Creamy Fat free Key Lime Pie with Gingered Crust

This was born out of my husband’s love of Key Lime Pie and my own love of not having to thaw them from the freezer. It sets up in the fridge and its ready to serve, doesn’t get easier than that.
Plus it’s fat free, low in sugar and uses an oat bran crust — so it’s almost healthy? Yeah, I know. It makes one large 9-inch pie big enough for that family potluck or book club meeting, or just my husband.

Ginger Oat Bran Crust:
1 C. Oat bran (I used Hodgeson’s Mill brand)
6 tsp. Splenda brown sugar blend
6 tsp. warm water
1/2 to 1 tsp. ground ginger (You may want to add last and start with 1/2 and see what you think, I used a full 1 tsp. but I really love a little gingery kick.)
Mix with fork, let it sit a bit as the Oat bran will soak up the moisture. Use bottom of small measuring cup to press it evenly into a 9 inch pie dish. Bake at 350 degrees for 10 minutes until golden in color. Let cool. I speed this up a bit by sticking it in the freezer, along with some hot pads cause I don’t want to melt the shelving.

Creamy Key Lime Filling:
1/2 C. Warm water
1 packet unflavored gelatin ( dissolve in warm water)
1 1/4 C. Cold fat free milk
1 small package of fat free, sugar free instant vanilla pudding
1 package (8 oz.) fat free cream cheese at room temperature
1 tsp. lemon juice
14 packets of True Lime
Zest of one lime
1/8 C. Splenda
1 container (8 oz.) fat free cool whip
Dissolve gelatin in warm water, add milk then pudding. Mix well, till thick then add cream cheese and mix til smooth and creamy. Add lemon juice, lime and Splenda. Last mix in thawed cool whip. Pour into cooled crust and let set up in refrigerator overnight. Serve with a bit of fat free Reddi Whip, then lightly dust whipped cream with a little ginger.

Luscious Low-Fat Chocolate Trifle

This was one of those dessert experiments I made for our Fourth of July celebrations. I truly didn’t expect it to turn out as well as it did — which is why I didn’t bother taking a picture, my bad.
So just close your eyes and imagine a beautiful glass trifle dish layered with moist, fat free chocolate cake, creamy fat free, sugar free chocolate pudding, fat free cool whip and regular crushed Heath bar.
It got rave reviews and second helpings all around. I will mostly likely make it again and when I do I’ll be sure not to underestimate my dessert and take a picture.

Cake:
1 box chocolate cake mix ( could use sugar free cake if you prefer)
1 can of diet cherry Dr. Pepper
Only two ingredients, so simple, so moist, so delicious. Mix cake mix and soda together, it will foam up a bit and grow. Spray or prepare a 9×13 pan and bake according to directions on cake mix. Let cool then cut into little rectangles about lady-finger size.

Pudding:
2 small boxes of fat free, sugar free instant pudding
1/2 C. Warm water
1 package unflavored gelatin
2 3/4 C. Fat free milk, cold

Dissolve gelatin in warm water, add milk and then slowly blend in pudding. Blend until starts to thicken. I put in fridge to set up a bit.

12-16 oz. fat free cool whip
1 bag Heath chips or four Heath candy bars crushed. ( optional could also use a drizzle of sugar free Carmel and chocolate syrup on top of whipped cream layer or on top of cake layer instead for a sugar free option)

Assemble Trifle:
Layer trifle as follows: cake, pudding, cool whip, Heath, cake, pudding, cool whip, end with Heath chips.

Fat free Cool Whip tip: do not try to quick thaw or stir to thaw — it will turn into a runny mess that in no way resembles fluffy whipped cream. Let sit in refrigerator overnight and thaw slowly. You’re welcome.

You can make this up the night before if you like or just the morning before. You do want to give it a few hours in the fridge before serving to solidify and create a moist delicious trifle consistency.

Creamy 50 Cal. Cheese Cake

These delicious creamy cheese cakes are only 50 calories a piece! Insanely tasty it is hard to believe. They are pre-portioned in regular-sized cupcake liners and super simple to make.

Crust Ingredients:
6-8 crushed graham crackers
2 tsp. sugar (could use Splenda)
1 Tbsp. butter
Mix well, till moist. Press down into the bottom of 12 cupcake liners, the smooth bottom of a glass could be used to make this process a little quicker, just press in bottom of filled liner and flatten out crust.

Filling:
Large container 24 oz. of honey Greek Gods Greek yogurt
blueberries
Yep, that’s all there is. Just top each crust with some honey Greek yogurt and top them off with a few blueberries. Easy, delicious. Store in refrigerator. —
Submitted by Mindy Sturgell

Dr. Joel Fuhrman’s Never Get Sick Chocolate Cake

This chocolate cake with it’s deceptively creamy chocolate topping and moist chocolate cake is only missing the refined sugars and dairy but is loaded with fruits, vegetables, healthy fats and plenty of fiber. The legend is a piece of chocolate cake a day will keep the doctor away.

Cake:
1 2/3 C. Whole-wheat flour or Sprouted-wheat flour
1 tsp. Baking powder
1 Tbsp. Baking soda
3 1/2 C. Pitted dates, divided
1 C. Pineapple chunks in it’s own juice, drained and divided
1 Banana
1 C. Unsweetened Applesauce
1 C. Raw Beets, shredded
3/4 C. Raw Carrot, shredded
3 Tbsp. Natural, non-alkalized Cocoa Powder
1/2 C. Currants
1 C. Walnuts, chopped
1 1/2 C. Water, divided
2 tsp. Vanilla extract
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Mix flour, baking soda and baking powder in a small bowl and set aside. Slice remaining dates into 1/4 inch pieces.
In a blender puree 3 C. of dates with 1 C. of water pineapple, banana and applesauce.
In a large bowl, mix sliced dates, beets, carrots, zucchini, cocoa powder, currants, walnuts, 1.2 C. water, vanilla and flour mixture. Add the blended mixture and mix well.
Spread in a sprayed 9×13 baking dish.
Bake for 1 hour or until a toothpick inserted into center comes out clean.
Chocolate Nut Icing:
1 C. Raw Macadamia Nuts and or Raw Cashews (she used cashews)
1 C. Vanilla soy, hemp or almond milk (she used almond milk)
2/3 C. Pitted Dates
1/3 C. Brazil or Hazelnuts (she used hazelnuts)
2 Tbsp. Cocoa Powder
1 tsp. Vanilla extract
Blend all ingredients in blender until smooth and creamy. Spread on top of cooled cake and then refrigerate. — submitted by Marcia Marshall

Hot Curried Fruit

This is a sweet dish with a bit of spicy Indian flavor from our latest Healthy Eats Group.
Ingredients:1 (29 oz.) can sliced pears (drained)
1 (29 oz.) can sliced peaches (drained)
1 (20 oz.) can pineapple chunks (drained)
2 (17 oz.) cans apricot halves (drained)
1/2 C. butter, melted
1 C. packed brown sugar
1 1/2 T. Cornstarch
Curry Powder to taste (1/2 to 1 tsp.)
Place well-drained fruit in a 9 x 13 baking dish. Combine remaining ingredients and spoon over fruit. Bake at 350 degrees, for one hour basting occasionally. Optional: Few maraschino cherries for color. — Submitted by Marcia Marshall

Traditional Southern Pig Pickin’ Cupcakes, fat free, reduced sugar

Ok cake is cake no matter how you cut it but fat free, reduced sugar cupcakes make you feel just a tiny better eating them especially when they are super yummy.
The traditional Southern Pig Eating Cake is generally loaded with butter, cream and extra sugar. This lightened up version will slim up that Southern potluck in no time and they won’t miss a thing but the calories.
I used the Weight Watchers cake mix recipe but I have also done this with angel food cake you just skip the other ingredients for cake mix and just follow the directions on the back of the box only cook in foil cupcake liners after filling 3/4 full for about 14 minutes or until golden brown. You let cool and poke and fill with jello and refrigerate all other directions would be the same.

Cake Ingredients:
1 yellow cake mix ( opt. sugar free)
10 oz. diet orange soda
2 egg whites

You can use a sugar free cake mix here, I decided to use regular this time because all my sugar free choices had the same number of carbs and calories. Mix in soda, egg whites with electric beater until smooth. Now if you are going to the orange jello poke part of the recipe continue on, if you want to skip that part add 1 tsp. orange extract to batter and mix well. Fill cupcake liners mostly to the top about 3/4 of the way. Bake according to instructions on box. Let cool on wire rack.

Orange Jello Poke Portion:
1 small box sugar free orange jello
3/4 C. Boiling water
1/2 C. Cold water
Mix gelatin with hot water, mix till dissolved. Add cold water, mix. Poke holes in cooled cupcakes, I used a meat thermometer because it made bigger holes but you can use a fork. Poke tops place about an inch apart just scattered. Hold cupcake over jello mixture bowl and slowly pour gelatin over top, shake off excess. Place cupcakes in refrigerator and let gelatin set. Store in fridge.

Pineapple Cream Cheese Frosting:
1 (8 oz.) box fat free cream cheese
1 (8 oz.) container fat free whipped cream thawed in fridge
1 small box fat free sugar free instant vanilla pudding
1 tsp. orange extract
1 packet unflavored gelatin
1 (8 oz.) can crushed pineapple no sugar added
1/2 C. Reserved pineapple juice +water
1/2 C. Fat free milk
1/4 C. Splenda
Drain juice from pineapple into a measuring cup until it reaches 1/2 C. add water if needed. Mix unflavored gelatin with juice until dissolved in large bowl.
Add fat free milk and vanilla pudding mix. Stir until pudding starts to set, add orange extract.
Include cream cheese and beat with electric mixer until smooth. Add pineapple, stir, then fold in whipped cream.
Refrigerate overnight.
Then select largest piping tip or just snip off corner of plastic bag. Fill frosting bag and make traditional cupcake swirl by outlining outside of cupcake in a circle and continue circling and layering frosting till come to center and gently lift and you should have a pretty peak in the center of your cupcake.
Refrigerate or cover and freeze till that upcoming potluck, to unthaw just return to refrigerator overnight.
For a classic look when serving place a little segment of mandarin orange on each cupcake.–Submitted by Melissa Campbell

Fat Free but Creamy Pumpkin Pie

I was looking for a certain creamy cheesecake fat free, low sugar pumpkin pie. I had one that I could freeze but it wasn’t always convenient waiting for it to thaw and serve. This one can be made ahead and frozen but it stabilizes well in the fridge, slices nicely and even our pickiest eaters love it. It’s a lighter dessert and packs in the fiber when combined with my oat bran crust.

Crust Ingredients:
3/4 C. Oat bran
1/8 C. Splenda brown sugar blend
1/2 tsp. cinnamon
1/8 C. Warm water
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Combine oat bran, Splenda, cinnamon. Then slowly add warm water until well incorporated. Press into large pie pan. I like to use the bottom of a small measuring cup to press it in as it tends to create a more uniform result, occasionally you’ll have oat bran stick to it I just brush that back into the pan and keep going. It should press 3/4 the way up the sides approximately, you can use a larger pie tin and it will be 1/2 way both are fine. Bake in preheated oven at 350 for 10 minutes. Let cool.

Filling Ingredients:
1/2 C. Warm water
1 envelop unflavored gelatin
1/2 C. Cold fat-free milk
1 small package fat free sugar free vanilla pudding ( you can even order the kind sweetened with Splenda on Amazon if you prefer)
1 tsp. pumpkin spice
1 C. Canned pumpkin (plain)
8 oz. fat-free cream cheese
8 oz. fat- free whipped cream (Cool Whip brand has fewest calories but you can use another kind)
Dissolve unflavored gelatin in warm water, let sit stirring occasionally until fully dissolved. Add milk, add pudding, mix well, add spice. I like to use my hand mix blender at this point but you can use a regular hand mixer. Add cream cheese, mix well. Gently stir in container of thawed whipped cream. Stir until well incorporated. Pour into prepared crust and refrigerate over night. Serve with fat free whipped topping. So yummy. They won’t even miss the extra calories!

Key Lime Pie Meringue Meltaways

Well, I am one of those people who tend to become somewhat obsessed with certain things. I have to do it over and over again until I feel it is perfect or at least the best version I’ve ever seen. My latest obsession are meringue cookies mostly because they’re deceptively simple, fat free and sugar free, just tasty mounds of pure protein — I couldn’t help but fall a little more in love every time.
These little bad boys are lite and airy key lime pie dreams that just melt in your mouth. I wasn’t sure at first if I would really like a truly crisp meringue cookie but I do, I really do. It’s great with a side of fat free milk or herbal tea.

Ingredients:
2/3 C. Liquid egg whites or 4 egg whites
1/2 tsp. cream of tartar
1 tsp. pure vanilla extract
1-2 tsp. lime juice
3 packets of TrueLime (or zest of one lime and add another 1 tsp. of lime juice earlier)
1/4 C. Dark chocolate (optional)

Preheat oven to 200 degrees. Pour egg whites into mixer with wire whisk attachment. Some people claim you should let egg whites set at room temperature for 30 minutes before beating, I’ve never bothered but should you care to feel free. To this add extract, juice and cream of tartar. Beat at highest speed, stopping occasionally to scrape down sides of the bowl. When it forms soft-set peaks, on slower speed slowly add Splenda and then return to highest speed until it forms stiff, glossy peaks — could take awhile. Fold in TrueLime packets or zest and scoop mixture into pipping bag with large star tip. Pipe out 1 1/2 inch wide by 1 1/2 inch tall star meringues onto 2 foil lined cookie sheets. Will make lots of little cookies. Place in oven and bake at 200 degrees for 2 hours. Remove cool, and melt some dark chocolate in microwave, place in sandwich bag with small corner cut off and drizzle over each cookie in star-like pattern. Place in fridge to harden chocolate, store in tightly sealed Tupperware container in fridge — some people could probably get by with storing them on the counter but I live in the south people and it is warm and sticky here, not ideal food storage conditions for sure.
Hope you enjoy these light crisp cookies. For a more chewy texture follow my baking instructions for the coconut flavored meringues I posted earlier.

Coconut Meringue Cookie with Dark Chocolate Drizzle

I’ve been having a lot of fun with this simple little cookie which was inspired by web search for Dukan Diet friendly desserts and came up with http://themesquitecreek.blogspot.com/2011/11/meringue-dukan-recipe-cookie.html?m=1 a great resource for sure. It just took off from there on experimenting with different flavors, cooking times and temperatures. I posted an early meringue cookie but didn’t care how they deflated after I combined them with my chocolate chips. I’m sure there will be many more flavor combinations to come — I’m imaging a key lime pie flavored one right now, hmmmm. Anyway here it is.
Ingredients:
2/3 C. Liquid egg whites or 4 egg whites
1/2 tsp. cream of tartar
3 tsp. coconut extract
1 C. Splenda
1/2 C. Dark chocolate melted — can use semi sweet chocolate chips
In my Kitchenaid Mixer with the whipping attachment in place, I combine egg whites, cream of tartar, extract in bowl. Whip on highest setting until egg whites are frothy and hold a soft peak. Decrease speed, slowly add Splenda, scrape sides and then continue whipping at highest setting until forms stiff peaks and is glossy.
Scoop into pipping bag with large star tip attachment in place, pipe tall meringue piles (think tall snowman) on aluminum foil covered cookie sheet. Should fill one cookie sheet with rows of four by four. Bake at 250 in preheated oven for 30 minutes, turn oven off and let sit in oven for another 40 minutes without opening door. Take out cool. Melt chocolate ( I put mine in a mug and microwave a minute at a time at fifty percent power until runny) put in piping bag or sand which bag and with small attachment or just snip small corner off bag and drizzle over cookies. Let cool, you can place them in fridge to speed this process. You can serve with a little smear of sugar free raspberry jam, yummy.
Note: this particular baking process creates a crisp outside but chewy inside which is how I like them because I don’t really like the super dry crisp version that you choke on when you inhale but to each his own so if you prefer the truly crisp version, they do have the benefit of longer shelf life and so here are the instructions for that version.
Instead of piling cookie make 1 1/2 inch by 1 1/2 inch piles they can be divided among two foil lined cookie sheets and bake at 200 degrees for two hours. You’ll definitely want some herbal tea to cut the dryness or incase you inhale. They are tasty and crisp/airy but by all means don’t choke.
Let tea time commence!

Almond Meringue Chocolate Chip Cookies

These are some cookies I’ve been experimenting with for some time now. Tried a variety and liked this combination the best it had a smooth mellow flavor with the almond with a little sweet from the chocolate. They are crisp on the outside and if you pile it high enough chewy and pillowy in the middle.
I’ll let you know all combinations I’ve tried at the end. It’s pretty simple.

Ingredients:
4 egg whites or 2/3 cup liquid egg whites
1/2 tsp. cream of tartar
1 tsp. almond extract
1 tsp. vanilla extract
1 C. Splenda
1/4 C. Semi sweet chocolate chips (optional) still tastes good without

In my kitchenaid mixer I combined egg whites, extract and cream of tartar whip at highest setting until soft clouds form. You can pull beater up and whites will lift with it but then relax a bit. On slower speed gradually add in sweetener, increase speed and beat until glossy but stiff peaks form.
This is where I get fancy and load up my frosting bag and using my largest star tip pipe out thick, tall piles of white cream in rows on a foil lined cookie sheet. Pile it as high as you like it will only taste better for it.
Then I insert a few chocolate chips into each cookie, easing them in at the side of each one. You only need three or four per cookie.
Put in oven that’s been preheated to 250 degrees, bake 30 minutes. Turn oven off but leave cookies in there without opening the door for an hour.
Serve along side your favorite herbal tea or store in air tight container for few days.
I also tried adding in different flavors of sugar free jello mixes instead of extract my favorite was 1 small box of strawberry jello you just add it at the same time you add sugar. It was a combination of sweet and sour. You add chocolate chips just the same.
I also tried doing a chocolate one. Did everything the same as instructed above but folded in 3 Tbsp. chocolate powder at the end, have to be careful not to over mix otherwise it deflates meringue because of the fats in it.
I would also like to try trading out the extract flavors for either 2 tsp. lemon extract or 2 tsp. orange extract or 2 tsp. coconut extract. I’ll have to try those out next.