This icy Italian export will help you curb the calories

A few years ago, I took an afternoon drive with my friend Flaminia from Rome to a seaside town about an hour south. It was mid-April, but a nice enough day along the Mediterranean to enjoy the sand and sun.

We cruised down the highway in her forest green Mini Cooper listening to Dave Matthews Band and John Mayer (two of her favorites). Opening the window, I reached out and let the cool breeze rush between the fingers of my open hand.  

We reached the beach at last and as we meandered down the rocky steps, we looked around to find that there was actually no one there but us on this stretch of sand. The moment was not lost on me.  

We all live our lives day in and day out. Work, sleep, problem solve, eat, repeat. But occasionally, when we are doing exactly what we are passionate about, if we open up and look around, there are truly moments when life feels effortless and saturated with the purity of what it means to be alive.

On a day like that on the beach, I had my friend, the calm sound of the sea lapping against the shore, a few cigarettes, good conversation and finally a gelato for good measure. When you can forget the distractions of modern life, smart phones, iPads, laptops, and TV, you can get present to whom you are with and what matters most.  Life may take on a new dimension. Shifting the perspective can alter the experience.

When I think about that day, I distinctly remember buying a ricotta-flavored gelato before heading up to visit a small hillside town. The ice cream was at once creamy, voluptuous and light. It was the perfect metaphor for the day in one glorious scoop. In Italy, there must be gelato eaten everyday at least once a day and on that day, a memorable gelato it was.

Enter the real world. NYC. Years later. If I were to eat gelato every day at least once a day, you might as well roll me into the Hudson River and say good night. This year, I lost over 45 pounds on a diet. I’ve begun experimenting with recipes that work for me, given my family history of diabetes and obesity. Again, reality check. We must work with what we’ve got and figure out ways to enjoy food and life. So in wanting to enjoy a frozen treat once in a while, I created this recipe for lemon ricotta ice cream in addition to loads of others.