DESSERTS LOW-FAT CHOCOLATE FUDGE SAUCE 1 cup cocoa ¾ cup sugar ¾ cup water ½ cup corn syrup 1 teaspoon vanilla In saucepan, combine cocoa and sugar. Whisk in water and corn syrup. Bring to boil over medium heat; boil for 2 minutes, stirring constantly. Remove from heat and stir in vanilla. Let cool (sauce will thicken upon cooling). Cover and store in refrigerator. Makes 2 cups sauce. This recipe is delicious served over low-fat frozen yogurt with canned pears. Or try it as a dip for fresh fruit. It is lower in fat than many prepared, store-bought chocolate sauces and it does not contain any harmful trans fats. It is still high in sugar and should be used only on an occasional basis. *Recipe from 'Smart Cooking' by Anne Lindsay, MacMillan of Canada, 1986 Caution. This Recipe is high in sugar! MOCHA MERINGUE NESTS with chocolate-covered espresso bean 'eggs' This recipe is adapted slightly from Bonnie Stern's recipe for 'Mocha Meringue Kisses'. The original recipe appears in 'Simply HeartSmart Cooking` (Random House of Canada, 1994). It's one of my favourite cookbooks - it includes plenty of helpful suggestions and tips and the recipes are delicious! Makes approximately 45 cookies. 3 egg whites ¼ teaspoon cream of tartar 2/3 cup granulated sugar or superfine sugar, divided ½ teaspoon vanilla 2 teaspoon cornstarch 1 Tablespoon crushed instant coffee powder ¼ cup finely chopped toasted hazelnuts or almonds Chocolate-covered espresso (coffee) beans Beat egg whites with cream of tartar until frothy. Gradually add 1/3 cup sugar and beat until stiff. Beat in vanilla. Combine remaining 1/3 cup sugar with cornstarch, coffee powder and nuts. Fold into beaten egg whites. Caution. This Recipe is also high in sugar! Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper. Spoon meringue mixture onto sheets in the shape of nests. Place 3 chocolate-covered coffee beans in each 'nest'. Bake in preheated 300-degree oven until dry, about 25 to 30 minutes. Turn off oven and allow cookies to cool in oven. Tops should be dry and only slightly browned. Variation - omit coffee powder and substitute M&M's for the espresso beans. 1
BROWN RICE PUDDING* 2 cups soymilk 4 cups cooked brown rice ½ cup raisins or chopped dates ¼ cup maple syrup ½ teaspoon grated lemon rind 2 teaspoon lemon juice (freshly squeezed) 1 teaspoon vanilla extract ½ teaspoon cinnamon 1/8 teaspoon ground cloves and nutmeg Pour milk over rice in bowl. Stir in raisins, maple syrup, lemon rind and juice, vanilla and spices. Mix well. Pour into 8-inch (2 L) square baking dish. Cover and bake in 325 F (160 C) oven for 30 to 40 minutes or until set. Makes 5 servings. *Recipe from 'Cooking Vegetarian' by Vesanto Melina and Joseph Forest, Macmillan Canada, 1996 CARROT CAKE Wet Ingredients: 1 can (225 g/8 oz) crushed pineapple, well drained, reserve juice ½ cup currants (or dark raisins) 2 Tbsp ground flaxseed ½ cup water, warmed ½ cup soy milk 2 teaspoons vanilla extract ¼ cup extra virgin olive oil 2 cups grated carrots 2 Tbsp freshly squeezed lemon juice Dry Ingredients: 1 cup white pastry flour 1 cup whole-wheat flour (or whole-wheat pastry flour if available) ¾ cup brown sugar, packed 1 teaspoon allspice 2 teaspoons cinnamon 1 teaspoon baking powder 1 teaspoon baking soda ½ teaspoon salt METHOD: Pour reserved pineapple juice into small saucepan and bring to boil. Remove from heat and stir in currants. Let soak 15 minutes. Drain, discarding pineapple juice. Preheat oven to 350º F. Grease and flour an 11 X 17-inch pan. In a large bowl, sift together all the dry ingredients. In a separate bowl combine all the wet ingredients until well-mixed. Slowly add the wet ingredients to the dry, stirring gently. Pour the cake batter into the prepared pan and bake for 40 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the middle comes out clean. Remove from the oven and let sit 15 minutes Turn the cake out of the pan and onto a wire rack. Garnish with a sprinkle of icing sugar. Recipe adapted slightly from Graham Kerr's "Carrot Cake" in 'Graham Kerr's Kitchen', G.P. Putnam and Sons, New York, 1994 2
PUMPKIN CUSTARD Pumpkin is rich in nutrients like beta-carotene. This recipe gives you the 'taste' of pumpkin pie without the calories and fat from the crust. There are only 2 grams of fat per ½ cup serving. 2 cups cubed, peeled fresh pumpkin or a 398-mL (14 oz) can of pumpkin purée 1½ cups evaporated skim milk (385-mL can) 2 eggs 3 egg whites ¾ cup pure maple syrup or brown sugar 1¼ teaspoon cinnamon ½ teaspoon ground nutmeg ½ teaspoon ground ginger ¼ teaspoon cloves Fresh apple slices to garnish Preheat the oven to 350ºF (180º C). Steam pumpkin for 8 minutes or This recipe until tender. Whirl all the ingredients, except apple slices, in a blender until smooth. Pour into a one-quart baking dish and place the dish in a baking pan that contains ½ inch of water. Bake 45-60 minutes, until a knife inserted in the centre comes out clean. Cool at room temperature, then refrigerate. Served chilled with fresh apple slices. Serves 8. Recipe appears in November 2001 edition of Nutrition Action Newsletter. It has been adapted from Moosewood Restaurant Low-fat Favorites. (Potter, 1996) DREAMY RICOTTA DESSERT TOPPING This rich-tasting topping is reminiscent of whipped cream but with a fraction of the calories and fat. It is especially delicious as a topping (or dip) with fresh fruit. If you would like to decrease the fat content even more, try replacing some (or all) of the ricotta with strained yogurt 'cheese' (recipe appears in the 'BASICS' section of this recipe booklet). 1 cup ricotta cheese 2 Tablespoons icing sugar (or to taste) Freshly squeezed lime juice (or lemon) - about 2 tsp Zest from organic lemon (well scrubbed) try to remove only yellow surface of the lemon (not white underneath) Combine ricotta, icing sugar and lemon zest in blender with enough lime (or lemon) juice to make a thick, creamy consistency. Serve as a topping or dip for fresh (or canned) fruit. Optional: crystallized ginger - finely chopped Contains approximately 2½ grams of fat and 40 calories in a 3 tablespoon serving 3
RASPBERRY PAVLOVA TORTE (Adapted from Anne Lindsay's 'Smart Cooking' MacMillan Canada, 1986) Meringue Layers 6 egg whites ½ teaspoon cream of tartar 1 ½ cup sugar 1 teaspoon vanilla Custard Filling ¼ cup sugar 2 Tablespoons cornstarch Pinch salt 2 cups milk 4 egg yolks ¼ teaspoon vanilla 2 Tablespoons orange liqueur (optional) grated lemon rind (optional) Fruit Layers 2 cups blueberries or 3 cups sliced peaches, kiwi, mangoes etc. 2 cups frozen raspberries, unthawed Meringues: Beat egg whites and cream of tartar until soft peaks form. Gradually add sugar, beating continuously. Beat until stiff peaks form. Stir in vanilla Spread mixture over parchment to form two 11-inch circles. Make slight nest shape (i.e. indentation). Bake at 275ºF for 2 hours (until meringues firm) Custard Filling: Combine sugar, cornstarch and salt. Stir in milk. Cook, stirring, over med. heat or simmering water until mixture thickens and comes to a simmer; cook for 5 minutes, stirring constantly. Beat egg yolks until mixed; gradually whisk a small amount of hot mixture into yolks. While stirring, pour warmed yolk mixture into hot milk mixture. Stir over low heat for about 2 minutes or until thickened slightly. Remove from heat; stir in vanilla, liqueur and lemon rind. A few hours before serving, place one meringue on serving platter; spread custard over meringue. Arrange raspberries over custard. Top with second meringue and garnish with fruit. Makes 10 servings Calories per serving: 240 Grams fat per serving: 3.7 4
PUMPKIN TART WITH PECAN CRUST June Levulett, who submitted this recipe, notes the crust is "excellent". An added bonus is that it does not contain trans fats (found in pastry made with shortening). The notes that go along with this recipe say it is easier to serve if it is prepared in a tart pan with a removable bottom. If a traditional pie plate is used, it should be well greased since the crust has a tendency to stick. Allow pie to cool thoroughly before serving. The Crust: Vegetable oil or butter for preparing tart pan or pie plate 3/4 CUP rolled oats 3/4 CUP whole-wheat pastry flour or unbleached white flour 1/2 CUP pecans, plus 16 pecan halves, lightly toasted, for garnish 1/2 TEASPOON ground cinnamon Pinch of salt 1/4 CUP canola oil 3 TABLESPOONS maple syrup The Filling: 1 CUP soymilk 1/4 CUP arrowroot 1 CAN (16 ounces) solid-pack pumpkin 1/2 CUP maple syrup 1 TABLESPOON grated fresh ginger 1 1/2 TEASPOONS ground cinnamon 1/2 TEASPOON salt 1/4 TEASPOON freshly grated nutmeg 1/8 TEASPOON ground cloves Set rack in middle position of oven and preheat oven to 375 degrees. Lightly oil a 9-inch tart pan with a removable bottom or thoroughly grease a 9-inch pie plate. To prepare the crust, set the oats, flour, 1/2-cup pecans, cinnamon, and salt in the bowl of a food processor. Pulse until the mixture resembles a coarse meal, stopping and scraping down the bowl as needed. Transfer to a medium size bowl. In a measuring cup, whisk together the oil and maple syrup. Pour the liquid into the dry ingredients and blend thoroughly with a fork until the mixture forms a soft dough. Press the mixture into the prepared pan or plate. (Crimp the edges if using a pie plate) Bake for 10 minutes. Set on a rack to cool. To prepare the filling, blend the soymilk and arrowroot in the food processor until the arrowroot is completely dissolved and the mixture is smooth, about 15 seconds. Add all of the remaining ingredients except the pecan halves. Process until thoroughly blended and smooth, stopping and scraping down the work bowl as needed. Pour the mixture into the crust and smooth the top with a spatula. Bake until the crust is lightly browned and the outside inch of the filling is set, about 35 minutes (Do not be concerned if the centre is till soft; it will firm up as the pie cools.) Remove from oven and set on the rack. Gently press the toasted pecan halves into the hot filling in 2 concentric circles. Cool to room temperature and then refrigerate until completely chilled, about 3 hours. Serve chilled or at room temperature. Leftovers may be refrigerated for up to 3 days. 5
Serves 8 OTHER LOW-FAT DESSERT SUGGESTIONS Biscotti Sorbets Apple Crisp or Plum Crisp or Rhubarb Crisp Yogurt with Fresh Fruit Poached Pears with Chocolate Sauce Apple or Cherry Pie in Phyllo Pastry 'Crust' Baked Apples with Low-fat Ice Cream or Frozen Yogurt Angel Food Cake with fresh fruit and sweetened 'Yogurt Cheese' or 'Dreamy Ricotta Dessert Topping (recipes in this booklet) Chocolate-Covered Strawberries with melted white and dark chocolate drizzled over in decorative pattern Meringues - 'Pavlova' or individual meringue shells filled with fresh fruit sherbet and juicy berries Sweet desserts like these should be eaten in small quantities and only on special occasions. The best dessert from a health perspective is fresh fruit - by itself! 6
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