A Healthier Holiday - Part # 4

Healthy eating is a good way not to feel guilty about what you eat, but don't overdue it, it can cause a feeling of deprivation, which can lead to binge eating.

Desserts:

Chocolate Angel Food Cake

Calories per Serving: 184. Fat Per Serving: 2 grams

Ingredients:

• 1 pkg. Angel Food cake mix
• 1 1/4 cup cold water
• 1/2 cup baking cocoa

Raspberry Sauce for Cake:

• Sugar substitute equal to 1/4 cup sugar
• 2 tsp. cornstarch
• 1 pkg (12 ounces) frozen unsweetened raspberries
• 1 1/4 cups reduced fat whipped topping

Cooking Instructions:

1. In a large mixing bowl, beat cake mix and water on low speed for 30 seconds. Beat on high for 45 seconds. Add cocoa, beat on high 15 seconds longer. Pour into an un-greased 10-inch tube pan.
2. Bake at 350 degrees for 35-40 minutes or until cake, springs back when lightly touched and cracks feel dry. Immediately invert pan and cool completely.
3. In a saucepan combine, the sugar substitute and cornstarch add the raspberries. Cook and stir until moisture comes to a boil, about 6 minutes. Cook and stir an additional 2 minutes longer or until the mixture is thickened.
4. Remove from heat and let cool.
5. Run a knife around side and center of pan remove cake. Cut into 12 pieces.
6. Strain the raspberry sauce. Spoon over cake slices. Dollop with whipped topping.

Credit given to Lana Drum Maryville, TN

Pumpkin Flan

Calories per serving 115. Fat per serving: 1.3 grams

• ¾ cup sugar, divided
• 2 whole eggs
• 2 egg whites
• 1 tsp. ground cinnamon
• 1/8 tsp. ground ginger
• 1/8 tsp. ground cloves
• 1 (12 oz.) can evaporated skim milk
• 1 ½ cups mashed, cooked pumpkin

Cooking Instructions:

1. Sprinkle ½ cup sugar in bottom of small saucepan over medium-low heat. Caramelize by stirring often until sugar melts and is golden (approx. 8 minutes). Pour immediately into round 9" cake pan, tipping quickly to coat bottom of pan. Set aside.
2. Combine ¼ cup sugar and next 6 ingredients in a bowl. Beat at low speed with mixer until sugar is dissolved. Add pumpkin. beat at low speed until smooth. Pour into prepared cake pan. Place in large shallow pan. Add hot water to larger pan to a 1" depth.
3. Bake at 300°F for 1 hour or until inserted knife tip comes out clean. Remove cake pan and let cool. Cover and chill 3 hours. Loosen edges with a spatula. Place a serving plate on top of cake pan. quickly invert flan onto plate. Drizzle any remaining sauce over flan.

Thanksgiving Pumpkin Pie

Calories per serving: 250. Fat per serving: 6 grams

Ingredients:

• 2 cups canned pumpkin
• 1 12-oz. can evaporated skim milk
• 1-cup dark brown sugar
• 1 large egg
• 2 large egg whites
• 1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon
• 1/4 tsp. salt 1/2 tsp. ground or freshly grated nutmeg (about 15 gratings)
• 1/4 tsp. ground allspice
• 1 ready-made 9-inch piecrust
• 1 1/2 tsp. flour mixed together with 1/4 tsp. each nutmeg and cinnamon

Cooking Instructions:

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
2. In a large frying pan, cook the pumpkin over medium-high heat, stirring often so all the pumpkin comes in contact with the pan, until pumpkin is reduced to 1 3/4 cups, about 5 to 10 minutes. Turn pumpkin into a large bowl and let it cool slightly.
3. Add milk, sugar, egg, egg white, cinnamon, salt, nutmeg and allspice. Mix well until sugar dissolves and the mixture is well blended. Sprinkle flour mixture evenly over bottom of pie shell.
4. Pour filling into piecrust and bake 15 minutes. Reduce heat to 325 degrees and bake 30 minutes more or until filling is set. If edges of pie crust brown too quickly, use strips of foil as a loose cover. The pie filling is done when filling looks set and a knife comes out clean.
5. Set on a rack and allow cooling completely before serving.

Eggnog Banana Pie

Calories per serving: 214. Fat per Serving: 7 grams

Ingredients:

• 32 reduced-fat vanilla wafers
• 3 bananas, divided
• 1/4 plus 1/8 teaspoon ground nutmeg, divided
• 2 cups fat-free milk
• 1 package (8 ounces) reduced-fat cream cheese
• 1 package (4-serving size) sugar-free instant vanilla pudding and pie filling
• 1 /2 tsp. brandy extract
• 1 cup thawed frozen fat-free nondairy whipped topping

Cooking Instructions:

1. Line bottom and side of 9-inch pie pan with vanilla wafers. Slice two bananas and arrange evenly on top of wafers. Sprinkle with 1 /4 teaspoon nutmeg; set aside.
2. Place milk, cream cheese, pudding mix and brandy extract in food processor or blender; process until smooth. Stir in whipped topping.
3. Spoon mixture evenly over bananas; sprinkle with remaining 1/8-teaspoon nutmeg. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate until ready to serve. Don't wait more than four hours.

During the holidays don't worry about gaining extra pounds because the food may be high in fat, sodium, or calories. Enjoy the food and just remember to eat in moderate amounts.

*Some recipes are from our community forum members.