Eat Skinny Be Skinny: Dessert
PIN IT!I’m a choco-phene with a sweet tooth like you wouldn’t believe! [I’m having an entire sweets bar + a cake for my wedding!] However, due to the fact that I need to squeeze into a little ivory gown in December, I’m not able to indulge my sweets fixation much anymore. That was until I stumbled upon Cooking Light’s impressive supply of low-fat, low-calorie dessert options that taste JUST like the real thing. [With up to 1/2 the fat, calories and sugar than the originals!] So yes, you can eat cookies and still be skinny! Here’s a few of them that looked too mouth-watering and delicious not to feature!
Chocolate Decadence
Photo by Becky Luigart-Stayner
Ingredients
- Cooking spray
- 1/2 cup plus 3 tablespoons sugar
- 1/4 cup 2% reduced-fat milk
- 2 tablespoons plus 2 teaspoons unsweetened cocoa
- 1 1/2 tablespoons butter
- 1/2 ounce unsweetened chocolate, chopped
- 5 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1/8 teaspoon salt
- 1 large egg white
- 8 teaspoons semisweet chocolate chips
Directions:
- Preheat oven to 350°.
- Lightly coat 4 (2-ounce) ramekins with cooking spray, and sprinkle 3/4 teaspoon sugar into each of the ramekins, shaking and turning to coat. Set prepared ramekins aside.
- Combine 1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons sugar, milk, and cocoa in a small saucepan, stirring well with a whisk. Bring to a boil over medium heat. Cook 30 seconds or until sugar dissolves, stirring constantly. Remove from heat; add the butter and 1/2 ounce unsweetened chocolate. Stir until the chocolate melts and mixture is smooth. Cool chocolate mixture 10 minutes.
- Add flour, vanilla, salt, and egg white to chocolate mixture, stirring with a whisk just until blended. Spoon 2 tablespoons chocolate mixture into each prepared ramekin, and top each with 2 teaspoons chocolate chips. Divide the remaining chocolate mixture evenly among ramekins, spreading to cover the chocolate chips. Bake at 350° for 20 minutes or until barely set. Cool for 10 minutes. Invert onto dessert plates. Serve warm.
Nutritional Information: 315 calories [31% from fat], 11 g.m. fat, 4.1 g.m. protein and 1.6 g.m. fiber
Chocolate-Cherry Heart Smart Cookies
Photo by Becky Luigart-Stayner
Ingredients
- 1/3 cup all-purpose flour
- 1/3 cup whole-wheat flour
- 1 1/2 cups oats
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 6 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 3/4 cup packed light brown sugar
- 1 cup dried cherries [or apricots/peaches]
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 large egg, lightly beaten
- 3 ounces bittersweet chocolate, coarsely chopped
- Cooking spray
Directions:
- Preheat oven to 350°.
- Weigh or lightly spoon flours into dry measuring cups; level with a knife. Combine flours and next 3 ingredients (through salt) in a large bowl; stir with a whisk.
- Melt butter in a small saucepan over low heat. Remove from heat; add brown sugar, stirring until smooth. Add sugar mixture to flour mixture; beat with a mixer at medium speed until well blended. Add cherries, vanilla, and egg; beat until combined.
- Fold in chocolate. Drop dough by tablespoonfuls 2 inches apart onto baking sheets coated with cooking spray. Bake at 350° for 12 minutes. Cool on pans 3 minutes or until almost firm. Remove cookies from pans; cool on wire racks.
Nutritional Information [per cookie]: 94 calories, 3.2 g.m. of fat, 1.5 g.m. protein & 1.3 g.m. fiber
The Perfect Cheesecake
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup graham cracker crumbs
- Cooking spray
- 1 (32-ounce) carton plain fat-free yogurt
- 1/3 cup all-purpose flour
- 1 cup sugar
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 1 tablespoon grated lemon rind
- 1/3 cup fat-free sour cream
- 2 (8-ounce) blocks 1/3-less-fat cream cheese, softened
- 1 (8-ounce) carton egg substitute
Directions:
- Firmly press crumbs into the bottom and up the sides of a 9-inch springform pan coated with cooking spray.
- Place a colander in a 2-quart glass measure or a medium bowl. Line the colander with four layers of cheesecloth, allowing cheesecloth to extend over outside edges of the bowl. Spoon yogurt into the colander. Cover loosely with plastic wrap, and refrigerate 12 hours. Spoon yogurt cheese into a bowl, and discard the liquid.
- Preheat oven to 350°.
- Lightly spoon flour into a dry measuring cup, and level with a knife. Combine drained yogurt, flour, and the next 5 ingredients (flour through cream cheese) in a large bowl; beat at medium speed of a mixer until blended. Slowly add egg substitute, and beat until combined. Pour cheese mixture into prepared crust.
- Place in a large shallow baking pan, and add hot water to pan to a depth of 1 inch. Bake at 350° for 1 hour and 10 minutes. Remove sides from pan, and cool to room temperature. Cover and chill at least 8 hours.
Nutritional Information: 263 calories [32% from fat], 9.4 g.m. fat, 12.7 g.m. protein & 1 g.m. fiber
