What could be a sweeter holiday gift than a chocolate dessert that tastes wickedly wonderful despite being low in sugar and fat? That's the idea behind these six treats, which, thanks to the use of the sugar substitute Splenda, let you have your Christmas cookies and eat them, too—with as few as 7 g of carbohydrates (and that's for a rich, creamy cocoa cheesecake!).
But in addition to satisfying your sweet tooth, these delicious desserts are packed with ingredients such as green tea, bananas, cinnamon, walnuts, and berries, which all are proven to play a pivotal role in preventing disease—particularly heart disease, the leading cause of death among women.
According to studies, certain types of chocolate—including the low-fat unsweetened cocoa powder called for in several of these recipes—contain compounds called flavonoids that may help protect against heart disease, cancer, and diabetes. So, rather than denying yourself in this season of indulgence, whip up some of these easy-to-make chocolate confections. You and your waistline-watching company can consider them your just desserts.
Mini Cocoa Swirl Cheesecakes
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line 6-cup muffin pan with foil or paper liners.
2. Blend cream cheese and ricotta in food processor until well combined. Add Splenda, egg, yolk, and vanilla extract. Process until smooth.
3. Divide 1 cup of batter among muffin cups. Add cocoa to remaining batter and combine. Drop a heaping tablespoon of cocoa batter into each muffin cup and gently fold to form a swirl.
4. Place muffin pan in large roasting pan and fill with hot water to reach halfway up muffin pan. Bake until cakes are puffed and set, 20 minutes. Remove from water and cool at room temperature for at least 2 hours.
Makes 6
Per Serving: 130 cal, 7 g pro, 7 g carb, 8 g fat, 4.5 g sat fat, 90 mg chol, 0 g fiber, 125 mg sodium
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cooking Time: 20 minutes
Cooling Time: 2 hours
Green Tea Truffles
1. Place chocolate in medium bowl. In small saucepan, bring half-and-half to a simmer over medium heat. Remove from heat and add tea bags. Allow to steep 5 minutes.
2. Gently squeeze tea bags over half-and-half to extract extra flavor, and discard. Return to a simmer and then pour over chocolate. Stir to combine. Place bowl in freezer and chill until set, about 10 minutes, stirring every 2 minutes. When mixture hardens, scoop out 2 teaspoons and roll in palms to form 1" ball. Repeat with remaining chocolate mixture.
3. Place cocoa in shallow dish. Roll balls in cocoa to coat. Shake off excess. Serve or store in airtight container in refrigerator up to 2 weeks.
Makes 32
Per Serving: (2 truffles) 90 cal, 1 g pro, 9 g carb, 5 g fat, 3 g sat fat, 0 mg chol, 1 g fiber, 15 mg sodium
Prep Time: 30 minutes
Chocolate-Walnut Macaroons
1. Preheat oven to 325 degrees F. Line baking sheet with parchment.
2. In food processor, finely grind walnuts, Splenda, sugar, cocoa, and salt. Add egg white and vanilla extract and pulse until mixture forms dough.
3. Shape dough into 12 balls (2 teaspoons each) and place on baking sheet, pressing each to flatten. Bake until edges are firm to the touch, about 12 minutes. Cool on rack and store in airtight container.
Makes 12
Per Serving: (2 macaroons) 150 cal, 4 g pro, 11 g carb, 11 g fat, 1 g sat fat, 0 mg chol, 2 g fiber, 105 mg sodium
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cooking Time: 12 minutes
Flourless Chocolate-Raspberry Cakes
1. Position rack in middle of oven and preheat to 375 degrees F. Line 12-cup muffin pan with paper or foil liners.
2. Heat chocolate and margarine in saucepan over low heat until melted. Stir to combine and remove from heat.
3. In medium bowl, mix Splenda and cocoa. Add eggs and whisk until combined. Whisk in chocolate mixture.
4. Scoop batter into muffin cups, press 3 raspberries halfway into each, and place pan on baking sheet. Bake about 15 minutes, turning front to back halfway through. Cool on rack and serve.
Makes 12
Per Serving: 140 cal, 3 g pro, 11 g carb, 11 g fat, 4 g sat fat, 53 mg chol, 2 g fiber, 80 mg sodium
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cooking Time: 15 minutes
Mexican-Style Chocolate Bananas
1. Heat chocolate in skillet over low heat until melted, about 2 minutes. Add cinnamon and stir to combine.
2. Coat end of each banana piece with chocolate mixture. Place on plate, chocolate end up. Repeat with remaining pieces, coating pointed ends of the 4 "tips." Serve or place in refrigerator until chocolate hardens, about 15 minutes.
Makes Four 4-Piece Servings
Per Serving: 120 cal, 1 g pro, 23 g carb, 5 g fat, 2.5 g sat fat, 0 mg chol, 2 g fiber, 0 mg sodium
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cooking Time: 2 minutes
Chilling Time: 15 minutes
Chocolate Berry Cups
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
2. In small bowl, combine berries with Splenda. Spread out 1 sheet of phyllo and lightly brush with margarine. Lay second sheet on top and brush with margarine. Fold sheets in half widthwise. Brush top with margarine.
3. Cut dough in half lengthwise, then widthwise to create 4 equal pieces. Gently fit each piece into nonstick muffin pan. Bake about 15 minutes. Set aside to cool.
4. Place chocolate in glass measuring cup. Microwave for 30-second intervals, stirring after each, until melted, for up to 2 minutes. Fill phyllo cups with 1 tablespoon crème fraîche and 1/4 cup berries. Drizzle chocolate over berries with spoon.
Makes 4 Servings
Per Serving: 160 cal, 2 g pro, 16 g carb, 10 g fat, 5 g sat fat, 0 mg chol, 3 g fiber, 80 mg sodium
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cooking Time: 15 minutes
Excerpted from The South Beach Diet Quick & Easy Cookbook by Arthur Agatston, MD. To order, call (800) 848-4735 or visit the Rodale OnlineStore.
But in addition to satisfying your sweet tooth, these delicious desserts are packed with ingredients such as green tea, bananas, cinnamon, walnuts, and berries, which all are proven to play a pivotal role in preventing disease—particularly heart disease, the leading cause of death among women.
According to studies, certain types of chocolate—including the low-fat unsweetened cocoa powder called for in several of these recipes—contain compounds called flavonoids that may help protect against heart disease, cancer, and diabetes. So, rather than denying yourself in this season of indulgence, whip up some of these easy-to-make chocolate confections. You and your waistline-watching company can consider them your just desserts.
Mini Cocoa Swirl Cheesecakes
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1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line 6-cup muffin pan with foil or paper liners.
2. Blend cream cheese and ricotta in food processor until well combined. Add Splenda, egg, yolk, and vanilla extract. Process until smooth.
3. Divide 1 cup of batter among muffin cups. Add cocoa to remaining batter and combine. Drop a heaping tablespoon of cocoa batter into each muffin cup and gently fold to form a swirl.
4. Place muffin pan in large roasting pan and fill with hot water to reach halfway up muffin pan. Bake until cakes are puffed and set, 20 minutes. Remove from water and cool at room temperature for at least 2 hours.
Makes 6
Per Serving: 130 cal, 7 g pro, 7 g carb, 8 g fat, 4.5 g sat fat, 90 mg chol, 0 g fiber, 125 mg sodium
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cooking Time: 20 minutes
Cooling Time: 2 hours
Green Tea Truffles
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1. Place chocolate in medium bowl. In small saucepan, bring half-and-half to a simmer over medium heat. Remove from heat and add tea bags. Allow to steep 5 minutes.
2. Gently squeeze tea bags over half-and-half to extract extra flavor, and discard. Return to a simmer and then pour over chocolate. Stir to combine. Place bowl in freezer and chill until set, about 10 minutes, stirring every 2 minutes. When mixture hardens, scoop out 2 teaspoons and roll in palms to form 1" ball. Repeat with remaining chocolate mixture.
3. Place cocoa in shallow dish. Roll balls in cocoa to coat. Shake off excess. Serve or store in airtight container in refrigerator up to 2 weeks.
Makes 32
Per Serving: (2 truffles) 90 cal, 1 g pro, 9 g carb, 5 g fat, 3 g sat fat, 0 mg chol, 1 g fiber, 15 mg sodium
Prep Time: 30 minutes
Chocolate-Walnut Macaroons
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1. Preheat oven to 325 degrees F. Line baking sheet with parchment.
2. In food processor, finely grind walnuts, Splenda, sugar, cocoa, and salt. Add egg white and vanilla extract and pulse until mixture forms dough.
3. Shape dough into 12 balls (2 teaspoons each) and place on baking sheet, pressing each to flatten. Bake until edges are firm to the touch, about 12 minutes. Cool on rack and store in airtight container.
Makes 12
Per Serving: (2 macaroons) 150 cal, 4 g pro, 11 g carb, 11 g fat, 1 g sat fat, 0 mg chol, 2 g fiber, 105 mg sodium
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cooking Time: 12 minutes
Flourless Chocolate-Raspberry Cakes
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1. Position rack in middle of oven and preheat to 375 degrees F. Line 12-cup muffin pan with paper or foil liners.
2. Heat chocolate and margarine in saucepan over low heat until melted. Stir to combine and remove from heat.
3. In medium bowl, mix Splenda and cocoa. Add eggs and whisk until combined. Whisk in chocolate mixture.
4. Scoop batter into muffin cups, press 3 raspberries halfway into each, and place pan on baking sheet. Bake about 15 minutes, turning front to back halfway through. Cool on rack and serve.
Makes 12
Per Serving: 140 cal, 3 g pro, 11 g carb, 11 g fat, 4 g sat fat, 53 mg chol, 2 g fiber, 80 mg sodium
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cooking Time: 15 minutes
Mexican-Style Chocolate Bananas
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1. Heat chocolate in skillet over low heat until melted, about 2 minutes. Add cinnamon and stir to combine.
2. Coat end of each banana piece with chocolate mixture. Place on plate, chocolate end up. Repeat with remaining pieces, coating pointed ends of the 4 "tips." Serve or place in refrigerator until chocolate hardens, about 15 minutes.
Makes Four 4-Piece Servings
Per Serving: 120 cal, 1 g pro, 23 g carb, 5 g fat, 2.5 g sat fat, 0 mg chol, 2 g fiber, 0 mg sodium
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cooking Time: 2 minutes
Chilling Time: 15 minutes
Chocolate Berry Cups
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1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
2. In small bowl, combine berries with Splenda. Spread out 1 sheet of phyllo and lightly brush with margarine. Lay second sheet on top and brush with margarine. Fold sheets in half widthwise. Brush top with margarine.
3. Cut dough in half lengthwise, then widthwise to create 4 equal pieces. Gently fit each piece into nonstick muffin pan. Bake about 15 minutes. Set aside to cool.
4. Place chocolate in glass measuring cup. Microwave for 30-second intervals, stirring after each, until melted, for up to 2 minutes. Fill phyllo cups with 1 tablespoon crème fraîche and 1/4 cup berries. Drizzle chocolate over berries with spoon.
Makes 4 Servings
Per Serving: 160 cal, 2 g pro, 16 g carb, 10 g fat, 5 g sat fat, 0 mg chol, 3 g fiber, 80 mg sodium
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cooking Time: 15 minutes
Excerpted from The South Beach Diet Quick & Easy Cookbook by Arthur Agatston, MD. To order, call (800) 848-4735 or visit the Rodale OnlineStore.
Last Updated: 12/04/2006 17:03:55