Lemon Lime Granita | Low-Carb

Beat the heat with this simple, refreshing Lemon Lime Granita. This frozen Italian treat is citrusy and sweet, making it perfect for the warmer months.

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Want more sweet treats? Fine, here ya go:

• Low-Carb Almond Butter Cups
• Easy Grilled Peaches
• Easy No-Bake Pumpkin Spiced Energy Balls
• Watermelon Kiwi Ice Pops
• Brookies – Brownie and Chocolate Chip Cookie Bars

Peace, family.

I’m a certified citrus lover. It’s so delicious, sour, and perfectly tart. It scratches a very specific itch, taste-wise. I love it so much in fact, that the first few times I ever tested this recipe for Lemon Lime Granita, I went way overboard on the citrus juice. And while I was in puckered-lip, scrunchy face heaven, I’m not so certain the average person would appreciate just how sour it was.

I’ve since scaled back and refined the recipe, and I love it just as much. It has a lightness and crispness that’s just perfect for spring and summer. It reminds me of the frozen lemonade that we would get as kids while our parents let us tire ourselves out at whatever amusement park we were visiting during any given summer break.

What is Granita?

Granita originated in Sicily. It is a semi-frozen dessert, similar to Italian ice. It is typically made from water, sugar, and a wide variety of flavorings. There’s raspberry granita, watermelon granita, and even espresso granita (a personal favorite that I will be dropping my recipe for). The texture can vary from soft and slushy to very hard, chunky flakes of ice.

Is Granita Low-Carb?

This recipe contains 11 net grams of carbohydrates per serving making it perfectly suitable for someone following a low-carb lifestyle. If you follow a ketogenic protocol you will have to use your best judgement.

How to Choose the Best Citrus

Since this recipe is so simple, I like to be choosy with the lemons and limes that I use. Of course, the first thing you should do is inspect the skin of the fruit. It should be firm and brightly colored. You want to avoid fruit that is overly blemished or feels too squishy.

I tend to opt for organic lemons and limes, but this is optional. Either way, you’ll want to be sure to thoroughly clean them in case of the use of pesticides and wax.

How to Clean Lemons and Limes

We’re using both the juice and the zest of the fruit, so we want to ensure that they’re nice and clean. You’ll want to clean the fruit under cold running water. You can opt for a bit of diluted vinegar or a commercial produce wash as well. I also like to use a firm vegetable brush to gently scrub the fruit under the running water.

How to Get the Most Juice From Your Citrus

I like to make sure that I’m maximizing the amount of juice that I get from my fruit. This helps to avoid food waste, especially since everything has become so much more expensive.

Prior to cutting the lemons/limes I like to roll them on a hard surface under the palm of my hand. I also like to use a hand-held citrus squeezer. It is by far one of my favorite kitchen tools; I use it several times per week. I find that using this tool yields way more juice than I’m able to squeeze out with my bare hands.

How to Zest Lemons and Limes

The zest is the peel or the rind of the fruit. You’ll want to use a microplane zester to zest the lemons and limes. Psst…in a pinch I’ve used a cheese grater (the smallest grates). Here are some tips:

• Only zest the top layer. Once you hit the white part you run the risk of your dish being very bitter.
• Rotate the lemon as you zest. This will help with ensuring that you only get the top layer.
• Make sure your fruit is clean, as noted above
• Don’t apply too much pressure; a light touch is best.

What Ingredients Do I Need?

• Water – regular degular filtered water
• Swerve Sweetener – I use Swerve sweetener to make my dish low carb. As I’ve noted in previous recipes, the ingredients in Swerve do not affect blood sugar, so the carbohydrates it contains are considered non-impact. You can opt to use sugar if this is not a concern for you.
• Kosher Salt – just a pinch
• Lime Zest – see above
• Lemon Zest – see above
• Lemon Juice
• Lime Juice

Optional Garnish

You can use fresh mint leaves as an optional garnish.

What Tools Do I Need?

• Saucepan- for making the syrup (sugar/water mixture)
• Whisk – for stirring the syrup
• Citrus Squeezer – for juicing the citrus
• Microplane Zester – for zesting the citrus
• Pan/Tray/Tupperware Bin – for freezing the granita
• Fork – for flaking the granita

How to Make Lemon Lime Granita

In a small saucepan, bring the water to a gentle boil. We’re not looking for anything crazy here. You just want the water hot enough to dissolve the sugar.

Stir in the Swerve (or sugar), salt, lime zest, and lemon zest. Remove from heat and stir until the Swerve (or sugar) has completely dissolved. Easy!

Once the water has cooled, stir in the lemon juice and lime juice. Pour mixture into a shallow, freezer-safe pan or dish. Place into the freezer.

After 1.5 hours, remove the granita from the freezer and use a fork to flake and scrape the mixture. At this point it should only be slightly frozen.

Return to the freezer and repeat this process once every hour for 5 more hours. You will know it’s done when it is completely frozen and flaky.

Serving Suggestions

• You can eat this straight up in a dessert dish with a spoon.
• In Italy, it is not uncommon for granita to be served with breakfast.
• It can be eaten with yogurt and fruit.
• You can get creative with the garnishment (think: fresh herbs, whipped cream)

Try it out and let me know what you think! When you make it, be sure to snap a pic and tag me on Instagram or Facebook!

Peace,

Adri

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