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Hazelnut Ice Cream Serves 8 – 10 ¾ cup
natural sugar 1 teaspoon
vanilla 3 cups fat free half
and half, divided ½
cup hazelnut liquor (Frangelico is a common brand) ½ cup coarsely chopped hazelnuts
Process sugar, vanilla, and 1
cup fat free half and half in a blender for 30 seconds. Add remaining ingredients and pulse once or twice
to combine. Pour into an ice cream maker. Add nuts and freeze according to manufacturer’s
instructions. Serve with decorative waffle cookies. If you want a richer ice cream and don’t mind the calories or fat, use 2 cups of whipping cream and 1 cup
fat free milk. You can always add more Frangelico and your guests won’t
care how much fat is in the ice cream!
 Pomegranate Cupcakes Makes 24 2 fresh pomegranates 1 package angel food cake mix 2 ¼ cup pomegranate juice, divided 1 4-serving package fat-free vanilla instant pudding mix 1 8-ounce container fat free frozen whipped topping, thawed Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Prepare cake pans by lining cups with cupcake liners.
Cut pomegranates in half and remove
seeds while submersed in a medium bowl of cool water. Gently agitate the bowl to allow the white pith to
float to the top of the water. Gently pour off the water and pith, keeping the seeds in the bowl.
Invert the bowl into another bowel that has been lined with paper towels. Set aside. Prepare the angel food cake mix as per the package directions, except use pomegranate juice in place of the water
in the recipe. After the batter is prepared, stir in ½ the prepared pomegranate seeds.
Spoon batter into prepared cups. Bake for 25 minutes, or until tops are browned and
cakes pull away from the sides of the pan.
Remove cupcakes from pan and cool completely. In a medium bowl, whisk together remaining pomegranate juice (about 1 cup) and instant pudding mix. Stir
in whipped topping, blending until smooth. Add remaining pomegranate seeds. Spoon frosting
decoratively on cooled cupcakes.
 Luscious Lime Cake Serves 10 Cake: 1 box angel food cake mix 1 4-serving box lime jello mix (sugar-free, if desired), divided 1 ¼ cup water Filling: 1 jar lime curd or 1-4 serving box fat-free sugar-free key lime pudding, prepared according
to package instructions Frosting: 1 8-ounce container frozen fat free whipped topping, thawed 2 tablespoons dry lime jello mix
Fresh berries for garnishment Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Combine dry angel food cake mix and 2 heaping tablespoons dry jello mix in a large glass or metal bowl.
Add cold water and mix according to cake mix directions. Spoon into a tube pan and bake according
to cake mix directions. Cool completely upside down on a bottle. With a serrated
or electric knife, horizontally slice the cake into a top and bottom half. Place the bottom half on a serving
plate. Spread 1 cup curd (or pudding) evenly over bottom half. Place top half over filling. Sprinkle 2 tablespoons lime jello mix into container of whipped topping. Stir gently until well
blended. Spread over sides and top of cake.
Decorate cake with edible flowers,
if desired. Serve with fresh berries.
 Easy Apple Pie Serves 8 2 piecrusts (Pillsbury makes great crust available in the refrigerator section of your
grocery store) 6 - 8 apples (Jonathon, Fuji, and Honeycrisps) 3 tablespoons lemon juice 3/4
cup natural sugar 1/4 cup whole wheat flour 1 tablespoon ground cinnamon Preheat oven to 400 degress. Place one crust in bottom of pie pan. Core and slice apples and place in large bowl with lemon juice, tossing occassionally
as you slice to keep apples from turning brown. Add sugar, flour and cinnamon and toss gently to coat apples.
Place apple slices into prepared crust. Place remaining crust on top and crimp edges. Bake for 45 - 60 minutes, or until crust
is lightly browned. (If you use a pie pan with a shiny bottom, place pie on dull cookie sheet to cook bottom of pie).
Chocolate Volcanoes Makes 12 2 tablespoons spread with plant stanols added 12 ounces semi-sweet baking chocolate 1 ¼ cups egg substitute ¾ cup natural sugar 2/3 cup whole grain pastry flour ½ cup fat free half and half
Grease bottoms and sides of 12 cupcake
tins with cooking spray; dust with cocoa powder and refrigerate until batter is ready. Place spread
and the semi-sweet chocolate in a microwave-safe dish and microwave for about 2 minutes on high, stirring every 30 seconds,
until smooth. Do not over cook. Mix the egg substitute, sugar, flour and half and
half until smooth. Add the chocolate mixture and mix until well blended. Pour chocolate mixture into cupcake tins, cover and refrigerate for at least 45 minutes (these can be refrigerated
for several days before baking).
Bake uncovered at 450 degrees for 10
– 12 minutes, until sides firm and spring back when lightly touched. Cool for 2 – 3 minutes
in the tins. While warm, loosen edges with a knife and carefully remove from the baking dish. Place on
plates and serve immediately with fat-free cool whip, fruit or fat-free ice cream.
Lemon Cups Serves 4 ¼ cup soft tofu 2 lemons, rinsed ½ cup fat-free sweetened condensed milk 4 ounces fat free frozen whipped topping, thawed fresh mint sprigs, fresh fruit or edible flowers for garnish, if desired Cut lemons in half and express juice, pouring it into a measuring cup. Add more lemon
juice if need to equal 2/3 cup. Gently scoop out the pulp and discard. Arrange lemon
cups on a plate. Whip tofu, lemon juice, and condensed milk in a food processor until
light and fluffy. In a medium bowl, gently blend the lemon juice mixture with the thawed whipped topping.
Spoon into the lemon cups and chill. Garnish if desired.
I love sneaking tofu into desserts!
It’s a great way of adding protein to blunt the glycemic index.
Applesauce Spice Cake Serves 12 Cake: 1 large apple, cored and thinly sliced ½ cup walnuts, chopped ½ cup raisins 10 ounces spread with plant stanols added 1 cup brown sugar ¾ cup natural sugar 2 teaspoons baking soda 2 teaspoons cinnamon 1 teaspoon ginger ½
teaspoon salt 8 ounces egg
substitute 3 cups whole grain
pastry flour 1 ½ cups
chunky applesauce Frosting: 8 ounces fat-free cream cheese 4 ounces spread with plant stanols added 2 ounces soft tofu, drained and pressed between paper towels to express excess liquids ¾ cup honey 1 teaspoon vanilla ½ package fat free, sugar free vanilla instant pudding
mix ½ cup fat free
milk Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Coat 2 9-inch cake pans with cooking
spray. Line bottoms with wax paper. Coat waxed paper with cooking spray.
Layer apples in single layer in one of the prepared pans. Sprinkle nuts and raisins in the other
prepared pan. Beat spread, sugar, baking soda, spices and salt until
well blended. Whip for 3 minutes, or until fluffy.
Return mixer to low speed and
add egg substitute. Beat in flour, alternating with applesauce, in small amounts each time and beginning
and ending with flour, until all ingredients are added.
Divide batter between
pans, gently spreading to distribute batter evenly. Gently tap bottom of pans to let bubbles of air escape.
Bake for 40 minutes, or until a wooden toothpick inserted into middle comes out clean.
Cool on wire racks for 10 minutes. Gently separate edges of cakes from pans with a knife.
Invert cakes onto racks. Remove wax paper and cool completely. Icing: Process first five ingredients together
in a food processor or blender until smooth and fluffy. In a medium bowl, combine instant pudding mix and
milk. Quickly add processed ingredients and beat with a fork until smooth. To assemble: Place apple layer on platter, apple-side up. Frost with ¾ cup icing.
Top with other layer, raisin-walnut side down. Frost with remaining icing. Garnish with edible flowers,
or chopped walnuts. Using
pastry flour takes some of the heaviness from this dessert. Make certain you spoon the flour into
your measuring cup and level it with a knife to prevent adding too much flour. I love sneaking tofu
into desserts, making them even healthier!
 Rose Flavored Ice Cream Serves 8 2 pints fat free half and half 2 tablespoons spread
with plant stanols added
1 tablespoon fresh lime juice
1/3 cup sugar
2 tablespoons rose water (available at
Mediterranean markets) Mix 1 pint of fat free half and half and spread
in a blender and process until spread is thoroughly mixed. Combine spread mixture, remaining fat free half and half, lime
juice, sugar and rose water in the bowl of an ice cream maker and freeze according to manufacturer's instructions.
Serve with fresh rosemary sprigs or mint leaves for garnishment.
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 Peanut Butter Pie Serves 8 For the crust: ½ cup rolled oats ½ cup whole grain pastry flour ¼ cup brown sugar ¼ cup spread with plant stanols added ¼ teaspoon baking powder -or- purchase a pre-made low fat graham cracker crust For the filling: 1 4-serving package fat free sugar free
vanilla instant pudding 1
½ cups soy milk or low fat milk 4 ounces soft tofu, drained ½ cup peanut butter 1 8-ounce package fat-free sugar-free frozen whipped topping, thawed 3 tablespoons chopped dry roasted peanuts, for garnish For the crust
(if making your own): Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Pulse
oats, flour, brown sugar, spread and baking powder in a food processor until coarsely ground. Press into
a pie pan. Bake crust for 12 – 15 minutes, or until lightly browned. Cool completely. For the filling: Whip tofu in a food processor until fluffy (about 1 minute). Add peanut
butter and process until smooth. Stir together milk and pudding mix in a medium bowl. Stir
in peanut butter mixture and whipped topping. Pour into prepared pie shell. Chill for
at least 1 hour before serving. Garnish with peanuts.
Apple Harvest Cake Serves
16 Vegetable oil spray 1 cup all purpose white flour 1 ¼ cup whole wheat flour 1 teaspoon baking soda 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon ½ teaspoon ground cloves ½ teaspoon ground allspice ½ teaspoon ground nutmeg ¼ teaspoon salt ½ cup brown sugar ½ cup plant stanol spread (e.g. Smart Balance, Take Control or Benecol spread) ½. cup maple syrup ½ cup unsweetened applesauce ½ cup egg beaters 1 teaspoon vanilla 1/3 cup fat free milk 1 teaspoon lemon or lime juice 3 medium apples, cored and diced (leave peels on) Caramel Icing (see below) Preheat oven to 350 F. Spray
round fluted cake pan with a small amount of vegetable oil spray.
In a large bowl mix flours,
spices, baking soda and salt. Set aside. In a medium bowl mix brown sugar, Benecol,
maple syrup, applesauce, eggbeaters and vanilla. Beat until fluffy. In a small cup,
mix milk and citrus juice. Alternately, add flour mixture and sour milk mixture to sugar mixture, beginning
and ending with flour mixture. Add apples and pour into cake pan. Bake
at 350 for 1 – 1 ¼ hours, until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool on rack
for 10 minutes, then invert cake onto platter. Cool completely, then ice. Caramel Icing 2
ounces Benecol or other plant stanol spread 1 cup brown sugar 1/4 cup fat free milk 2
- 3 cups confectioners sugar 1
teaspoon vanilla Melt benecol in microwave (20 – 30 seconds) in a medium,
microwave safe bowl. Add brown sugar and milk, mixing until smooth. Microwave for 1
½ minutes. Mixture will be bubbly. Add vanilla and confectioners sugar. Beat
with a mixer until smooth. Add little more or less confectioners sugar can be added as needed for a spreadable
consistency.
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Black Walnut Cake Serves 12 1 ½ cup chopped black walnuts 1 cup spread with plant stanols added 1 ½ cup natural sugar ¾ cup egg substitute 1 teaspoon vanilla 2 cups whole grain pastry flour 1 tablespoon baking powder dash of salt ¾ cup fat free buttermilk cream cheese icing (see recipe)
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Spray 2 9-inch round cake pans with cooking spray. Dust pans with flour. Place walnuts in a food processor and pulse 8 – 10 times until coarsely ground. Beat spread and sugar at medium speed until light and fluffy, about 4 minutes. Add egg substitute
and vanilla and beat until well blended. Sift together flour, baking powder and salt.
Alternately add flour mixture and buttermilk to sugar mixture, beginning and ending with flour mixture.
Stir in nuts. Spoon batter evenly into prepared pans. Bake
for 50 minutes, or until wooden toothpick inserted into center comes out clean. Cool completely on a wire
rack. Frost with Cream Cheese Icing and garnish, if desired,
with walnuts or fresh edible flowers. Cream Cheese Frosting 1 8-ounce package fat-free cream cheese 2 tablespoons orange juice 1 teaspoon vanilla 2 – 3 cups powdered
sugar Mix all ingredients
until smooth. Add more orange juice or more powdered sugar as needed, for a spreadable consistency.
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Orange Chiffon Cake Serves 12 1 16-ounce package angel food cake mix 1 ¼ cup orange juice Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Combine cake mix and orange juice, just until dry ingredients are moistened. Spoon batter into
a bundt cake pan. Bake for 38 – 48 minutes, or until golden brown and center springs
back when touched. Cool completely. Remove from pan. Frost
with Whipped Orange Frosting (see below). Garnish with fresh raspberries, mint sprigs or orange slices
as desired.
Whipped Orange Frosting 4 egg whites 1
cup sugar ¼ cup orange
juice 1 teaspoon finely
grated orange zest Beat egg whites at high speed until they form stiff peaks.
Meanwhile, combine sugar and orange juice in a small saucepan. Cook
over medium-high heat until boiling briskly, stirring occasionally. Slowly pour syrup into egg whites,
beating at medium speed. Fold in orange zest.
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Walnut Crunch Cookies Makes 5 dozen 1 ½ cups whole grain pastry flour ½ teaspoon baking soda 1 tablespoon brown sugar ¼ cup soft tofu 1 cup spread with plant stanols added ½ cup maple syrup 1 teaspoon vanilla 1 12-ounce package semisweet chocolate chips ½ cup chopped walnuts Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line cookie sheets with parchment paper. Mix dry ingredients in a large bowl. Combine tofu, spread, syrup and vanilla
in a food processor and pulse until smooth. Spoon tofu mixture into dry ingredients and stir until blended.
Add chips and nuts. Drop tablespoonfuls onto lined sheets and bake 10 minutes,
or until bottoms are browned. Cool on a wire rack.
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