Gluten-Free.

Eating healthier is the latest buzz. And it’s not just because summer is here and we all want to look great in a bathing suit. With Jamie Oliver’s Food Revolution sweeping worldwide and America’s increasing obesity problems, it’s clear that there is a need to eat healthier.

I know how it feels to be labeled obese. At 5’ 5” I tipped the scale at more than 180 pounds. With some basic changes to how I eat and live, I’ve been able to maintain a 60+ pound weight loss. I couldn’t be more grateful.

Baking good food is part of my soul, though, and I had to reconcile ‘healthier’ and ‘really good food.’

Healthier food has a bad rap. Maybe rightly so.

Written by Anita of Dessert First

One of my favorite things about summer, besides being able to wear shorts, is enjoying the bounty of fresh fruit. Inspiration for desserts is never a problem in summer: I just have to go to the farmers’ market and I’m bedazzled by the overflowing baskets of blueberries, peaches, nectarines, cherries, and strawberries before my eyes, beseeching me to find them a home in a delicious dessert or two. There’s no end to the possibilities of what you can make with a ripe bowl of fruit; in fact, sometimes the challenge is deciding what recipe to try before you’ve eaten all the fruit out of hand! Since summer can also bring hot, lazy weather that discourages long hours in front of the oven, I like to have several dessert recipes on hand that are quick, simple, and allow the simple beauty of summer fruit to shine through. Here they are: feel free to use whatever fruit catches your fancy, as they’re all quite easygoing and adaptable recipes!