Dessert Anyone?

[Selena_Kitt]

Okay, this thread is actually about dessert...

I'm looking for healthy dessert recipes... they can be low-fat, low-sugar, low-calorie, I don't care... just "healthy"...

anyone have any good ones??

 

[cloudy]

this isn't *too* unhealthy, and it beats a lot of "unhealthy" desserts for taste:

Fruit Pizza:

1 (18-ounce) package refrigerated cookie dough
1 (8-ounce) package cream cheese, room temperature
1/3 cup sugar
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract or other flavoring (almond, orange, or lemon)
Fresh blueberries, banana slices, mandarin orange sections, seedless grapes, strawberry halves, kiwifruit (or any other fruit you want), well drained
1/2 cup orange, peach, or apricot preserves
1 tablespoon water

Instructions:

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Line an ungreased 14-inch pizza pan with cookie dough - pat it out like a pizza crust. Bake 12 minutes or until light brown; remove from oven and cool on a wire rack.

In a medium bowl, combine cream cheese, sugar, and vanilla extract or other flavoring; spread over cookie crust. Arrange fruit over cream cheese layer in any design you want (use your imagination).

In a small saucepan over very low heat, make a glaze by heating preserves and water. Brush glaze over fruit, making sure to cover the fruit that will turn dark. Refrigerate until ready to serve.

Note: This does not keep well, so plan on using it up. You may also use your own sugar cookie recipe in place of the refrigerated dough.

 

[FatDino]

I've made my mind to NOT read this thread. Ever. Temptations are bad. Really.

 

[Selena_Kitt]

this isn't *too* unhealthy, and it beats a lot of "unhealthy" desserts for taste:

Fruit Pizza...

ooo that sounds yummy!

 

[Dar~]

Creamy Dessert Puffs
1 package light cream cheese softened.
1/2 cup sugar
1 tablespoon orange juice
2 teaspoons orange zest
2 cups frozen fat free whipped toping thawed
2 cups strawberries sliced
2 kiwis sliced
2 medium bananas sliced and cut in half
1/2 cup orange marmalade (sugar free for me)

1. In a medium bowl, combine cream cheese, sugar, orange juice, and orange zest. Mix well. Fold in whipped cream.

2. line a refrigerator safe tray with waxed paper. for each shell, place two scoops of cream cheese mixture onto the papermake and indent in the center using the back of a spoon. repeat this to form 8 shells.

3. Allow and hour in the freezer to firm up.

4. While that is firming, toss sliced fruit with marmalade until well coated.

5. Serve by scooping the fruit mixture into the cold shells. Tastes heavenly and is very light.

 

[Boxlicker101]

You could certainly do worse than Jello with canned fruit. It's simple to make, tastes OK and isn't expensive.

 

[Dar~]

You could certainly do worse than Jello with canned fruit. It's simple to make, tastes OK and isn't expensive.

*shudder* Jello *shudder*

 

[Selena_Kitt]

You could certainly do worse than Jello with canned fruit. It's simple to make, tastes OK and isn't expensive.

yep, esp if I make it sugarfree with "light" canned fruit...

 

[cloudy]

ooo that sounds yummy!

you could even use the lowfat cream cheese, if you wanted to. I don't think it'd make much difference in the taste.

I always use fresh fruit when I make it; whatever's in season. It's an annual request now at Thanksgiving.

 

[Dar~]

Really easy "cheesecake" recipe too

1 package fat free cream cheese softened.
1 small box fat free instant pudding ( any flavor)
2/3 cup fat free milk
7 drops lemon juice
Graham cracker or oreo crust

Smoosh (technical term) the cream cheese against the side of a bowl empty pudding packet into it and smoosh the pudding into the cream cheese. Add mil and smoosh until smooth and then add lemon juice. Pour or glomp into the crust and smooth out. freeze for an hour or refrige over night.

Now, I like to use chocolate pudding and an oreo crust and after the cream cheese mix has solidified I grate a dark chocolate bar over the top. It is super yummy and not too bad. Also nice on a hot day.

 

[3113]

Okay, this thread is actually about dessert...

I'm looking for healthy dessert recipes... they can be low-fat, low-sugar, low-calorie, I don't care... just "healthy"...

Simplest one I know is just drizzling a little, good quality basalmic vinegar over fresh strawberries. Put them in the frige for about an hour to marinate and serve--by themselves or over low-fat ice cream.

Then, of course, there's "shortcake"--it's not the most healthy, but it's not too bad, really. Each person is only getting a little fat (tablespoon) and sugar (about a teaspoon and a half) per shortcake--and if you're careful not to overdo the sugar in the toppings it's pretty light.

Sugar
2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour, (spooned and leveled), plus more for dusting
1/2 cup cold (1 stick) unsalted butter, cut into small pieces
2 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
1 cup milk

In a food processor, combine flour, butter, 1/3 cup sugar, baking powder, and salt; process until mixture resembles coarse meal. Add milk; pulse just until moistened, 4 or 5 times. On a lightly floured surface, pat out dough into a 4x8 rectangle, cut into 8 squares; sprinkle each with sugar. Put on a baking sheet and bake 25-30 minutes @ 425 till golden brown. Cool.

Now, in the meantime, you slice fresh peaches, slice up strawberries, put out raspberries and black/blueberries. Give each its own bowl. Maybe sprinkle a little sugar or honey over strawberries, a little cinnamon on the peaches and toss.

Get a little low-fat cool whip, a little raspberry sauce or low-cal chocolate sauce.

When the shortcakes cool, you cut them in half. Each person gets a shortcake, and then you pass all this stuff anround and them them build their own dessert from it. Fun, delicious and relatively healthy.

 

[Boxlicker101]

Quote:
Originally Posted by Boxlicker101
You could certainly do worse than Jello with canned fruit. It's simple to make, tastes OK and isn't expensive.

*shudder* Jello *shudder*

Well, it's hardly a gormet treat, but it does fit the requirements of the thread.

 

[Dar~]

Quote:
Originally Posted by Boxlicker101
You could certainly do worse than Jello with canned fruit. It's simple to make, tastes OK and isn't expensive.




Well, it's hardly a gormet treat, but it does fit the requirements of the thread.

I just have issues with Jello. After my surgery, all I could eat or drink for a month was liquids and clear food like Jello. I get queasy just thinking about it. Did you know they make a version of gelatin that has protein in it . . .not for the weak hearted.

 

[CharleyH]

Healthy dessert That's like taking the 'fun' out of sex.

Isn't dessert enjoyable by the very nature that it is an indulgence that you can look forward to after a "healthy" meal? Isn't dessert psychologically healthy by the very nature of the indulgent properties it encompasses?

Other than eating an orgasmically healthy meal that doesn't leave you wanting for dessert in the first place, my suggestion is cheese platter. I believe cheese acts as natural teeth cleaning agent getting rid of bacteria and 'they' say that a clean mouth leads to a healthy body. Of course, cheese isn't really interesting without port, and one could also argue that port (red wine) leads to a healthy heart - it can certainly lead to sex and that is a healthy alternative on all levels.

 

[Vermilion]

Ooh, well I'm currently leading a seriously reduced sugar diet and the Fiance and I had this the other day and it was *fabulous*.

Fruit and Chocolate Dipping sauce.

4 squares of 85% cocoa solids chocolate
1 tbsp honey
2 tbsp soya milk

heat in microwave for about 30 seconds, stir and see if it needs any longer until it's melted. Mine then needed more soya milk stirred in to make it a nice, smooth, thick sauce.

We then took a punnet of fresh English Strawberries and fresh English Raspberries (which are droolsome all by themselves) and dunked them in the sauce. It was more than enough for two people - very rich and indulgent, but low fat and low sugar.

Most fruits would probably taste good cut into chunks and dunked, as long as they're strong enough in flavour to match the chocolate.

 

[Chantilyvamp]

Strawberry Parfait

Fresh sliced strawberries
Your favorite strawberry yoghurt or plain fromage frais/greek yoghurt
Your favorite granola or muesli
dark chocolate sprinkles or sauce (optional)
honey (optional)


Layer the strawberries, yoghurt and granola in a glass or small bowl. Drizzle/sprinkle with the dark chocolate or honey.

Another variation is to replace the granola/muesli with crumbeld graham crackers/digestives.

 

[neonlyte]

Fresh fuit salad, add a little sweet wine (sherry, Massala, Port even) and marinate for 2 - 3 hours. Lightly toast Pumpkin seeds and Linseed (might be called Omega where you are). Sprinkle generously over served bowls of fruit salad. Gives a nice contrasting taste and texture and the linseed has excellent health properties for the bowel, weight loss and Omega 3. It also contains one of the active compounds in HRT (can't remember which one) and is a safe natural supplement. Be advised that linseed 'swells' in the gut and is best taken with liquids.

ETA: Totally unrelated 'Plot' information: A cloth rag soaked in linseed oil left in the open will spontaneously combust - unfortunately you cannot set a time to the burning but it s an opportunistic way to destroy evidence

 

[Selena_Kitt]

great ideas, you guys, keep them coming!

 

[English Lady]

Chocolate Crumbles: (healthy treat status*L*)

4oz plain wholemeal flour
1 tsp Baking Powder
4oz oats
4oz butter/margarine melted & slightly cooled
1 1/2 oz brown sugar
1 egg beaten
4-5 oz good quality choc cut into small pieces.

mix flour,baking powder and oatsin a large bowl. add melted butter, sugar, egg and chocolate and beat till all is evenly mixed.

put desertspoonfulls og mix onto a baking tray and flatten slightly. bake for 15 minuteson gas mark 6 then leave for a few minute before transfering to a wire rack to cool. This will make around 12 little cookies.

(These have 4 out of 5 stars in my own, personally written cook book,so they're pretty good)

Okay, lets see what else I've got.

 

[English Lady]

Summer Fruit crumble (rhubarb, pear, apple, apple and blackberry, peaches all work well as alternatives)

500g/1lb 2oz bag frozen summer fruits, thawed
4 tablespoons blackcurrant or elderflower cordial (or water or juices from a tin of fruit if this is what you've used)
75g/3oz plain flour
75g/3oz plain wholemeal flour
1 teaspoon ground allspice
75g/3oz cold butter, diced
50g/2oz porridge oats
75g/3oz demerara sugar

· Preheat the oven to 190C/375F/mark 5. Empty the fruits into a large, shallow baking dish, and then stir in the blackcurrant or elderflower cordial.

· Mix the flours with the allspice, then rub in the butter until there are no large pieces left. Stir in the oats and sugar.

· Scatter the crumble over the fruit and bake in the oven for 40-45 minutes until nicely browned. Eat warm or cold.


Lovely with a bit of natural yoghurt or some ice cream and full of yummy fruity goodness

 

[English Lady]

I've got this:

Fresh fruit dip

in my recipe bookmarks, I've not tried it yet, but it sounds good

 

[impressive]

Right now, I have a thing for peanut butter with any type of fruit.

A low carb tortilla (FlatOut Light is the bestest, IMO) spread with a thin layer of peanut butter, sprinkled with raisins & cinnamon, rolled & baked makes an terrific pastry-like treat.

 

[Ness73]

Fruit crumbles are good. Also try an apple, cored and stuffed with sultanas, drizzled with a little honey and baked in the oven. There are a lot of low fat icecreams (watch your portion size, though!) and you could make a sorbet using fresh berries.
Poach a pear in juice and wine with some spices and serve with a dollop of natural yoghurt sweetened with a little brown sugar. Make some custard with low fat milk and chop a banana into it while still warm, or stir some cocoa powder into it to make it chocolate custard.
Yes, I'm on a diet and I have a sweet tooth!

 

[carsonshepherd]

Chocolate Delight

INGREDIENTS:
1 package graham cracker crust mix
8 ounces fat-free cream cheese, softened
1 cup confectioners' sugar
1 cup fat-free non-dairy whipped topping
1 package lite vanilla instant pudding
1 package lite chocolate instant pudding
3 cups skim milk

PREPARATION:
Make crust according to package directions and press into the bottom of a 9 x 13 x 2-inch pan. Bake at 350 degrees just a few minutes. Mix cream cheese, sugar and whipped topping and pour over crust.

Mix puddings and milk and pour over cheese layer. Spread with additional whipped topping. Chill.

*My family sometimes puts a layer of sliced strawberries under the topping.

 

[Selena_Kitt]

Chocolate Delight

INGREDIENTS:
1 package graham cracker crust mix
8 ounces fat-free cream cheese, softened
1 cup confectioners' sugar
1 cup fat-free non-dairy whipped topping
1 package lite vanilla instant pudding
1 package lite chocolate instant pudding
3 cups skim milk

PREPARATION:
Make crust according to package directions and press into the bottom of a 9 x 13 x 2-inch pan. Bake at 350 degrees just a few minutes. Mix cream cheese, sugar and whipped topping and pour over crust.

Mix puddings and milk and pour over cheese layer. Spread with additional whipped topping. Chill.

*My family sometimes puts a layer of sliced strawberries under the topping.

This sounds so good! I wonder if it would still work if I substitute Splenda for the confectioners sugar???