When your sweet tooth is calling and you’re torn between making healthful choices and your uncontrollable urge for a “treat”, jazzing up some fruit can appease the angel and the devil on your shoulders. While it is possible to list and remind you of all the health benefits in each of these desserts, sometimes it is best to see sweets for what they are: an indulgence. Pat yourself on the back when you choose one of these fruity pleasures, knowing that you made a healthful and delicious choice. Rock your palates’ world – you’ll never be happier getting a serving of fruit in!

Broiled Grapefruit Perfection

Ingredients:

• 1 pink grapefruit
• 1 tablespoon brown sugar, agave, honey or raw sugar
• ¼ teaspoon cinnamon

Directions:

Cut the grapefruit in half widthwise (so the grapefruit stem end is either on the top or bottom of the counter when you cut across the middle). You can cut around the edges and in between each section with a paring knife if you like, to make the sections easier to remove with a regular spoon. Sprinkle the sugar, agave or honey over the top of both halves. Sprinkle the cinnamon over both halves. Broil the grapefruits with the sugar sides up on a cookie sheet. Remove when the top of the grapefruit starts to turn light brown, 3 – 4 minutes. You can have both halves for yourself, yum!

Delicate Poached Pears

Ingredients:

• ¾ cup raw sugar
• 3 cups red wine
• 1 cinnamon stick
• 1 vanilla bean, halved lengthwise
• 4 Ripe pears, peeled and cored from the bottom, with stem left in place

Place all ingredients in a slow cooker or crock pot. Cook for 6 – 8 hours on low setting. Serve warm or room temperature. You can top pear with Greek yogurt for a tangy taste, or sweeten it further with a sprinkle of cinnamon sugar before serving. Delish!

Serves: 4

Perfect Pumpkin Custard

• 1 cup canned or fresh pumpkin
• 1 egg, beaten
• 1/3 cup raw sugar
• Pinch of salt
• ½ teaspoon ginger
• ½ teaspoon cinnamon
• ¼ teaspoon nutmeg
• 1 teaspoon real vanilla extract
• 8 oz 2% fat evaporated milk

Preheat oven to 325°F. Prepare 4 custard cups (sprinkle ¼ tsp cinnamon sugar on the bottom if you like). Put 1 inch of water in a 9 x 11 baking pan, and set aside.

Beat the egg for 2 minutes until entirely uniform and foamy. Combine all ingredients in a blender or use a hand mixer to puree. Pour the mixture into the heatproof custard cups. Place the custard cups into the prepared 9 x 11 pan and bake in a preheated 325°F oven for about 40 minutes, or until custard tests done.

Serves: 4

Note: Test custard for doneness by inserting a sharp knife about 1 inch from the side of the cup. Knife should come out clean; the center may still be unset and will continue to cook after removed from the oven.

So long mixed feelings about having dessert!

Bon appetite!

When your sweet tooth is calling and you’re torn between making healthful choices and your uncontrollable urge for a “treat”, jazzing up some fruit can appease the angel and the devil on your shoulders. While it is possible to list and remind you of all the health benefits in each of these desserts, sometimes it is best to see sweets for what they are: an indulgence. Pat yourself on the back when you choose one of these fruity pleasures, knowing that you made a healthful and delicious choice. Rock your palates’ world – you’ll never be happier getting a serving of fruit in!

Broiled Grapefruit Perfection

Ingredients:

• 1 pink grapefruit
• 1 tablespoon brown sugar, agave, honey or raw sugar
• ¼ teaspoon cinnamon

Directions:

Cut the grapefruit in half widthwise (so the grapefruit stem end is either on the top or bottom of the counter when you cut across the middle). You can cut around the edges and in between each section with a paring knife if you like, to make the sections easier to remove with a regular spoon. Sprinkle the sugar, agave or honey over the top of both halves. Sprinkle the cinnamon over both halves. Broil the grapefruits with the sugar sides up on a cookie sheet. Remove when the top of the grapefruit starts to turn light brown, 3 – 4 minutes. You can have both halves for yourself, yum!

Delicate Poached Pears

Ingredients:

• ¾ cup raw sugar
• 3 cups red wine
• 1 cinnamon stick
• 1 vanilla bean, halved lengthwise
• 4 Ripe pears, peeled and cored from the bottom, with stem left in place

Place all ingredients in a slow cooker or crock pot. Cook for 6 – 8 hours on low setting. Serve warm or room temperature. You can top pear with Greek yogurt for a tangy taste, or sweeten it further with a sprinkle of cinnamon sugar before serving. Delish!

Serves: 4

Perfect Pumpkin Custard

• 1 cup canned or fresh pumpkin
• 1 egg, beaten
• 1/3 cup raw sugar
• Pinch of salt
• ½ teaspoon ginger
• ½ teaspoon cinnamon
• ¼ teaspoon nutmeg
• 1 teaspoon real vanilla extract
• 8 oz 2% fat evaporated milk

Preheat oven to 325°F. Prepare 4 custard cups (sprinkle ¼ tsp cinnamon sugar on the bottom if you like). Put 1 inch of water in a 9 x 11 baking pan, and set aside.

Beat the egg for 2 minutes until entirely uniform and foamy. Combine all ingredients in a blender or use a hand mixer to puree. Pour the mixture into the heatproof custard cups. Place the custard cups into the prepared 9 x 11 pan and bake in a preheated 325°F oven for about 40 minutes, or until custard tests done.

Serves: 4

Note: Test custard for doneness by inserting a sharp knife about 1 inch from the side of the cup. Knife should come out clean; the center may still be unset and will continue to cook after removed from the oven.

So long mixed feelings about having dessert!

Bon appetite!

For day 2 of our 5 part series on super foods at your holiday feast, we focus on pumpkin. This famous gourd kicks off autumn and lasts heartily through the winter.  Fear not if you are not a huge fan of pumpkin pie; pumpkin is tremendously versatile and can be used in everything from breakfast through dessert.

Make a lighter and healthier version of pumpkin pie! Use skim milk and egg whites instead of the traditional full-fat and heavy whipped cream and whole eggs in most pumpkin pie recipes. (Although, whole eggs and milk can have a place in the diet, as part of an indulgence for dessert, no need for the extra calories and fat).

Skip the pie shell entirely, sprinkle some flax in the bottom of the crust, or go for a whole wheat pie shell when shopping to give yourself an extra boost of fiber, which will help keep you full for longer as well as contribute to your heart health. Whole wheat pie crust can provide you with 6 more grams of fiber than regular pie crusts.

If pumpkin pie just isn’t for you, try mixing some canned pumpkin into your yogurt at breakfast, adding pumpkin to muffin or pancake mixes, or stirring up a bowl of delicious pumpkin soup. Yum.

Spiced Pumpkin Soup: serves 8

Ingredients:

• 2 Tablespoons canola oil
• 1 medium Vidalia onion, roughly chopped
• 1 Tablespoon grated fresh ginger
• 4 garlic cloves, finely minced or pressed
• 15 oz pumpkin puree (be careful not to buy canned pumpkin pie)
• 13.5 oz light coconut milk
• 4 cups low sodium vegetable broth
• Salt and pepper to taste
• Toasted pumpkin seeds for garnish

Directions:

In a Dutch oven, warm oil, onion and ginger over medium-low heat for 8 minutes until the onion is soft. Add the garlic and cook for 3 minutes, stirring often to avoid browning. Add the pumpkin, coconut milk and broth. Bring to a low boil and reduce the heat to medium-low; simmer for 20 minutes, stirring occasionally. Season with salt and pepper. Remove from heat, let cool slightly, then puree in a blender or emersion blender. Garnish with toasted seeds and serve.

A perfect fit for the holiday season, these mini pie bites are great to share with family and friends and the perfect size for portion controlled, seasonal munching!

Ingredients:

• 6 Tbsp wheat germ
• 4 tbsp ground flaxseed
• 4 all natural ginger snap cookies, crushed
• 2 large eggs
• 1 (15 oz) can plain pumpkin puree
• 1 (2 oz) can fat -free evaporated milk
• 1/2 cup brown sugar
• 1 1/2 tsp pumpkin pie spice
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 3/4 cup fat-free Greek yogurt
• 1/4 cup pure maple syrup

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 375°F. Coat a nonstick 24-cup mini muffin pan with canola oil cooking spray.
2. Mix wheat germ, flaxseed, and ginger snaps in a bowl. Add a heaping teaspoon of the mixture to each muffin cup. Set aside.
3. Whisk eggs in another bowl. Add pumpkin puree, evaporated milk, brown sugar, pumpkin pie spice, and vanilla extract. Whisk to combine.
4. Pour mixture evenly into prepared muffin cups.
5. Bake 25 to 30 minutes or until sides are sturdy and filling is set. Let cool 10 to 15 minutes before using a knife to loosen and remove from pan.
6. Combine yogurt and maple syrup in bowl. Cover and chill.
7. Top each with a dollop of yogurt mixture. Enjoy!

Makes 24 mini muffins
*Recipe adapted from Prevention.com

Why we love this recipe:

Pumpkins are the star of the holiday season and rightfully so, with health benefits galore! The gorgeous orange hue comes from beta-carotene, a cancer-fighting antioxidant that also promotes healthy vision and builds immunity.

Flaxseeds give the “bites” a nice, nutty flavor, and they are a dynamite source of lignans, plant estrogens which may soothe monthly mood swings that may lead to emotional overeating.

Finally, the smoothness and versatility of Greek yogurt make it a great swap for calorie-laden whipped cream. Not only will it take on the sweetness of the syrup, but it adds a protein-packed probiotic boost to each bite!


Ingredients:

Pancakes:

1 ¼ cup spelt flour
½ teaspoon salt
1 Tablespoon baking powder
½ teaspoon ground nutmeg
½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 Tablespoon ground flaxseed
1 whole vanilla bean, seeded; or ¼ teaspoon vanilla extract
1 omega-3 rich egg
1 cup fat-free milk
3/4 cup canned pumpkin puree
1 Tablespoon honey
Canola oil cooking spray

Pomegranate Maple Syrup:

1 whole pomegranate, freshly squeezed; or 2 ounces 100% pomegranate juice
2 ounces 100% maple syrup

Garnish:
¾ cup pomegranate seeds (optional)
¾ cup pecan halves, coarsely chopped (optional)

Directions:

1. Sift together flour, salt, baking powder, nutmeg, cinnamon, and flaxseed in a large bowl.
2. Beat together egg, milk, vanilla bean or vanilla extract in a small bowl, then pour into flour mixture and stir.
3. Using a spatula, fold the pumpkin puree into the mixture.
4. Set aside for 1 hour.
5. Heat a lightly oiled griddle or frying pan over medium high heat. Pour or scoop the batter onto the griddle using ¼ cup portions for each pancake. Brown on both sides and serve hot.
6. Stir pomegranate juice and maple syrup together and pour into a small sauce bowl.
7. Serve 2 pancakes, pour 1 Tablespoon syrup over pancakes, and garnish with 1 Tablespoon pecans and 1 Tablespoon pomegranate seeds.

Makes 5 servings of 2 pancakes

Why we love this recipe:

Start your day the right way with this yummy, good-for-you breakfast that’s sure to be a hit!

For starters, the protein-packed eggs are rich in a variety of vitamins and nutrients, and omega-3 enriched eggs are even better- helping to improve heart health.

The pumpkin puree isn’t just delish- it’s full of vitamins A, and C, and packed with beta carotene, to help improve immune function and reduce the risk of cancer and heart disease. Plus, just one cup of pumpkin has only 50 calories and nearly three grams of fiber, making it the perfect healthful addition to your breakfast pancakes!

And you’ll get a nice, nutty flavor, from flaxseeds, which are a dynamite source of lignans, plant estrogens which may soothe monthly mood swings that may lead to emotional overeating.

As for the syrup, the pomegranates are loaded with polyphenols, which function as antioxidants and fight free radicals to reduce the risks of cancer, cardiovascular disease, and signs of aging.