Saying Yes To Dessert While Staying True To A Healthier Diet

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(NAPSA)—For many of us, a meal is not complete without a sweet ending. Fortunately, eating a healthier diet does not mean having to give up desserts. Choose all your ingredients carefully and make a few simple substitutions, and it’s easier than you might imagine to create tasty, decadent treats with significantly less calories and fat. Here are a few tips to help: * Use low-fat sour cream or plain yogurt in place of sour cream. Try low-fat versions of halfand-half or cream cheese to reducefat. Use egg substitute in place of fresh eggs to lower calories and fat, or use two egg whites in place of one whole egg. Choose recipes with cocoa; it is naturally fat-free. Select fresh or frozen fruit for a sweet ending to the day. Serve with fat-free whipped topping and a few toasted nuts for a special touch. Traditional recipes for such mouthwatering desserts as cheesecake and Bananas Foster have a high share of calories from sugar and fat. By substituting Karo Lite Syrup for original Karo syrup, you can easily reduce calories. This simple substitution can work in a variety of your favorite Karo recipes with the samegreat results. Although Karo Lite Syrup is great for most dessert recipes, for best results in candy and no-bake cereal bars, use original Karo Light or Dark Corn Syrup. Here are two tantalizing, guilt-free recipes to try the next time you are looking for a little sweettreat: Full of chocolate flavor yet low in fat, this Lite Frozen Chocolate Cheesecake Pie is a great dessert choice. Lite Frozen Chocolate Cheesecake Pie Prep Time: 10 minutes Freeze Time: 6 to 8 hours Yield: 8 servings % cup Karo Lite Syrup % cup fat-free half-and-half % cup semisweet chocolate chips 2 tablespoons cocoa 2 tablespoons sucralose sweetener 1 tablespoon sugar 1 package (8 ounces) fat-free cream cheese, softened, cut into cubes 1 teaspoon vanilla 1% cups (4 ounces) reducedcalorie whipped topping 1 9-inch chocolate cookie crumb crust 1. Heat syrup and halfand-half in a microwave-safe container for one minute. Stir in chocolate chips and heat for 30 seconds; stir until smooth and well blended. Pour mixture into Luscious Lite Bananas Fosteris rich in flavor but lower in calories, thanks to a few simple ingredient substitutions. blender or food processor; add cocoa, sucralose, sugar, cream cheeseandvanilla. 2. Blend on medium speed in blender until very smooth. Add whipped topping and mix until uniformly blended. 3. Pour into crust. Cover and freeze for at least six hours. Remove from the freezer and thaw for 15 to 30 minutes before serving. Garnish with additional whipped topping and cocoa, if desired. Recipe Tip: For a Mocha Pie, stir two teaspoonsinstant coffee granules into the Karo Lite Syrup mixture before microwaving. Lite Bananas Foster Prep Time: 5 minutes 1 tablespoon sucralose sweetener and brown sugar blend 1% teaspoonsvanilla extract % teaspoon cinnamon Pinch of ground nutmeg 3 firm, ripe, 7-to-8-inch bananas,peeled, halved and sliced lengthwise % cup Karo Lite Syrup 1 tablespoon rum or banana liqueur, optional Low-fat vanilla ice cream 1. Melt margarine in a large skillet over medium heat. Stir in brown sugar blend, vanilla, cinnamon and nutmeg. 2. Add syrup when mixture begins to bubble; gently stir in bananas. Cook bananas for about one minute per side until hot. Add rum,if desired. Yield: 4 servings Remove from heat and serve immediately over ice cream. 1 tablespoon trans-fat-free margarine For pecan and pumpkin pie recipes, visit www.karosyrup.com. Cook Time: 5 minutes