Decadent Desserts
Enjoy the health benefits from nuts, oats, berries, and fat-free milk and yogurt in these guilt-free treats—all under 150 calories. These cookies, bars, and other treats are perfect endings to any meal.
Peanut Butter Cookies
Hands-on Time: 12 minutes
Total Time: 24 minutes
Serves: 24
For best results with these delicious cookies, use regular stick butter instead of a reduced-calorie or tub-style margarine.
¾ cup plus 2 tablespoons natural creamy peanut butter
2 tablespoons butter, softened
3.4 ounces all-purpose flour (about ¾ cup)
⅓ cup granulated no-calorie sweetener (such as Splenda)
1 large egg, lightly beaten
¼ teaspoon vanilla extract
1 Preheat oven to 350°.
2 Beat peanut butter and butter with a mixer at medium speed until blended.
3 Weigh or lightly spoon flour into dry measuring cups; level with a knife. Combine flour and sweetener in a medium bowl. Add flour mixture to peanut butter mixture, beating well. Add egg and vanilla; beat well.
4 Shape dough into 24 (1-inch) balls. Place balls, 2 inches apart, on ungreased baking sheets; flatten cookies in a crisscross pattern with a fork. Bake at 350° for 12 minutes. Cool completely on baking sheets.
PER SERVING (serving size: 1 cookie):
Food Choices: ½ Carbohydrate, 1 Fat
Calories 84; Fat 5.9g (sat 1.7g, mono 2.6g, poly 1.4g, trans 0g); Protein 3g; Carbohydrate 5g; Fiber 1g; Sugars 1g; Cholesterol 9mg; Iron 0mg; Sodium 63mg; Potassium 68mg; Phosphorus 42mg; Calcium 6mg
Chocolate-Almond Cookies
Hands-on Time: 5 minutes
Total Time: 21 minutes
Serves: 12
Enjoy one of these low-sugar chocolate cookies with a steaming cup of chocolate-flavored coffee.
1 (8-ounce) package sugar-free chocolate-flavored snack cake mix
1 large egg, lightly beaten
2½ tablespoons water
1 tablespoon almond extract
½ teaspoon vanilla extract
Cooking spray
48 almond slices, toasted (2 to 3 tablespoons)
1 Preheat oven to 350°.
2 Combine first 5 ingredients in a bowl, stirring until blended.
3 Drop dough by level teaspoonfuls onto baking sheets coated with cooking spray. Press 1 almond slice into top of each cookie. Bake at 350° for 8 minutes. Transfer cookies to wire racks, and cool completely.
PER SERVING (serving size: 4 cookies):
Food Choice: 1 Carbohydrate
Calories 82; Fat 1.1g (sat 0.2g, mono 0.5g, poly 0.2g, trans 0g); Protein 2g; Carbohydrate 16g; Fiber 0g; Sugars 10g; Cholesterol 16mg; Iron 0mg; Sodium 159mg; Potassium 114mg; Phosphorus 55mg; Calcium 19mg
Chewy Date-Apple Bars
Hands-on Time: 5 minutes
Total Time: 35 minutes
Serves: 14
Crunchy walnuts and syrupy-sweet dates are a mouthwatering combination that doesn’t need a bit of added sugar.
2½ cups whole pitted dates
1 cup dried apples
½ cup walnuts, toasted
½ cup old-fashioned rolled oats
¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 Preheat oven to 350°.
2 Place first 3 ingredients in a food processor; process until fruit and nuts are finely chopped. Add oats and cinnamon; pulse 8 to 10 times or until moist and oats are chopped. Spoon mixture into a lightly greased 9 x 5–inch loaf pan, pressing into an even layer with plastic wrap.
3 Bake at 350° for 15 minutes. Cool completely in pan on a wire rack. Cut into 14 bars.
PER SERVING (serving size: 1 bar):
Food Choices: 1 Starch, 1 Fruit
Calories 139; Fat 2.5g (sat 0.3g, mono 0.4g, poly 1.8g, trans 0g); Protein 2g; Carbohydrate 30g; Fiber 3g; Sugars 23g; Cholesterol 0mg; Iron 1mg; Sodium 48mg; Potassium 243mg; Phosphorus 40mg; Calcium 18mg
Small Change, Big Result
Making these bars rather than buying similar varieties at the store will reduce the amount of fat you eat. Plus, it will ensure that no added sugars are used.
Raspberry Parfaits
Hands-on Time: 15 minutes
Total Time: 20 minutes
Serves: 4
Raspberries give nectarous flavor to this quick and refreshing dessert.
2 (6-ounce) packages fresh raspberries, divided
2 tablespoons fresh orange juice
1 tablespoon granulated no-calorie sweetener (such as Splenda)
1 cup sugar-free vanilla frozen Greek yogurt
1 Combine 1 package raspberries and juice in a small saucepan over medium-high heat; bring to a boil. Reduce heat, and simmer 8 minutes, stirring occasionally to break up berries. Place raspberry mixture, remaining package raspberries, and sweetener in a medium bowl and toss gently to combine; cool 5 minutes in freezer.
2 Place 2 tablespoons frozen yogurt in each of 4 parfait glasses or champagne flutes. Top each serving with 3 tablespoons raspberry mixture. Repeat procedure with remaining yogurt and raspberry mixture.
PER SERVING (serving size: 1 parfait):
Food Choices: 1 Carbohydrate, ½ Fat
Calories 101; Fat 2.8g (sat 1.5g, mono 0.1g, poly 0.3g, trans 0g); Protein 3g; Carbohydrate 18g; Fiber 6g; Sugars 7g; Cholesterol 10mg; Iron 1mg; Sodium 31mg; Potassium 167mg; Phosphorus 141mg; Calcium 72mg
Peach Melba Parfaits
Hands-on Time: 15 minutes
Total Time: 3 hours
Serves: 8
Garnish this parfait with peeled and sliced peaches to add a pop of color and juicy flavor.
4 cups vanilla sugar-free low-fat ice cream, softened
1 cup mashed peeled peaches (about ¾ pound)
1 tablespoon amaretto
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 (12-ounce) package unsweetened frozen raspberries, thawed
3 tablespoons granulated no-calorie sweetener (such as Splenda)
1 tablespoon Grand Marnier or other orange-flavored liqueur
1½ cups fresh raspberries
1 Combine low-fat ice cream, peaches, amaretto, and vanilla in a freezer-safe container; stir well. Freeze until firm.
2 Place thawed raspberries, sweetener, and liqueur in a blender, and process until smooth. Press raspberry mixture through a sieve, reserving puree; discard seeds. Cover and chill.
3 Spoon 2 teaspoons raspberry puree into each of 8 parfait glasses or champagne flutes. Top each with about 1½ tablespoons fresh raspberries and ¼ cup ice-cream mixture. Repeat layers, ending with 2 teaspoons raspberry puree.
PER SERVING (serving size: 1 parfait):
Food Choices: 1½ Carbohydrates, 1 Fat
Calories 149; Fat 3.5g (sat 2g, mono 0.1g, poly 0.3g, trans 0g); Protein 4g; Carbohydrate 25g; Fiber 7g; Sugars 9g; Cholesterol 10mg; Iron 1mg; Sodium 71mg; Potassium 277mg; Phosphorus 89mg; Calcium 118mg
Cantaloupe Sherbet
Hands-on Time: 24 minutes
Total Time: 5 hours, 24 minutes
Serves: 5
This easy five-ingredient melon sherbet is a great way to transform fresh cantaloupe into a low-sugar frozen dessert.
1 large ripe cantaloupe, peeled and finely chopped (about 5 cups)
⅓ cup granulated no-calorie sweetener (such as Splenda)
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
2 teaspoons unflavored gelatin
¼ cup cold water
1 (8-ounce) carton vanilla fat-free yogurt sweetened with aspartame
Mint sprigs (optional)
1 Place cantaloupe, sweetener, and lemon juice in a blender or food processor; process until smooth. Transfer mixture to a medium bowl.
2 Sprinkle gelatin over ¼ cup cold water in a small saucepan; let stand 1 minute. Cook over low heat, stirring until gelatin dissolves, about 4 minutes. Add to cantaloupe mixture, stirring well. Add yogurt, stirring until smooth.
3 Pour mixture into an 8-inch square metal baking pan; freeze until almost firm.
4 Transfer mixture to a large bowl; beat with a mixer at high speed until fluffy. Spoon mixture back into pan; freeze until firm.
5 Scoop sherbet into 5 dishes. Garnish with fresh mint, if desired.
PER SERVING (serving size: 1 cup):
Food Choice: 1 Fruit
Calories 93; Fat 0.5g (sat 0.2g, mono 0g, poly 0g, trans 0g); Protein 5g; Carbohydrate 19g; Fiber 1g; Sugars 16g; Cholesterol 1mg; Iron 0mg; Sodium 50mg; Potassium 513mg; Phosphorus 65mg; Calcium 0mg
White Chocolate Mousse
Hands-on Time: 8 minutes
Total Time: 2 hours, 8 minutes
Serves: 4
Take a shortcut to deliciousness by using a few store-bought items. Simply garnish with raspberries and mint and pretend you spent all day in the kitchen. If you can’t find white chocolate sugar-free pudding, you can use the chocolate sugar-free kind.
1 (1-ounce) package white chocolate sugar-free, fat-free instant pudding mix
1½ cups fat-free milk
1½ cups frozen fat-free whipped topping, thawed
2 cups fresh raspberries
Mint sprigs (optional)
1 Prepare pudding mix according to package directions, using 1½ cups milk. Fold whipped topping into pudding. Cover and chill at least 2 hours. Place pudding in each of 4 dessert dishes. Top each serving with raspberries; garnish with mint, if desired.
PER SERVING (serving size: ½ cup pudding and ½ cup raspberries):
Food Choice: 1½ Carbohydrates
Calories 131; Fat 0.5g (sat 0.1g, mono 0.1g, poly 0.2g, trans 0g); Protein 4g; Carbohydrate 26g; Fiber 5g; Sugars 10g; Cholesterol 2mg; Iron 0mg; Sodium 247mg; Potassium 323mg; Phosphorus 150mg; Calcium 127mg
Small Change, Big Result
White chocolate mousse is traditionally made by folding whipped cream into melted white chocolate—a rich, decadent treat loaded with sugar and saturated fat. Our version lightens up this classic dessert with a sugar-free pudding mix made with fat-free milk. Fat-free whipped topping stands in for whipped cream to give the mousse its light, airy texture. It’s just as satisfying with a fraction of the carbohydrates and saturated fat.
Fresh Fruit with Strawberry Sauce
Hands-on Time: 10 minutes
Total Time: 10 minutes
Serves: 4
For a variation, try this sauce spooned over yogurt or angel food cake.
1 cup frozen unsweetened whole strawberries, thawed
2 teaspoons granulated no-calorie sweetener (such as Splenda)
¼ teaspoon grated orange rind
2 cups orange sections (about 6 oranges)
1 cup cubed peeled kiwifruit (about 3 kiwifruit)
1 Place first 3 ingredients in a blender, and process until smooth; set sauce aside.
2 Spoon ½ cup orange sections and ¼ cup kiwifruit into each of 4 small bowls; top each serving with 3 tablespoons sauce.
PER SERVING (serving size: 1 parfait):
Food Choice: 1½ Fruits
Calories 91; Fat 0.5g (sat 0.1g, mono 0.1g, poly 0.1g, trans 0g); Protein 2g; Carbohydrate 21g; Fiber 6g; Sugars 14g; Cholesterol 0mg; Iron 1mg; Sodium 1mg; Potassium 359mg; Phosphorus 37mg; Calcium 58mg
Ingredient Pointer
No-calorie sweeteners are a pantry staple for people with diabetes, giving the sweet flavor of a special treat without affecting blood sugar levels. Granular no-calorie sweetener has the added advantage that it can be measured cup for cup like regular sugar, so it’s easy to substitute in recipes that call for regular sugar. Granulated sweeteners such as Splenda contain bulking agents that include small amounts of carbohydrate. (For example, Splenda contains 12 grams per ½ cup.) If enough granular sweetener is used, a measurable amount of carbohydrate can be consumed.
Summer Berry Medley with Limoncello and Mint
Hands-on Time: 5 minutes
Total Time: 25 minutes
Serves: 6
Limoncello (lee-mon-CHAY-low) is a lemon-flavored liqueur from Italy’s Amalfi Coast. It’s often savored after a meal. Store it in the freezer, and serve over ice. If you have trouble finding it, substitute an orange-flavored liqueur such as Grand Marnier.
2 cups fresh blackberries
2 cups hulled fresh strawberries, quartered
2 cups fresh blueberries
1 cup fresh raspberries
2 tablespoons granulated no-calorie sweetener (such as Splenda)
1 tablespoon grated lemon rind
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
2 tablespoons limoncello (lemon-flavored liqueur)
½ cup torn mint leaves
1 Combine first 8 ingredients in a bowl; let stand 20 minutes. Gently stir in mint using a rubber spatula.
PER SERVING (serving size: about 1 cup):
Food Choice: 1¼ Fruits
Calories 106; Fat 0.8g (sat 0g, mono 0.1g, poly 0.4g, trans 0g); Protein 2g; Carbohydrate 23g; Fiber 7g; Sugars 12g; Cholesterol 0mg; Iron 1mg; Sodium 2mg; Potassium 260mg; Phosphorus 41mg; Calcium 38mg