True confessions. I love sweets, especially ice cream! Instead of my usual after-dinner bowl of ice cream, I’ve been having fun making a batch of “light” cream using frozen bananas, peanut butter, and cocoa powder. It definitely satisfies my sweet tooth even though there’s no added sugar! Ripe, frozen bananas provide the sweetness and they…
Tag: healthy dessert
Pumpkin Pie Chia Pudding
Even though I would love to hold on to summer fruits and veggies, my local market is telling me it’s time to make a seasonal switch. The nectarine and peach bins are now filled with apples and pumpkins! I do love fall produce so I guess it’s okay to say goodbye to my summer favorites….
Warm and Creamy Dark Chocolate Almond Dip with Fresh Fruit
When my kids were little, this was our favorite after school fruit dip and even though my kids are in their early 30’s, we are still making it! I’ve tweaked it along the way. Our original version was made with peanut butter and chocolate syrup but the more grown up version uses almond butter and…
Fudgy (and flourless) Chocolate Almond Torte
This Caprese-style chocolate cake (based on a traditional torte made in Capri, Italy) is rich and fudgy but unlike most flourless cakes, it does not contain a pound of butter. The richness comes from the healthy fat in the almonds and the dark chocolate. With only 5 ingredients, this is an easy cake to pull…
Greek Juicy Walnut Cake (Karithopita)
Baking with extra virgin olive oil is an excellent way to cut down on saturated fat in a recipe because you can use it to replace butter! In this recipe, the olive oil adds a rich, moist texture without an olive oil flavor and the addition of ground walnuts contributes more heart-healthy fats and a…
Cinnamon-Spiced Butternut Squash Dessert Muffins
Butternut squash is one of my favorite autumn vegetables. It has a sweetness that is not overbearing and it is extremely versatile. You can add it to meals like soups and casseroles, but it’s also a great ingredient in baked goods! Swap out the pumpkin for butternut squash in most recipes, even pumpkin pie. You…
Valentine’s Day Ricotta Cheesecake with Strawberry Hearts
I was looking for a dessert recipe for Valentine’s Day and I came across this post from last year. The strawberries look like little overlapping hearts on top of a light, creamy cheesecake. Share this lovely, heart healthy dessert with your special Valentine.
Mini Blueberry-Lemon Cheesecakes for the 4th of July
My favorite part of a meal is dessert. As a dietitian, I probably shouldn’t admit this. The trick is learning how to enjoy a few small blissful bites rather than a large, full-size portion. Most of the time, I find that a small , mini treat is just enough to satisfy my sweet tooth. Get…
Blueberry Pie Kefir Smoothie
What’s not to love about frozen blueberries, bananas, crushed graham crackers, pecans and toasted coconut. Add some blueberry kefir for a delicious boost of calcium, protein and gut-friendly probiotics and you’ve got yourself a refreshingly creamy summer treat.
Cooking Light’s 30th Anniversary Carrot-Zucchini Cake with Coconut-Cream Cheese Frosting
Cooking Light magazine made its debut in 1987 and I may have been the first to subscribe. I was deep into learning how to cook, registering for any cooking class I could find (this was before the Food Network when cooking was not trendy) and trying to master the art of lighter cooking. Now it…
Berry Delicious Yogurt Parfait
You could just eat yogurt, berries and granola in a bowl but why not take a few extra minutes and layer those same ingredients in a glass jar. Boring bowl transformed into pretty parfait. Parfaits turn simple ingredients into a special occasion. My family still feels the need to ask me if it’s okay to…
Judy Matusky, RDN, LDN 