With Spring in the air and Summer just around the corner, some are thinking about winter weight gain and wanting to do something about it before the shorts, sundresses and sandals come out of the closet. Others are simply striving to eat more healthily, and still others are forced into a more healthy lifestyle due to ailments such as diabetes.
Well, guess what. Now days you CAN have your cake and eat it too. Well, this is pie, but you get the drift. It is truly amazing how many good, and good for you recipes that there are these days. In general, many diets fail because of unrealistic expectations and extremeness. When the restrictions are simply too strict, people are less likely to stick to it for any length of time. And even if they do, once they are off the diet, they usually gain the weight right back. This is why reasonable plans tell you that it is a lifestyle change, not a diet per say. Even diabetics don't have a set "diet" any more. Instead, there are dietary suggestions for healthy living and eating. Of course portion control is key, and learning to make better food choices more often. But even the American Diabetes Association tells its followers to not deprive themselves of a special dessert or treat once in a while. They know that if you completely deprive yourself you are less likely to maintain in the long run.
All that being said, the following recipe is rated at 5 stars out of 5 stars, and is from the Diabetic Gourmet Magazine. The nutrition information is following the recipe. As you will see, this dessert is quite a bit lower in calories than a normal piece of pie. It is also pretty descent in carbohydrates, so it could be easily worked into a low carb diet. One low fat yogurt is at least 18-19 carbs, so for a little more you could have an ooey, gooey, cappuccino pie!
Chocolate-Walnut Pie Crust
Ingredients
1/2 cup sliced almonds2 tablespoons sugar
3/4 cup chocolate graham cracker crumbs
Sugar substitute of choice equal to 3 tablespoons sugar
1-1/2 tablespoons melted margarine or butter
1-1/2 teaspoons fat-free egg substitute
Directions
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
Place the almonds and sugar in a food processor and process until the almonds are finely ground. Add the graham cracker crumbs and sugar substitute and process to mix well.
Add the margarine or butter and the egg substitute and process, pulsing for a few seconds at a time, until the mixture is moistened.
Coat a 9-inch pie pan with nonstick cooking spray and press the mixture firmly over the bottom and sides of the pan. (Place your hand inside a small plastic bag as you press to prevent sticking.)
Bake for about 8 minutes or until lightly browned. Let cool to room temperature before filling.
Ingredients
1/2 cup room temperature coffee
1 envelope (1/4 ounce) unflavored gelatin
1/4 cup coffee liqueur
1 cup nonfat or light ricotta cheese
Sugar substitute equal to 1/3 cup sugar
1/8 teaspoon ground cinnamon
2 cups nonfat or light whipped topping
1 Chocolate-Almond Piecrust (click for recipe)
1-1/2 tablespoons shaved dark chocolate
Directions
Place 2 tablespoons of the coffee in a blender. Sprinkle the gelatin over the coffee and let sit for 2 minutes.
Bring the remaining coffee to a boil and pour over the mixture in the blender. Blend for 1 minute, until the gelatin is completely dissolved. Set aside for 5 minutes to cool slightly.
Add the liqueur to the blender mixture and blend to mix. Add the ricotta, sugar substitute, and cinnamon and blend until smooth. Pour the mixture into a large bowl and refrigerate for about 30 minutes, or until the consistency of pudding. Whisk until smooth and then fold in the whipped topping.
Spread the ricotta mixture into the piecrust, swirling the top.
Sprinkle the chocolate over the top.
Cover and chill for at least 3 hours, or until set.
This recipe makes 8 servings-
Nutritional Information (Per Serving)
Calories: 208
Protein: 7.2 g
Sodium: 128 mg
Cholesterol: 1 mg
Fat: 7 g
Dietary Fiber: 1.1 g
Carbohydrates: 27 g
Exchanges: 2 Carbohydrate: 1-1/2 Fat
For more good, and good for you desserts, check out the site; diabeticgourmet.com
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