Double Delicious (20 page)

Treats Without Guilt

I
have included a nice-sized dessert section in this book. I love sweets, and judging by the enthusiasm and interest readers had in the dessert section of my first book, I am not alone. Homemade treats are better for you, more economical, and far more delicious than store-bought ones—and making them can be a fun activity alone or with your kids.

I would also venture to say that treats are an important part of good eating. If you keep your ingredients wholesome, watch the amount of sugar and saturated fat you cook with, and control your portion size, then having a treat should be completely enjoyable. In fact, if you enjoy your treats without guilt, it is a surefire way to stay on track with healthy, balanced eating. Deprivation always leads down the wrong path.

So, I say, enjoy the right foods, indulge in moderation, and love every minute of it! And with that, I give you the following pages.

Julian:

I love to make chocolate-chip cookies with my mom because there are a lot of fun jobs I can do, like measuring the flour and cracking the eggs, which I am getting really good at.

Sascha:

I love to make the doughnut cookies because it is like playing with Play-Doh when I get to roll out the dough with my fingers.

Chocolate Bread Pudding

I am cherry-crazy. Add them to chocolate and bread? Heaven! I use enormous self-control to spoon out only one cup for each serving.

Prep:

25 minutes

Total:

1 hour 10 minutes

Yield:

Serves 8

• Nonstick cooking spray
  
• 3 cups nonfat (skim) milk
  
• 6 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder
  
• ½ cup firmly packed light brown sugar
  
• 1 cup
  carrot puree
  
• 8 ounces soft whole-wheat bread, cubed (about 10 cups)
  
• ½ cup dried cherries
  
• 2 large egg whites
  
• 1 large egg
  
• 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
  
• 2 teaspoons pure almond extract
  

• 1.
  Preheat the oven to 375°F. Coat a 1-pound loaf pan or 8 x 8-inch square baking dish with cooking spray.
  
• 2.
  In a small saucepan, whisk the milk, cocoa powder, and sugar. Bring the milk mixture to a near boil. Remove from the heat.
  
• Pour into a large bowl and stir in the carrot puree. Add the bread and stir to coat. Soak for 10 to 15 minutes, until the milk mixture cools enough to touch.
  
• 3.
  Add the cherries, egg whites, egg, vanilla, and almond extracts. Stir well, until the eggs are incorporated and the liquid becomes smooth and coats the bread.
  
• 4.
  Transfer to the baking pan and bake until the bread pudding is crusty on top and puffy in the center, 45 to 50 minutes.
  

Shepherd:

I love to pick the cherries out of the chocolate and eat them first.

Calories: 234, Carbohydrate: 46 g, Protein: 10 g, Total Fat: 2.5 g, Saturated Fat: 0.5 g, Sodium: 220 mg, Fiber: 5 g

Chocolate Yogurt Cheesecake

This seemingly decadent dessert always gets the same response: “There is NO WAY this is low-fat. It’s too good!” The graham cracker and hazelnut crust couldn’t be simpler to make.

QUICK!

Prep:

20 minutes

Total:
3 hours (including chill time)

Yield:
Serves 12

• ½ cup hazelnuts or hazelnut pieces
  
• 6 graham cracker squares, or 1 cup graham cracker crumbs
  
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon
  
• 2 tablespoons canola oil
  
• 3 large egg whites
  
• ¼ teaspoon salt
  
• 1½ cups low-fat plain Greek yogurt
  
• ½ cup nonfat sour cream
  
• 3 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa
  
• ¾ cup firmly packed dark brown sugar
  
• ½ cup
  carrot puree
  
• 6 tablespoons all-purpose flour
  
• 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
  

• 1.
  Preheat the oven to 325°F. Place the hazelnuts in a food processor and finely chop. Break up the graham crackers and add them to the nuts, along with the cinnamon. Process into fine crumbs. Add the oil and pulse 2 to 3 times, until the graham crackers are moist. Press the graham cracker mixture into the bottom of an 8-inch-round deep-dish pie plate or an 8-inch springform pan.
  
• 2.
  Place the egg whites and salt in a large, clean metal bowl. With a mixer on high, beat the egg whites until they are fluffy and cling to the bowl when tilted, about 2 minutes. Set aside.
  
• 3.
  In another large bowl, whisk the yogurt, sour cream, cocoa, brown sugar, carrot puree, flour, and vanilla. With a rubber spatula, fold in the egg whites in 3 batches. Pour the batter over the crust and smooth with a rubber spatula.
  
• 4.
  Bake until the edges are slightly browned but the center is still soft and wobbles when the pan is moved, 35 to 40 minutes. Transfer to a wire rack and allow to cool before removing from the pan. Cover and chill for 2 hours before serving.
  

Calories: 195, Carbohydrate: 28 g, Protein: 6 g, Total Fat: 7 g, Saturated Fat: 1 g, Sodium: 135 mg, Fiber: 2 g

Maple Peanut Butter Fondue

To make fruit for dessert more exciting, I portion out little bowls of this fondue (about ¼ cup each) for dipping. It’ll stay fresh in the fridge for a week or more, but it’ll be gone before that!

QUICK!

Prep:

10 minutes

Total:

15 minutes

Yield:

Serves 12

• 1 cup pure maple syrup
  
• 1 cup natural peanut butter (creamy)
  
• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
  
• ½ cup
  cauliflower puree
  
• ½ cup
  yellow squash puree
  
• 6 cups fruit, cut into 1-inch slices, such as apples, bananas, pineapple, mango, strawberries, or grapes.
  

• 1.
  Combine the maple syrup and peanut butter in a heavy-bottomed saucepan. Cook over medium heat, whisking until smooth. Add the vanilla and the cauliflower and squash purees, then stir to combine.
  
• 2.
  Serve with sliced fruit.
  

Note:
For the creamiest results, use a peanut butter that doesn’t separate and require stirring.

Shepherd, Sascha, and Julian:
We use toothpicks to dip!

Calories: 236, Carbohydrate: 33 g, Protein: 5.5 g, Total Fat: 11 g, Saturated Fat: 2.5 g, Sodium: 105 mg, Fiber: 3 g

Apple Crumble

Every fall, we go to a great orchard in Long Island, New York, and pick tons of apples. I make this apple crumble with the ones we can’t finish.

Prep:

30 minutes

Total:
1 hour 15 minutes

Yield:
Serves 12

• Nonstick cooking spray
  

FILLING

• 4 large Golden Delicious or Gala apples (about 3 pounds)
  
• ½ cup
  butternut squash puree
  
• ¼ cup firmly packed light brown sugar
  
• Juice of 1 lemon (about 2 tablespoons)
  
• 2 tablespoons whole-wheat flour
  
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
  
• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
  

TOPPING

• ½ cup walnuts, pecans, or almonds, roughly chopped
  
• 1 cup whole-wheat pastry flour
  
• 1¼ cups old-fashioned oats
  
• ¼ cup firmly packed light brown sugar
  
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
  
• ¼ teaspoon salt
  
• ½ cup trans-fat-free soft tub margarine spread, frozen
  

• 1.
  Preheat the oven to 350°F. Coat a 9 x 13-inch baking dish with cooking spray. Peel, core, and slice the apples into ¼-inch slices. In a large mixing bowl, toss the apples, squash puree, brown sugar, lemon juice, flour, cinnamon, and vanilla. Transfer to the dish and spread out in an even layer. Set aside.
  
• 2.
  Make the topping. In another large bowl, mix together the nuts, pastry flour, oats, sugar, cinnamon, and salt. Using your fingertips, gently work in the frozen margarine until pea-size lumps form. If the margarine begins to melt, place the bowl in the freezer for 5 to 10 minutes.
  
• 3.
  Top the apples evenly with the nut mixture and bake, uncovered, until the apples are bubbly and the topping is golden brown, about 45 to 50 minutes. Serve warm or at room temperature.