Healthy Desserts

Risk Free Healthy Desserts

Apple-Walnut Crisp
 serves 9


Ingredients

6 cup apples
1 tsp nutmeg
2/3 cup unbleached flour
4 tbsp light margarine
1/2 cup brown sugar, packed
3 tbsp walnuts, chopped
2 tsp cinnamon

Preparation
Preheat oven to 375. Prepare a 8" square pan with cooking spray and flour. Arrange apples in prepared pan; set aside. 
In a mixing bowl, combine flour, brown sugar, cinnamon, and nutmeg. Cut in margarine with a pastry blender until crumbly. Stir in walnuts. 
Sprinkle mixture evenly over apples. Bake for 30 minutes, or until apples are tender and topping is crisp.

Blueberry Cheesecake
serves 12
Ingredients


Crust:
1 1/2 cup low fat graham cracker crumbs
1/4 cup light margarine, softened
3 tbsp  granulated sugar

Filling:
16 oz fat-free cream cheese, softened
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1/2 tsp pure vanilla extract
2 whole egg whites
2/3 cup blueberry pie filling
Preparation
To prepare crust, combine crumbs, margarine, and sugar in a mixing bowl. Press mixture firmly in a 9" pie pan. Chill 1 hour, or until firm. Or, bake in a 375 oven for ten minutes or until edges are brown. Cool on rack before filling. Preheat oven to 375. To prepare filling, combine cream cheese, sugar, vanilla extract, and egg whites. Spread over crust. Spoon blueberry pie filling on top; cutting through both layers with a knife several times for the swirled effect. Bake for 40 minutes. Serve with remaining blueberry pie filling.

Apple Pie

Ingredients

• Pastry:
• 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 cup vegetable shortening
• 1/2 cup ice water
• Cooking spray
• Filling:
• 10 cup thinly sliced peeled Granny Smith apple (about 3 pounds)
• 3/4 cup granulated sugar
• 1 1/2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
• 1 tablespoon chilled butter, cut into small pieces
• Topping:
• 1 tablespoon fat-free milk
• 1 teaspoon turbinado sugar

Preparation

• To prepare pastry, lightly spoon 2 1/2 cups flour into dry measuring cups; level with a knife. Combine 2 1/2 cups flour and 1/2 teaspoon salt in a large bowl, stirring well with a whisk; cut in shortening with a pastry blender or two knives until mixture resembles coarse meal. Gradually add ice water; toss with a fork until flour mixture is moist. Divide the dough into 2 equal portions. Gently press each portion into a 4-inch circle on heavy-duty plastic wrap; cover and chill 30 minutes.
• Preheat oven to 425°.
• Slightly overlap 2 sheets of plastic wrap on a slightly damp surface. Unwrap and place 1 portion of chilled dough on plastic wrap. Cover dough with 2 additional sheets of overlapping plastic wrap. Roll dough, still covered, into a 12-inch circle. Place dough in freezer 5 minutes or until plastic wrap can be easily removed. Remove top sheets of plastic wrap; fit dough, plastic wrap side up, into a 9-inch deep-dish pie plate coated with cooking spray. Remove remaining plastic wrap.
• To prepare filling, combine apple and next 5 ingredients (through nutmeg); toss gently to coat. Spoon apple mixture into prepared pie plate; top with butter.
• Slightly overlap 2 sheets of plastic wrap on a slightly damp surface. Unwrap and place remaining portion of chilled dough on plastic wrap.
•  Cover dough with 2 additional sheets of overlapping plastic wrap. Roll dough, still covered, into an 11-inch circle. 
• Place dough in freezer 5 minutes or until plastic wrap can be easily removed. Remove top sheets of plastic wrap; fit dough, plastic wrap side up, over apple mixture. Remove remaining plastic wrap. Press edges of dough together. Fold edges under, and flute. Cut several slits in top of dough to allow steam to escape.
• To prepare topping, brush top of dough with milk; sprinkle turbinado sugar evenly over dough. Place pie plate on a foil-lined baking sheet; bake at 425° for 10 minutes. Reduce oven temperature to 350° (do not remove pie from oven); bake an additional 40 minutes or until browned. Cool on a wire rack

Chicken Pot Pie

Ingredients

• 1/2 (15-ounce) package refrigerated pie dough (such as Pillsbury)
• Cooking spray
• 1/8 teaspoon salt
• 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon dried rubbed sage
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
• 8 ounces chicken breast tenders, cut into bite-sized pieces
• 1 1/4 cups water
• 1 1/2 cups frozen mixed vegetables
• 1 cup mushrooms, quartered
• 1 (10 1/2-ounce) can condensed reduced-fat, reduced-sodium cream of chicken soup

Preparation

• Preheat oven to 425°.
• Cut 3 (4-inch) circles out of dough; discard remaining dough. Place dough circles on a baking sheet coated with cooking spray. Lightly coat dough with cooking spray; sprinkle evenly with 1/8 teaspoon salt. Pierce top of dough with a fork. Bake dough at 425° for 8 minutes or until golden.
• Combine flour, sage, 1/4 teaspoon salt, and pepper in a zip-top plastic bag; add chicken. Seal bag, and toss to coat. Heat a large nonstick skillet coated with cooking spray over medium-high heat. 
• Add chicken mixture; cook 5 minutes, browning on all sides. Stir in water, scraping pan to loosen browned bits. Stir in vegetables, mushrooms, and soup; bring to a boil. Reduce heat, and cook 10 minutes. Spoon 1 cup chicken mixture into each of 3 (1-cup) ramekins or bowls; top each serving with 1 piecrust.

Chocolate Mint Bars

Ingredients

• Bottom layer:
• 1 cup unbleached all-purpose flour (about 4 1/2 ounces)
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 cup granulated sugar
• 1/2 cup egg substitute
• 1/4 cup butter, melted
• 2 tablespoons water
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 2 large eggs, beaten
• 1 (16-ounce) can chocolate syrup
• Cooking spray
• Mint layer:
• 2 cups powdered sugar
• 1/4 cup butter, melted
• 2 tablespoons fat-free milk
• 1/2 teaspoon peppermint extract
• 2 drops green food coloring
• Glaze:
• 3/4 cup semisweet chocolate chips
• 3 tablespoons butter

Preparation

• 1. Preheat oven to 350°.
• 2.To prepare bottom layer, lightly spoon flour into a dry measuring cup; level with a knife. Combine flour and salt; stir with a whisk. Combine granulated sugar, egg substitute, 1/4 cup melted butter, 2 tablespoons water, vanilla, eggs, and chocolate syrup in a medium bowl; stir until smooth. Add flour mixture to chocolate mixture, stirring until blended. Pour batter into a 13 x 9–inch baking pan coated with cooking spray. Bake at 350° for 23 minutes or until a wooden pick inserted in center comes out almost clean. Cool completely in pan on a wire rack.
• 3. To prepare mint layer, combine powdered sugar, 1/4 cup melted butter, and next 3 ingredients (through food coloring) in a medium bowl; beat with a mixer until smooth. Spread mint mixture over cooled cake.
• 4. To prepare the glaze, combine the chocolate chips and 3 tablespoons butter in a medium microwave-safe bowl. Microwave at HIGH 1 minute or until melted, stirring after 30 seconds. Let stand 2 minutes. Spread chocolate mixture evenly over top. Cover and refrigerate until ready to serve. Cut into 20 pieces.

Recipies are from eatingwell.com

allrecipes.com, cookinglight.com.