Here are some tasty low-fat, low-sugar recipes that you can incorporate into your family holiday traditions this year. Have a happy and healthy holiday season!
Recipes
Sun-Dried Tomato and Cannellini Bean Dip
Ingredients:
- 1 15 ½ oz. can cannellini beans, rinsed and drained
- 8 sun-dried tomatoes, packed in oil, well rinsed and drained
- 1 large garlic clove, peeled and chopped
- ½ t. dried rosemary
- 4 T. olive oil
- 2 T. red wine vinegar
- ¼ to ½ cup water
- Salt and pepper to taste
Directions:
- Combine all ingredients (except salt and pepper) in a food processor.
- Pulse mixture to a smooth puree.
- Gradually add more water if needed.
- Add a pinch of salt and pepper to taste.
- Cover and refrigerate for 30 minutes so the flavors combine. Serve chilled.
Nutrition Information:
Yield: 2 cups. Serving size: 1 T. Calories: 25. Fat: 2 g. Saturated Fat: 0 g. Protein: 1 g. Carbohydrate: 1 g. Cholesterol: 0 g. Fiber: 1 g.
Guilt-Free Scalloped Potatoes
Ingredients:
- 1 T. olive oil
- 2 T. flour
- 1 cup fat-free half-and-half
- ¾ cup 1% milk
- 2 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 t. salt
- 1 ½ pounds baking potatoes, peeled and thinly sliced (about 4 cups sliced)
Directions:
- Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.
- Lightly coat an 8x8 baking dish with cooking spray.
- Heat the oil in a medium saucepan over medium heat.
- Whisk the flour with the oil, and cook for 1 minute.
- Whisk in the fat-free half-and-half, milk, garlic, and salt.
- Add the potatoes, and cook until boiling, about 10 minutes.
- Pour the mixture into the prepared baking dish and cover with foil.
- Bake for 40 minutes.
- Uncover and bake for 7 to 10 minutes longer, until bubbly.
Nutrition Information:
Servings: 6. Per serving: Calories: 153. Fat: 3 g. Saturated Fat: 1 g. Protein: 5 g. Carbohydrate: 26 g. Cholesterol: 1 mg. Fiber: 0 g.
Easy Pie Crust
Ingredients:
- 1 package (1/3 pound) Graham crackers
- 2 ½ T. maple syrup
- 2 T. sesame tahini
- 1 ½ t. water
Directions:
- Finely grind Graham crackers in a food processor.
- Add the remaining ingredient and process until well blended.
- Press the mixture evenly into a 9-inch pie pan.
- If an unbaked filling is to be used, bake the crust in an oven heated to 350 degrees F for 20-30 minutes until lightly browned. Otherwise, add the filling and bake the pie as directed.
Nutrition Information:
Servings: 8. Per serving: Calories: 355. Fat: 4 g. Saturated Fat: 1 g. Protein: 2.7 g. Carbohydrate: 81 g. Cholesterol: 0 mg. Fiber: 1 g.
Raspberry Chocolate Pie
Ingredients:
- Mixture for Easy Pie Crust
- 2 T. unsweetened cocoa powder
- 1 T. maple syrup
- 1 ½ pounds frozen raspberries, thawed and drained (reserve liquid and set aside)
- *2 T. arrowroot powder (2 T. corn starch can also be used)
- ½ cup light brown sugar
- 1 t. almond extract
Directions:
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
- Prepare the Easy Pie Crust mixture as instructed above, adding the cocoa and maple syrup to it. Put all ingredients in a food processor until well blended.
- Press the mixture into a 9-inch pie pan and bake for 20 minutes until lightly browned. Set aside to cool.
- Combine the reserved raspberry liquid and arrowroot powder in a saucepan until smooth.
- Add the brown sugar and gently fold in the raspberries.
- Stir the entire mixture over medium heat until it becomes clear and thickens.
- Add the almond extract.
- Allow mixture to cool.
- Spoon the mixture into pie crust.
- Refrigerate for at least 2 hours before serving.
Nutrition Information:
Servings: 8. Per serving: Calories: 513. Fat: 4.5 g. Saturated Fat: 1 g. Protein: 4 g. Carbohydrate: 121 g. Cholesterol: 0 mg. Fiber: 5.5 g.
*Arrowroot powder is a starch thickener. It has a more neutral flavor than cornstarch, so it's a good thickener for delicately flavored sauces. It also works at a lower temperature, and tolerates acidic ingredients and prolonged cooking better. The downside is that arrowroot is pricier than cornstarch, and it's not a good thickener for dairy-based sauces.