Guilt free desserts

Fresh summertime fruits have their place on the dessert cart, but let's face it, when a craving for chocolate hits, a melon ball just doesn't cut it.
Simply enjoying a small portion of your favorite treat is one option, said Eileen Howe, RD at Joliet's St. Joseph Medical Center, but if you don't want to deal with the guilt, try one of the following lower fat versions adapted from the Cooking Light Cookbook (Oxmoor House, 1989).

Mississippi Mud Sauce

  • 1/3 cup mini marshmallows
  • 1 Tbs. plus 2 tsp. unsweetened cocoa powder
  • 1 Tbs. cornstarch
  • 1 cup skim milk
  • 1 Tbs. light corn syrup
  • 1 tsp. vanilla extract
  • 1/4 tsp. ground cinnamon
  • 1/4 cup mini marshmallows
  • 1 Tbs. chopped pecans
    • Combine 1/3 cup of marshmallows, cocoa and cornstarch in a small saucepan. Gradually stir in milk and corn syrup, stirring constantly over medium heat until thickened. Remove from heat; stir in vanilla and cinnamon. Allow to cool, then stir in 1/4 cup marshmallows and pecans. Serve over angel food cake, lowfat frozen yogurt or fresh fruit Makes one cup, 23 calories per Tbs., 0.4 grams of fat.

    Easy Peach Cake

  • 1 1/3 cups flour
  • 1 tsp. baking soda
  • 1 tsp. ground cinnamon
  • 1/2 tsp. ground ginger
  • 1/2 tsp. ground cloves
  • 2/3 cup plain nonfat yogurt
  • 1/3 cup honey
  • 1/4 cup vegetable oil
  • 1 egg, beaten
  • 1 cup peeled, chopped fresh peaches
  • 1 Tbs. flour
  • vegetable cooking spray
  • 2 tsp. powdered sugar
    • Combine first five ingredients in large bowl and stir well. Combine next four ingredients in small bowl and stir until smooth. Gradually add yogurt mixture to flour mixture, stirring until smooth. Gently toss peaches with 1 Tbs. of flour until peaches are coated. Fold peaches into batter. Spoon batter into eight-inch square pan coated with cooking spray. Bake at 350 for about 25 minutes (until a wooden toothpick comes out clean); allow to cool in pan on wire rack. Sift powdered sugar over cooled cake. 12 servings, 148 calories, 5.2 grams of fat.

    Marbled Brownies

  • 1/4 cup plus 2 Tbs. reduced-calorie margarine, softened
  • 1/3 cup Neufchatel cheese, softened
  • 2/3 cup sugar
  • 2 eggs, beaten
  • 1 tsp. vanilla extract
  • 3/4 cup all purpose flour
  • 1/2 tsp. baking powder
  • 1/4 tsp. salt
  • 3 Tbs. unsweetened cocoa
  • vegetable cooking spray
    • Cream margarine and cheese, than gradually add sugar, beating at medium speed until fluffy. Add eggs and vanilla, beating well. Combine flour, baking powder and salt; add to creamed mixture, beating well. Divide batter in half. Sift cocoa over half of batter and fold in gently. Spoon cocoa mixture into eight-inch pan coated with cooking spray. Pour remaining batter into pan. Cut through mixture with a knife to create a marbled effect. Bake at 350 for 25 minutes (until toothpick comes out clean). Cool in pan on wire rack. Makes 2 dozen bars, 70 calories, 3.1 grams of fat.

    When baking family favorites, Nancy Hillquist, RD at Sherman Hospital in Elgin suggests substituting lower fat ingredients such as applesauce for oil, nonfat yogurt for sour cream, egg whites or egg substitutes for whole eggs, and using skim milk instead of whole milk or cream.

    © Copyright 1994 Paula Lauer

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