Healthy Kitchen: Cool-Down Desserts
By Mary Jo Plutt
These light, refreshing treats bring relief to summer's heat
Whether you’re following a low-sugar eating plan or just trying to lose a few pounds, you can still keep your blood glucose levels in check and have your dessert, too. "People with diabetes can enjoy foods — and desserts — with sugar," says Karen Chalmers, RD, CDE, a member of the CDE Advisory Board at Liberty Medical. "They just need to count those carbohydrates into their daily total."
To stay within your daily carbohydrate limit, you may want to consider the use of sugar substitutes or sweeteners, available at your supermarket. "Sugar substitutes add a sweet flavor to desserts without excess calories and carbohydrates," says Chalmers. Even though these products are not necessary when following a low-sugar diet, they do offer the advantage of satisfying a sweet craving without excluding nutrient-rich foods with natural sugars, such as fruits.
Naturally sweet fresh-berry compote
Per Serving: calories: 90, 5 calories from fat, total fat: 0 g, saturated fat 0 g, trans fat 0 g, cholesterol: 0 mg, sodium: 10 mg, carbohydrates: 21 g, fiber: 3 g, sugars: 14 g, protein: 1 g, vitamins: vitamin A (2% DV), vitamin C (50% DV), calcium (2% DV), iron (4% DV). Exchanges: 1.5 fruit.
Prep Time: about 10 minutes
Chilling Time: 15 to 30 minutes
Standing Time: 10 minutes
Yield: Serves 2
Enjoy this fresh, berry-delicious dessert on its own or as a topping on frozen low-fat vanilla yogurt or angel food cake.
- 3 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
- 2 teaspoons brown sugar
- 1/2 cup sliced strawberries
- 1/2 cup blueberries
- 1/2 cup raspberries or blackberries
- Freshly ground black pepper or finely shredded orange peel (optional)
- Stir together balsamic vinegar and brown sugar in a small bowl. Add berries; gently toss until evenly coated. Let stand at room temperature for 10 minutes. Drain.
- Cover and refrigerate for 15-30 minutes or until chilled.
- To serve, divide berries into 2 dessert dishes. If desired, sprinkle with pepper or orange peel.
Lemon-ginger sherbet
Per Serving (without sugar crisps): calories: 45, 0 calories from fat, total fat: 0 g, saturated fat 0 g, trans fat 0, cholesterol: 0 mg, sodium: 20 mg, carbohydrates: 11 g, fiber: 0 g, sugars: 4 g, protein: 2 g, vitamins: vitamin A (4% DV), vitamin C (20% DV), calcium (6% DV), iron (2% DV). Exchanges: 1 other carb.
Prep Time: 20 minutes
Freezing Time: about 4 hours
Standing Time: 10 minutes
Yield: Serves 6 (1/2 cup per person)
- 1 teaspoon unflavored gelatin
- 2 teaspoons finely shredded lemon peel
- 1/2 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice
- 11/2 cups boiling water
- 1/2 cup SPLENDA® No Calorie sweetener, granulated
- 3/4 cup nonfat or low-fat milk
- 3 tablespoons finely chopped crystallized ginger
- Sugar Crisps (optional; see recipe, below)
- Sprinkle dry gelatin over lemon juice in medium bowl; let stand for 1 minute. Stir in boiling water, granulated sweetener and ginger until sweetener is dissolved. Stir in lemon peel and milk (mixture will look curdled).
- Pour mixture into an 8x8x2-inch baking pan or dish. Cover and freeze about 30 minutes or until edges are frozen and slushy. Using a fork, stir to distribute frozen shards. Continue freezing and stirring every 20-30 minutes until almost frozen mixture forms a mass of fluffy shards. (If mixture becomes too frozen, let stand at room temperature about 3 minutes, then chop into chunks and purée until finely chopped but not melted.)
- Spoon into dessert dishes and, if desired, serve with Sugar Crisps. (1/2 cup per serving).
Recipe Variation: For orange sherbet, prepare recipe as directed above, except substitute orange juice and peel for the lemon, reduce the granulated sweetener to 1/3 cup and omit the ginger.
Sugar Crisps: Preheat oven to 350° F. Lightly coat baking sheet with nonstick cooking spray. Place 6 wonton skins 1 inch apart on prepared baking sheet. Lightly spray wonton skins with cooking spray; sprinkle with 1/4 teaspoon granulated or coarse-grain sugar. Cut wonton skins diagonally in half; slightly pull apart to separate. Bake about 6 minutes or until lightly golden. Transfer wonton crisps to wire rack and let cool.