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low-fat, healthy heart, low fat mexican food recipes

Low Fat Dessert Recipes

 
Everybody loves desserts ...

But some of us are concerned that enjoying these delicious desserts can be unhealthy.

Low fat heart healthy dessert recipes are just what the doctor ordered ...



... if you want to enjoy those fantastically delicious sweet treats without worrying about clogged arteries.

Promise yourself to have a healthy holiday season this year ... and you don't even need to think about giving up those wonderfully sweet desserts.  You really can prepare special treats that taste delicious and are good for you.

These dessert recipes are tasty and healthy.  All are no fat or low-fat recipes, but you wouldn't know it if you hadn't made them yourself.

Your family, guests, and friends certainly will never know ... these desserts taste fantastic.


Reduced Fat Dessert Recipes


Low Fat Banana Pudding

Ingredients

8 oz                    low fat cream cheese, softened
8 oz                    light sour cream
8 oz                    frozen light whipped topping, thawed
1 tsp                   vanilla extract
3  1-oz packages   instant vanilla pudding mix
1/2 packet           artificial sweetener
5 cups                 low fat milk
1 package(11 oz)  low fat vanilla wafer cookies
7                        medium bananas, sliced

Directions

Combine pudding mix, sweetener and milk in a large bowl. Stir until thoroughly dissolved and set aside.

Beat sour cream and cream cheese in a medium bowl. Stir in whipped topping and vanilla. Add to pudding mixture and stir thoroughly.

In a large glass serving dish, layer pudding mixture, vanilla wafers and bananas until all ingredients are used. Chill before serving.


Low-Fat Carrot Cake

Serves 16

Ingredients

1 cup     all-purpose flour
1 cup     whole-wheat flour
2 tsp      baking soda
2 cups    powdered sugar
1/2 tsp   allspice
1/4 tsp   nutmeg
4           egg whites
1/4 cup  walnuts, chopped
1/2 cup  raisins
1 tsp     lemon juice
1-1/4 cups  brown sugar, firmly packed
1 cup         unsweetened applesauce
1/2 cup      low fat buttermilk
1 tsp         vanilla extract (for cake)
1/2 tsp      vanilla extract (for frosting)
8 oz can    crushed pineapple, drained
2 cups       carrots, shredded
1/4 cup      light cream cheese
1/4 cup      fat-free cream cheese
1 tsp         cinnamon, ground



Directions

Cake

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Spray a 13-inch x 9-inch baking pan lightly with non-stick cooking spray. Do not flour baking pan.

Combine white and whole-wheat flour, cinnamon, baking soda, nutmeg, and allspice in a large bowl and stir with a whisk until thoroughly mixed; set aside.

In a medium bowl, beat egg whites until soft peaks form. Slowly beat in brown sugar, followed by the applesauce, buttermilk and 1 tsp vanilla extract. Add to flour mixture and stir until just moist. Stir in the carrots, pineapple, raisins, and walnuts.

Spoon batter into baking pan and bake for 35-40 minutes, until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Cool on a wire rack before frosting.

Frosting

Beat the light and fat-free cream cheeses together with lemon juice and 1/2 tsp vanilla extract. Add in powdered sugar and beat until desired consistency is reached. Spread frosting over cooled cake.

Cut cake into 16 squares.


Chocolate Banana Cream Pie

Serves 8

8 grams fat per serving

Ingredients

Pie

1/3 cup       sugar
3 Tbsp        semi-sweet chocolate chips
2 tsp          instant coffee powder
3 Tbsp        unsweetened cocoa
1-1/2 Tbsp  cornstarch
3 medium    bananas, thinly sliced
1               egg, slightly beaten
1 tsp          vanilla extract
12 oz          evaporated skim milk
1               9-inch reduced fat graham cracker pie shell

Topping

2 cups          reduced fat whipped topping
1-1/2 Tbsp    unsweetened cocoa powder
1/2 tsp         instant coffee powder

Directions

Pie

Stir together sugar, cocoa, cornstarch and instant coffee in a heavy saucepan. Gradually add milk and egg to cocoa mixture and whisk until thoroughly mixed.

Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, until mixture is thickened. Add chocolate chips and continue stirring until chocolate chips have melted and mixture comes to a simmer. Do not let boil. Remove from heat and stir in vanilla.

Arrange banana slices on bottom of pie crust. Pour hot filling over banana slices. Place a piece of plastic wrap directly on surface to prevent skin from forming (if desired). Refrigerate pie about 2 hours or until filling is set.

Topping

Whisk together the whipped topping, cocoa and instant coffee in medium bowl. Place topping in a pastry bag with a large star tip and pipe a border around edge of pie or place small spoonfuls of topping inside edge. Dust with a small amount of cocoa powder.


Black Forest Trifle *

Serves 12

0 grams fat per serving
 

Ingredients

1 small box     chocolate pudding mix
2 cups           skim milk
2 cups           non-fat whipped topping, thawed
1 can            low calorie cherry pie filling
1/4 cup         cherry-flavored liqueur (optional)
16 oz ( 1 lb)   fat-free chocolate pound cake

Directions

Prepare pudding according to package directions and allow to cool.
Cut pound cake into 1 inch cubes and place half of the cubes in a glass trifle dish **.

Drizzle half of the liqueur over the pound cake cubes. Cover with half of the cherry filling. Next, cover with half of the pudding and half of the whipped topping. Repeat layers. Cover and chill overnight before serving.

* Trifle - Originally from England, a layered dessert made with sponge cake or moistened with alcohol, covered with jam and custard, topped with whipped cream and garnished with candied or fresh fruits, nuts and/or grated chocolate and refrigerated for several hours before serving.

** Trifle dish - Glass dish with clear sides ... enhances presentation by showing the layers of the dessert.


Chocolate Angel Food Cake
with Coffee Liqueur Glaze

Serves 12

0 grams fat per serving

Ingredients

Cake

1-1/2 cups   egg whites (10 to 12 large)
1-1/2 cups   powdered sugar, sifted 
1 cup          all-purpose flour, sifted
1/4 cup       unsweetened cocoa powder
1 cup          sugar
1 1/2 tsp     cream of tartar
1 tsp          vanilla

Glaze

1 cup    powdered sugar, sifted
1/4 tsp  vanilla
2 Tbsp  coffee liqueur

Directions

Cake

Place egg whites in a large mixing bowl and let stand at room temperature for 30 minutes. Sift the flour, cocoa, and 1-1/2 cups powdered sugar together 3 times and set aside.

Add cream of tartar and 1 teaspoon vanilla to egg whites. Beat with an electric mixer on medium to high speed until soft peaks form (tips curl). Gradually add granulated sugar, about 2 tablespoons at a time, beating on medium to high speed until stiff peaks form (tips stand straight).

Sift about one-fourth of flour mixture over the beaten egg whites; fold in gently. Repeat, folding in remaining flour mixture by fourths. Pour into an ungreased 10-inch tube pan. Gently cut through the cake batter with a narrow metal spatula or knife.

Bake on the lowest rack in the oven at 350 degrees F (175 degrees C) for 40 to 45 minutes or until top springs back when lightly touched. Immediately invert cake (leave in the pan) and cool thoroughly. Using a narrow metal spatula, loosen the sides of the cake from the pan. Remove cake from the pan.

Glaze

Combine the 1 cup powdered sugar, the 1/4 teaspoon vanilla, and enough of the coffee liqueur (about 2 tablespoons), 1 teaspoon at a time, to make of drizzling consistency. Drizzle over top of the cake.

Recipe courtesy of Better Homes and Gardens.


Sorbet au Kiwi

Serves 4

0 grams fat per serving

Ingredients

1 cup    water
4          kiwis, peeled
1/2 cup  sugar
5 tsp     lemon juice
1/2 cup  light corn syrup
1/4 tsp  grated lemon zest (peel)

Instructions

Add sugar, corn syrup, and water to medium saucepan. Cook on medium heat for 2 minutes or until sugar is dissolved. Stir continuously to prevent scorching. 

Puree kiwi in food processor or blender and add lemon juice, lemon zest (peel), and sugar mixture.

Pour into shallow metal pan and place in freezer until firm, approximately 1 hour. Be sure to remove from freezer before it becomes solid.

Spoon into chilled bowl and beat with electric mixer until light and fluffy. Return to freezer, freeze 2 hours or until firm enough to scoop.


Low Fat Banana Bread

Ingredients

2/3 cup       sugar
1/4 cup       margarine, softened
2                eggs
1 cup          bananas, mashed
1/4 cup       water
1-2/3 cups  all-purpose flour
1 tsp          baking soda
1/2 tsp       salt
1/4 tsp       baking powder

Directions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Lightly coat a 9x5x3 inch tall loaf pan with a non-stick cooking spray.

Beat the sugar and margarine in a medium bowl until smooth and creamy. Beat in the eggs, water and bananas with the sugar mixture until it is well blended.

Sift flour, baking soda, salt and baking powder and add to mixture. Mix thoroughly and place in pan.

Bake at 350 degrees F (175 degrees C) for approximately 1 hour. Banana bread is done when the top is firm to the touch and has a golden brown color.

Remove bread from oven and allow to cool on its side for 10 minutes.  Remove from pan and cool on a wire rack.


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