Another Fabulous Dessert

Dark chocolate isn't just delicious, it's also good for you (assuming you don't pig out on the stuff). I also really love chocolate with nuts, a marvelous flavor combo.
Here's an easy recipe for chocolate pudding that my friend and colleague Mary Ann Barnes devised and shared. It uses walnut oil for that chocolate/nuts thing.
She says it's so tasty that your guests (family, friends, or whoever) won't know that it's actually healthy, too.

Recipe: Guiltless Dark Chocolate Pudding

Serves 8

Ingredients:

6 eggs, separated

¾ cup natural sugar, divided

1 24-ounce package semi-sweet chocolate chips

½ cup walnut oil

2 tablespoons brandy

Berries for garnish

Instructions:

Beat egg yolks with ¼ cup sugar until light.   Whip egg whites with remaining ½ cup sugar until forms soft peaks. 

Meanwhile, melt chocolate chips in a medium bowl, stopping to stir frequently, about 1 ½ minutes.   Be careful not to burn.  Add walnut oil and stir until smooth.   Stir in brandy and egg yolk mixture.  Add chocolate mixture to egg whites and beat until smooth.

Divide into individual dishes and refrigerate until served.  Garnish with fresh berries. 

Cheesecake of the gods: make in a slow-cooker!

This is pretty doggone irresistible, even though we can't exactly claim that cheesecake is a healthy dish.
Well, it's the holidays...
I'm not usually much of a cheesecake fan, but this one is uniquely delicious because of its cooking method. Yes, you do it in a slow-cooker, which makes an amazingly creamy and moist dessert.

RECIPE: SOUR-CREAM SLOW-COOKER CHEESECAKE


Ingredients:
3/4 cup graham cracker crumbs
2 1/2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
2/3 cup plus 1 tablespoon sugar
Salt
12 ounces cream cheese, at room temperature
1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
2 large eggs
1 teaspoon pure almond extract
1 cup sour cream

Instructions:

1. In a medium bowl, mix the graham cracker crumbs with the melted butter,cinnamon, 1 tablespoon of the sugar and a pinch of salt. Press the crumbs over the bottom and 1 inch up the side of a 6-inch spring form pan that's 3 inches deep.
2. In a standing mixer fitted with a paddle, combine the cream cheese with the flour, the remaining 2/3 cup of sugar and 1/4 teaspoon of salt. Beat at medium-high speed until smooth, about 2 minutes. Scrape down the side of the bowl and add the eggs and the almond extract. Beat at medium speed until blended. Add the sour cream and beat until smooth. Pour the batter into the spring form pan.
3. Fill a 6- to 7-quart round or oval slow cooker with 1/2 inch of water and position a rack in the bottom. Set the cheesecake on the rack. Cover the slow cooker with a triple layer of paper towels and the lid. Turn the cooker to high and cook for 2 hours without peeking. Turn off the heat and let stand until the slow cooker has cooled, 1 hour.
4. Remove the lid and the paper towels and transfer the cheesecake to a rack to cool to room temperature, about 1 hour. Cover the cheesecake with plastic wrap and refrigerate until chilled, at least 4 hours.
5. Heat a sharp, thin-bladed knife under hot water; dry the knife. Carefully run the knife around the edge of the cheesecake. Release the spring and lift the cheesecake out of the mold. Cut into wedges and serve.

SOURCE: Food & Wine

Quick! Make this delicious (& healthy) dessert for Easter

What could say springtime better than strawberries and rhubarb? Try these fruit bars and please everyone you might be feeding this weekend.

Recipe: Fruit Bars with Strawberries and Rhubarb
Makes 12-18 bars, depending on the size of your cut

Ingredients:

 

CRUST

• 1 cup chopped nuts (walnuts, pecans, almonds or hazelnuts) or old-fashioned rolled oats, divided
• 3/4 cup whole-wheat pastry flour (see Note)
• 3/4 cup all-purpose flour
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 4 tablespoons cold unsalted butter, cut into small pieces
• 1 large egg
• 2 tablespoons canola oil
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1/4 teaspoon almond extract

FRUIT FILLING

• 3 cups diced strawberries (fresh or frozen), divided
• 3 cups diced fresh rhubarb, divided
• 1/4 cup orange juice
• 1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons sugar
• 1/4 cup cornstarch
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Instructions:

1. To prepare crust: Combine 3/4 cup nuts (or oats), whole-wheat flour, all-purpose flour, sugar and salt in a food processor; pulse until the nuts are finely ground. Add butter; pulse until well incorporated.
2. Whisk egg, oil, 1 teaspoon vanilla and almond extract in a small bowl. With the motor running, add the mixture to the food processor. Process, then pulse, scraping down the sides, if necessary, until the mixture begins to clump, 30 to 45 seconds (it will look crumbly). Measure out 1/2 cup of the mixture and combine in a bowl with the remaining 1/4 cup chopped nuts (or oats). Set aside for the topping.
3. Preheat oven to 400°F. Generously coat a 9-by-13-inch baking dish with cooking spray.
4. To prepare fruit filling & assemble bars: Combine 2 cups strawberries, 2 cups rhubarb, orange juice, sugar and cornstarch in a large saucepan. Bring to a simmer over medium heat, stirring constantly, until the mixture is very thick, 4 to 5 minutes. (It may take up to 10 minutes to get a thick result if you start with frozen fruit.) Stir in the remaining 1 cup strawberries and 1 cup rhubarb and 1 teaspoon vanilla.
5. Transfer the dough to the prepared baking dish. Spread evenly and press firmly into the bottom to form a crust. Spread the fruit filling over the crust. Sprinkle the reserved topping over the filling.
6. Bake the bars for 15 minutes. Reduce oven temperature to 350° and bake until the crust and topping are lightly brown, 25 to 30 minutes more. Let cool completely before cutting into bars, at least 1 1/2 hours.

Source: Adapted from www.eatingwell.com

Brownie Trifle -- sounds and looks decadent, but is lighter than you think

Here's a dessert that's fit for company, including for the just-around-the-corner holidays. If you make these brownies rather than buying ready-made ones, the result will be significantly healthier. But let's not kid ourselves about the health profile of the recipe, another contribution by my friend Mary Ann Barnes, who has a raging sweet tooth. (She seems to spend a lot of her time figuring out dessert recipes that substitute healthier ingredients for the fats and sugars in standard sweets.) Like most desserts, this is a once in awhile indulgence!

Recipe: Chocolate, Banana and Peanut Butter Trifle

Serves 8

Ingredients:

2 pounds baked brownies (store bought, or see recipe below)

1 16-ounce container sugar-free, fat-free frozen whipped topping, thawed

1 4-serving box sugar-free, fat-free vanilla instant pudding mix

1 ½ cup fat free or lowfat milk

1 cup creamy peanut butter

2 – 3 bananas, sliced

Chocolate covered peanuts for garnish, if desired

Instructions:

Combine instant pudding mix and fat free milk, whisking until thickened.  Add thawed whipped topping and peanut butter, stirring until smooth.  

Layer ½ brownies on the bottom of a large glass bowl, pressing to fill any holes.  Arrange slices of bananas on brownie layer.  Spoon ½ peanut butter mixture over bananas.  Repeat layers.  Sprinkle chocolate covered peanuts on top, if desired.  Refrigerate until served.

Recipe: Dark Chocolate and Black Bean Brownies

Ingredients:

1 cup cooked black beans, rinsed

½ cup whole grain pastry flour

3 eggs

¼ cup cocoa powder

¼ cup strongly brewed coffee

2/3 cup brown sugar

¼ cup Smart Balance (or other spread with plant stanols)

2 teaspoons vanilla

2 tablespoons grapeseed oil

½ teaspoon baking powder

½ cup semi-sweet chocolate chips

Instructions:

Preheat oven to 350.

Lightly brush an 8 inch by 8 inch baking pan with oil

Pulse black beans in a food processor until smooth.  Add flour, eggs, cocoa, sugar, Smart Balance, vanilla and grapeseed oil; process until smooth.  Pour mixture into a medium bowl.  Add baking powder and chocolate chips, stirring until blended. 

Pour mixture into baking pan, and bake for 30 to 35 minutes, or until toothpick inserted into center comes out cleanly. 

Cool completely on a wire rack before cutting.