“It’s simply and an amazing dessert!”

INGREDIENTS   

1/4 cup(s) slivered almonds
2 cup(s) strawberries, rinsed
1 cup(s) part-skim ricotta
2 tbsp. sugar or Splenda® Granular
1/4 tsp almond extract

DIRECTIONS 

• Toast almonds in a small dry skillet over medium-low heat.
• Stirring constantly, until golden and fragrant for 2 to 3 minutes.
• Transfer to a plate to cool.
• Hull the strawberries, slice and divide among 4 dessert plates.
• Mix the ricotta with sugar (or Splenda) and almond extract until smooth.
• Spoon over the berries and sprinkle with the toasted almonds.

“A holiday buffet will be delighted with this recipe! Enjoy!”

INGREDIENTS   

1 pound large fresh strawberries
4 ounces fat free cream cheese
1/2 tsp. vanilla
2 1/2 tsp. Splenda® sugar substitute

DIRECTIONS 

• Clean and hull the strawberries and cut in half lengthwise.
• Place them on a plate.
• Blend the cream cheese with the vanilla and splenda with a mixer.
• Pipe cream cheese or use a small spoon and put little dollops of the cream cheese in the center cavity of the strawberries.
• Chill until ready to serve.
• Pretty if nested in sprigs of mint leaves.

“It has a wonderful presentation as well as the taste as delectable!”

INGREDIENTS   

4 ripe pears, preferably Bosc, with stems, washed and dried
2 cup(s) Riesling or other fruity white wine
1/4 cup(s) honey
4 cinnamon sticks
4 bay leaves
4 strip(s) orange zest

DIRECTIONS 

• Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.
• Cut a thin slice off the bottom of each pear, so they will stand upright.
• Arrange the pears in a 9- to 10-inch pie pan or similar baking dish.
• Whisk wine and honey in a medium bowl until well blended; pour over the pears.
• Add cinnamon sticks, bay leaves and orange zest to the wine mixture around the pears.
• Roast the pears, basting every 15 minutes, until they are wrinkled and tender, 45 minutes to 1 hour, depending on the type of pear used.
• Transfer the pears to shallow dessert bowls by using a slotted spoon.
• Pour the wine mixture into a small saucepan; bring to a boil.
• Boil until slightly thickened for about 6 minutes.
• Drizzle over the pears and garnish with the cinnamon sticks, bay leaves and orange zest.
• Serve warm, at room temperature or chilled.

“It’s a quick and easy to prepare dessert that is best served with a dollop!”

INGREDIENTS   

4 medium golden delicious apples, peeled & cored and sliced into rounds
1/2 cup apple juice
1/4 – 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
   Dash of nutmeg (optional)
1 tbsp. fresh grated lemon peel

DIRECTIONS 

• Arrange the apples into two rows in a 3 quart microwave safe baking dish.
• Pour apple juice over apples.
• Sprinkle with spices and lemon peel.
• Cover and microwave on high for 7 minutes or until apples are tender – turning midway through cooking time.
• Option: May top with a spoonful of fat free frozen whipped topping (thawed) if desired for an extra treat.

It’s a perfect finale to any light meal!”

INGREDIENTS   

4 large pears, halved, peeled, and cored
3 – 4 cups apple juice, or more if needed to cover pears
1 1/2 inch piece fresh vanilla beans
   Ground cinnamon for garnish

DIRECTIONS 

• Place the pears in a large saucepan and pour apple juice in to cover the pears.
• Add vanilla bean and bring the pears to a simmer over medium heat.
• Simmer lightly until tender; be careful not to scorch.
• Allow pears to cool before serving.
• Place pear halves on dessert plates and spoon a small amount of the reduced apple juice over the pears, then sprinkle lightly with ground cinnamon.

“It’s a basically better with a frozen yogurt or pancakes!”

INGREDIENTS   

10 apples, cored, peeled and sliced thin
2 tsp. cinnamon
1 cup brown sugar (can also use half sugar and half artificial sweetner)
2 tsp. lemon juice (optional)
   Dash of salt
   Dash of nutmeg

DIRECTIONS 

• Place cut and peeled apples in a mixing bowl.
• Mix gently all the ingredients together.
• Put apples in a non-stick pan, and cook covered for 45 minutes at 375 degrees.
• Stir at least once every 15 minutes.
• Cook for another few minutes to thicken the cinnamon sauce once they are soft.
• Option: It can also be cooked in a slow cooker for 4 hours on high and also good on oatmeal or pancakes.
• Serve with fat free whipped topping or ice cream.

“It’s a fat free dessert which is very essential for those who are in diet!”

INGREDIENTS   

1/3 cup sugar
1 tbsp. cornstarch
1 cup water
1 tbsp. unsalted butter
3 tbsp. fresh lemon juice
3 tbsp.  fresh lime juice
4 very thin lemon slices
4 very thin lime slices
1 tsp. vanilla extract

DIRECTIONS 

• Whisk sugar and cornstarch in small saucepan to blend.
• Add 1 cup water and stir over medium heat until mixture boils and thickens; remove from heat.
• Add butter and stir until melted.
• Whisk in lemon juice and lime juice.
• Cool sauce to room temperature.
• Stir in lemon and lime slices and vanilla extract.
• Add one drop yellow food coloring, if desired.

“Any finale meal will be delighted with this dessert!”

INGREDIENTS   

3 cups berries (any combination of blueberries, strawberries, raspberries,           
   blackberries)
1/4 cup sugar, divided
2 tsp. cornstarch
1 cup skim milk
1 egg, beaten
2 tbsp. light sour cream
1/2 tsp. vanilla

DIRECTIONS 

• Combine 2 tablespoons of the sugar, the cornstarch milk and egg in a small saucepan.
• Cook and stir with a wooden spoon or spatula over medium heat just until the mixture begins to bubble.
• Do not over cook.
• Remove from heat and place the custard in a small bowl and let cool for 5 minutes.
• Whisk sour cream into cooled custard.
• Cover and chill for several hours.
• To serve, divide berries evenly among four dessert dishes.
• Spoon chilled custard over berries.
• To make caramelized sugar:

•  Place 2 tablespoons sugar over medium high heat in a heavy skillet.
•  Shake skillet as sugar begins to melt; do not stir.
• Reduce heat to low and cook until melted and golden, stirring as necessary with a wooden spoon.
• Quickly drizzle over cool custard.
• Sugar will harden into caramelized threads.
• Serve immediately.

“This recipe is best served with a cup of tea or coffee.”

INGREDIENTS   

1 cup all-purpose flour
4 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. ground cinnamon
1/8 tsp. salt
1 egg
6 tbsp. low-fat plain yogurt
1/2 cup honey PLUS 1 tablespoon honey, divided
1 tbsp. 2% low-fat milk
1 tsp. grated orange peel
4 cups apple slices
2 cups cranberry juice
1 cinnamon stick

OR
1/4 tsp. ground cinnamon
1/4 tsp.  ground nutmeg

DIRECTIONS 

• Combine flour, baking powder, cinnamon and salt in large bowl.
• Combine egg, yogurt, 1 tablespoon honey, milk and orange peel in separate large bowl; stir into flour mixture to form moist batter.
• Combine apples, juice, remaining 1/2 cup honey, cinnamon stick and nutmeg in heavy large skillet; mix well.
• Bring to a boil over medium-high heat.
• Reduce the heat to low.
• Drop tablespoonfuls of batter over hot apple mixture.
• Cover and simmer for 15 to 20 minutes or until dumplings are cooked through and wooden pick inserted near dumpling center comes out clean.

“It’s a fancy dessert, so yummy and delicious!”

INGREDIENTS   

1/3 cup packed brown sugar
1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
2 tbsp. light margarine, melted
1/4 tsp. ground cinnamon
4 large ripe but firm bananas
   Cooking spray
1/4 cup chopped walnuts, toasted
1 1/2 cups vanilla fat-free frozen yogurt

DIRECTIONS 

• Preheat the oven to 450 degrees F.
• Combine first 4 ingredients in a bowl, and set aside.
• Cut bananas in half lengthwise.
• Place banana halves, cut sides up, on a jelly-roll pan coated with cooking spray.
• Bake at 450 degrees F. for 4 minutes.
• Drizzle sugar mixture evenly over banana halves, and sprinkle with toasted walnuts.
• Bake for an additional 3 minutes.
• Cut each banana piece into thirds crosswise.
• Serve bananas with frozen yogurt; drizzle with any remaining sugar mixture.