A creamy, sweet and healthier shake

Milkshakes are gloriously frosty, creamy, sweet concoctions made from ice cream, syrups and other empty calorie delights.

They’re the sort of thing you want to indulge in all the time, but shouldn’t. So we set out to make one that would not be quite so bad for you, but still satisfying.

Of course, the obvious route would be to go directly to milkshake’s sometimes healthier cousin, the smoothie. Made from yogurt and fruit, this blended beverage lives in gyms and health clubs. But while smoothies are fine, they aren’t “real” milkshakes. We really wanted a milkshake.

For the frosty part of our milkshake, we went with sorbet, a frozen blend of fruit and sugar. Though high in sugar, sorbets generally have no fat. Plus, they pack an intensely fruity flavor. You could substitute a low-fat sherbet, sorbet’s milkier cousin, but the flavor would not be as strong.

For creaminess, we went with cottage cheese. It may sound unusual, but the curds blend smooth with a rich and creamy texture. Add in a bit of fat-free half-and-half and we had a seriously good milkshake.

For a chocolate version, blend 2 tablespoons of cocoa powder into the mix until smooth.

Orange Dreamsicle Milkshake

1 cup orange sorbet (mango also is good)

1/2 cup low-fat cottage cheese

1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

1/2 cup fat-free half-and-half

In a blender, combine all ingredients. Blend until smooth. If you prefer a thinner consistency, drizzle in additional half-and-half while the blender is running until you get the desired consistency. Serve immediately.

Yield: 2 servings

Approximate nutrition per serving: 200 calories, 1.5 grams fat (1 gram saturated, 5 percent fat calories), 8 grams protein, 44 grams carbohydrate, 5 milligrams cholesterol, no dietary fiber, 320 milligrams sodium.