Print*Before you eat dessert, make your entire meal healthier. Browse our Healthy Holiday Recipe Showcase for less fat and more flavor!
Baked Apples
Here’s a wonderfully seasonal Baked Apples recipe, made more special with the addition of dried fruits and nuts.
Ingredients:
- 1/3 cup raisins
3 Tbsp. chopped almonds (or walnuts)
1 Tbsp. wheat germ
1 Tbsp. firmly packed brown sugar
1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon
1/8 tsp. ground nutmeg
6 small unpeeled, washed Golden Delicious apples, about 1.75 pounds total weight
1/2 cup apple juice
1/4 cup water
2 Tbsp. dark honey
2 tsp. canola oil
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. In a small bowl, toss together the dry ingredients: raisins, chopped nuts, wheat germ, brown sugar, cinnamon and nutmeg until all the ingredients are evenly distributed. Core each apple, stopping 3/4 inch from the bottom. Divide the raisin mixture evenly among the apples, pressing the mixture gently into each cavity.
Arrange the apples upright in a heavy ovenproof frying pan or small baking dish just large enough to hold them. Pour the apple juice and water into the pan. Drizzle the honey and oil evenly over the apples, and cover the pan snugly with aluminum foil.
Bake until the apples are tender when pierced with a knife, 50 to 60 minutes. Serve warm or at room temperature with pan juices drizzled over apples. Makes six servings.
Nutritional value per serving (1 apple): 179 calories, 4g fat (0g sat.), 0g cholesterol, 5mg sodium and 5 g fiber.
Mocha Almond Pie
And what’s dessert without chocolate? Mocha Almond Pie from Keebler Ready Crust is found on Wal-Mart Organics’ Web site. I’ve adapted it so it’s lower in fat and calories by changing whole milk to 1-percent milk, using nonfat whipped topping, and reducing the amount of nuts.
Ingredients:
- 1 1/2 cups cold low-fat, 1-percent milk
1 package (4-serving size) chocolate flavor instant pudding & pie filling
1 Tbsp. unsweetened cocoa powder
1 Tbsp. instant coffee crystals
2 cups thawed nonfat, nondairy whipped topping
1/4 cup slivered almonds, toasted*
1 Keebler Ready Crust Chocolate Pie Crust (6 oz)
Toast almonds in a 350-degree oven on ungreased baking sheet for just 5 to 10 minutes, stirring once or twice, until golden. Meanwhile, in large bowl beat milk, pudding mix, cocoa powder and coffee crystals with wire whisk for 1 minute. Refrigerate about 5 minutes or until thick. Whisk in whipped topping. Spread in crust.
Freeze at least three hours or until firm. Let stand at room temperature for 15 minutes before cutting. Sprinkle with reserved almonds. Store in freezer. Makes eight servings.
Nutritional values per serving: 287 calories, 10g fat (2g sat.), 2.5g cholesterol, 16g sugar, 227mg sodium and 1g fiber.
Nutritionist Susan L. Burke is a registered and licensed dietitian and a certified diabetes educator who specializes in both general and diabetes-related weight management.
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