Let's be honest: it wouldn't be a holiday party without desserts. Many traditional holiday desserts such as pies, cheesecake, and cookies are loaded with fat and sugar. Take a look at the labels below – cheesecake can range from 600-1000 calories per slice and some cookies have 400 calories each!
But there are ways to modify these recipes and save a couple hundred calories. So make it a little healthier this year and still enjoy a great dessert.
First, when having a holiday party, serve light desserts when possible, and offer dessert trays with bite-sized samples. When serving desserts, think about portions that are two to four bites – just enough to taste and enjoy. You can use cupcake papers to hold bite-sized portions – for example, small cookies and cake or pie that can be cut into petite portions. You can also use mini cupcake pans to make bite-sized cupcakes, cakes, brownies and cheesecake.
If you are cooking or baking, here are some tips to make a classic dessert recipe a little lighter:
· Use applesauce in cake and pie recipes as a healthier alternative to butter, margarine, or oil.
· When muffin and quick bread recipes call for fat (such as oil), try reducing it by one-third to one-half. You won’t even miss it.
· Save the fat by using cocoa powder instead of chocolate. Substitute three tablespoons of unsweetened cocoa powder for each ounce of unsweetened chocolate in baked goods such as cakes or cookies. For chocolate fillings, you may need to add one or two teaspoons of oil in addition to the cocoa.
· Replace heavy cream in puddings, cheesecakes, and cream pies with evaporated skim milk.
· Use nonfat yogurt as a substitute for sour cream. Two egg whites can be substituted for each whole egg in many baked recipes.
· Substitute the frosting in a recipe by topping cakes with fresh fruit, fruit sauce, or a sprinkle of confectioner’s sugar.
· Use Splenda in place of all or part of the sugar in baked goodies. It works great in pie fillings and puddings too. Follow the baking tips on the box for ideas.
· Decrease the amount of nuts used in a recipe or skip adding the nuts to the dessert.
· Reduce the amount of chocolate chips or nuts in a recipe by one-fourth.
· Use fat-free whipped cream in place of regular whipped cream.
· Substitute skim milk for regular milk.
And if you are invited to a holiday party this season, offer to bring a healthy dessert so you have something healthier at the party to enjoy!
Rebecca
