Low-Calorie Desserts

If you are on a reduced-calorie diet for weight loss, cutting down on rich, high-calorie foods is a ‘must.’ Fatty, fried foods and desserts are often the first items to go. While this is necessary to a degree, many nutrition experts agree that cutting all favorite foods out of your meal plan and denying cravings often leads to high-calorie splurges and ultimately, poor success. In fact, the moment you tell yourself ‘I cannot have a donut’ (for example) is the moment you will want nothing else but a donut.

Controlling your behavior, environment and surrounding yourself with supportive friends and family are excellent ideas. In addition, never tell yourself ‘I can’t have it – it’s not on my diet!’ Instead, make trade-offs and save splurges for special occasions. If you cannot imagine ending an evening meal without a dessert, choose from one of these ready to go or simple semi-homemade sweet treats. Each semi-homemade item provides less than 140 calories per specified serving.

Ready-to-go…

Each offers less than or equal to 100 calories

1. Fage 0% fat Greek yogurt – 1 container of any flavor including: honey, blueberry acai, strawberry gogi, cherry pomegranate or mango guanabana
2. Skinny Cow chocolate truffle fudge bar
3. General Mills FiberOne chocolate fudge brownie bar
4. Slim-Fast peanut butter snack bar
5. Sugar-free dark chocolate candy-covered York peppermint pattie
6. Jell-o brand chocolate mousse cup
7. Yoplait crème caramel, cherry cheesecake or triple berry crème delight dessert
8. Healthy Choice mocha fudge swirl bar
9. Five (each) vanilla wafer cookies
10. Breyer’s Double Churn 100-calorie ice cream cups
11. South Beach Diet snack bar delight
12. Yoplait light smoothie
13. FrozFruit gourmet frozen fruit bar
14. O’Coco’s Organic chocolate crisps (1 bag)
15. Vitamuffin  VitaTop

 Semi-homemade

1.  5-minute ‘apple’ crisp – (serves 3): Divide ½ a jar (23-oz jar or 656 grams) of chunky-style, no sugar added applesauce among 3 greased 6-oz ovenproof dishes.  In medium bowl, blend 1/8 cup each light margarine, packed brown sugar, dry bread crumbs and All-bran cereal. Mix in 1/8 tsp ground cinnamon and top each small dish with 1 tsp chopped walnuts. Spoon mixture over applesauce in dishes; broil 4” from heat source for about 5 minutes or until tops are golden brown. Calories per serving: 128, 5.7 g fat, 20 g carbohydrate, 2.4 g dietary fiber, 1.2 g protein, 6 g added sugars.
2.  Mini mint chocolate cheesecake bites – makes about 12 (one dozen): melt ¼ cup semi-sweet chocolate chips in a bowl in the microwave (about 20 seconds). Mix the melted chocolate in a bowl with ½ cup fat-free ricotta cheese and add a splash of peppermint extract. Top 12 chocolate wafer cookies with chocolate-ricotta mixture (spread about 1 tbsp over each wafer cookie). Top with a few candy sprinkles, if desired.  Calories per cookie: 59, 2 g fat, 9 g carbohydrate, 0 g dietary fiber and 1.5 g protein.
3.  Frozen chocolate-covered banana pops – makes 12 ‘pops’ (one dozen): peel 4 large, ripe bananas; cut into thirds and insert a popsicle stick into the cut end of each ‘third.’ Melt ¾ cup semi-sweet chocolate chips in a bowl in the microwave (about 20 seconds) or over a double-boiler. Cover each banana with melted chocolate and sprinkle with chopped peanut pieces. Re-heat chocolate if it melts during the process. Place banana pops on a parchment paper-lined baking sheet and freeze (at least 2 hrs).  Calories per pop: 100, 4 g fat, 6 g carbohydrate, 2 g dietary fiber and 1 g protein.
4.  ‘Green’ fruit smoothie – makes 3 servings: In a blender combine 2 cups of honeydew melon cubes (for best results, freeze them the night before in a plastic bag) with one sliced granny smith apple (peeled and cored) and one whole kiwi fruit (peeled, cut in ½). Add ½ tbsp of fresh lime juice and 2 tbsp Splenda (sugar substitute). Blend well until smooth. The frozen honeydew melon will give the smoothie a thick consistency. Serve in a glass with a fruit slice for garnish. Calories per serving: 110, 0 g fat, 27 g carbohydrate, 3 g dietary fiber and 2 g protein.
5.  Berries with banana cream – makes 2 servings: combine 1/3 cup low-fat, plain Greek yogurt with ½ small ripe sliced banana and 1 Tbsp frozen orange juice concentrate. Mix in a blender until smooth; divide 1.5 cups mixed (unsweetened) fresh berries between 2 serving dishes, top each with the banana- cream mixture and sprinkle a dash of cinnamon over the top of each dish.  Calories per serving: 137, ½ g fat, 31 g carbohydrate, 5 g dietary fiber and 3 g protein.