25 Low Fat Desserts For Any Occasion

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via Diets, Healthy Eating, and Lifestyle Advice by Melanie

 

Many people think they simply can’t have dessert when they’re dieting. Thankfully though, with the right food choices overall, you can still enjoy a sweet treat without it ending up on your hips!

The trick is to be choosy about the ingredients and portion size. If you really need a sweet fix after dinner each night, I’d suggest sticking with fresh fruit, and save these yummy desserts for once or twice a week.

If your sweet tooth is the downfall of your dieting efforts, here are 25 low fat dessert recipes to tickle your taste buds!

Fruit based

#1 Raspberry Mousse

Prep time: 10 mins
Serves: 12

Ingredients:

• 2 - 10 ounce packages frozen raspberries, thawed and divided
• 2 1/2 teaspoons cornstarch
• 1 - 14 ounce can fat-free sweetened condensed milk
• 2 tablespoons lemon juice
• 1 - 8 ounce container frozen “lite” non-dairy whipped topping, thawed

Preparation:

1. In saucepan, combine 1 package undrained raspberries with cornstarch; cook and stir until thickened and clear. Chill.
2. In blender, combine remaining drained raspberries, sweetened condensed milk and lemon juice; blend until smooth. Place in bowl and fold in whipped topping.
3. Spoon half the mousse mixture into dessert glasses; top with equal portions of raspberry sauce then remaining mousse mixture. Chill until ready to serve.

#2 Spiced Oranges

Prep time: 10 mins
Serves: 4

Ingredients:

• 4 medium orange
• 1 tsp vanilla essence
• 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 400 g natural yoghurt

Preparation:

1. Remove skins from oranges with a sharp knife, catching any juices on a plate. Slice oranges thickly and place in a shallow dish, with reserved juice.
2. Add the vanilla essence and combine with oranges. Add ground cinnamon and sugar. Stir to combine. Cover and refrigerate for several hours for flavours to develop. Allow oranges to stand at room temperature for 30 minutes before serving.
3. Serve oranges drizzled with juice and topped with natural yoghurt.

#3 Chilled Berry Compote

Prep time: 10 mins
Serves: 6

Ingredients:

• 500g mixed frozen berries
• 310mls grape juice
• 500g natural yoghurt, to serve
• Mint sprigs, optional

Preparation:

1. Place berries in a food processor. Add the grape juice and process until smooth.
2. Pour the compote into serving glasses, and swirl with a scoop of natural yoghurt.
3. Dress with a sprig of mint.

#4 Caramelised Apples with Roasted Pecans

Prep time: 20 mins
Serves: 4

Ingredients:

• 40g pecan nuts, roughly chopped
• 1/4 cup brown sugar
• 2 tablespoons water
• 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
• 4 large Golden Delicious apples, peeled, cored, and sliced
• Natural yoghurt, to serve

Method:

1. Roast pecans in a medium, heavy-based frying pan over medium-high heat for 3 to 4 minutes or until golden. Remove and set aside.
2. Combine sugar, water and nutmeg in frying pan. Reduce heat to medium. Cook, stirring often, until sugar dissolves and mixture bubbles.
3. Add apples to pan. Stir to coat in sugar mixture. Cook, turning often, for 8-10 minutes or until apples are tender. Sprinkle apples with pecans. Spoon into serving bowls. Serve with natural yoghurt.

#5 Zesty Stewed Rhubarb

Prep time: 15 mins
Serves: 4

Ingredients:

• 12 stalks rhubarb (or 600g any fruit), chopped into 2 cm pieces
• Juice and finely grated zest of 1 lemon
• 1/4 cup sugar
• 1 tsp vanilla essence
• 1 tsp group cinnamon
• 2 tbsp orange juice
• Natural yoghurt, to serve

Preparation:

1. Place all ingredients in a deep stainless steel frying pan. Cook over low heat for 8 minutes, or until soft. Allow to cool until just warm.
2. Refrigerate until needed. Serve with natural yoghurt.

Source: The CSIRO Total Wellbeing Diet, by Dr Noakes, and Dr Clifton.

#6 Honey Grilled Peaches with Mascarpone

Prep time: 10 mins
Serves: 4-8

Ingredients:

• 1-2tbsp honey
• 4 peaches, halved and stoned
• Mascarpone, to serve
• Raspberries, to serve
• Mint leaves, to decorate

Preparation:

1. Warm the honey, if necessary, to make it runny, then spread it over the cut sides of the peaches.
2. Grill, cut-side down, for 2-3 minutes, then rotate 90° and cook for a further 2-3 minutes - to give a charred grid pattern on the fruits.
3. Serve immediately with scoops of mascarpone in each centre with 2-3 raspberries on top. Decorate with sprigs of mint.

#7 Nutty Raspberry Fool

Prep time: 15 mins
Serves: 4

Ingredients:

• 225g fresh raspberries
• 2 tbsp honey
• 500g pot of Greek yoghurt
• Zest of one lemon
• Chopped hazelnuts

Preparation:

1. In a glass bowl, crush the raspberries with a fork. Add the honey and mix until well combined. Leave to stand for 10 mins to draw out the juices of the raspberries.
2. Meanwhile, put the Greek yoghurt into another large bowl, add the zest of one lemon and beat until smooth.
3. Spoon 2 tablespoons of the raspberry mixture into a glass and top with 2 tablespoons of the yoghurt mix. Continue to the top of the glass and sprinkle with hazelnuts. Chill for 15 minutes before serving.

Breads and Cakes

#8 Flourless Chocolate Cake

Prep time: 20 mins
Serves: 8

Ingredients:

• 1/2 cup cocoa powder
• 80ml (1/3 cup) hot water
• 2 tsp instant coffee powder
• 2 tsp boiling water
• 1 x 100g pkt almond meal
• 1/2 cup caster sugar
• 3 eggs, separated
• Strawberries, washed, sliced, to serve

Preparation:

1. Preheat oven to 180°C.
2. Lightly grease a round 22cm cake pan. Line the base with non-stick baking paper.
3. Combine the cocoa powder and hot water in a medium bowl. Combine the instant coffee powder and boiling water in a cup. Add the coffee to the cocoa mixture and stir until combined. Add almond meal, sugar and egg yolks to cocoa mixture, and stir until well combined.
4. Use an electric beater to whisk egg whites in a clean, dry bowl until soft peaks form. Use a metal spoon to fold a spoonful of egg whites into cocoa mixture until combined. Gently fold in remaining egg whites until just combined.
5. Pour mixture into prepared pan. Place cake pan in a roasting pan. Pour enough boiling water into the roasting pan to reach two-thirds of the way up the side of the cake pan.
6. Bake in preheated oven for 40 minutes or until a skewer inserted into the centre of the cake comes out clean. Remove from oven.
7. Remove cake pan from water bath and set aside for 20 minutes to cool. Turn cake onto a wire rack and remove paper. Set aside for a further 20 minutes or until cooled to room temperature.
8. Cut cake into wedges and carefully transfer to serving plates. Serve with strawberries.

#9 Healthy Banana Bread

Prep time: 15 mins
Serves: 12 slices

Ingredients:

• 1 cup whole wheat four
• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• 3/4 tsp baking soda
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 1/2 cup firmly-packed light brown sugar
• 1/4 cup canola oil
• 1 large egg, lightly beaten
• 1/2 cup low-fat buttermilk*
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 3 medium-sized ripe bananas, mashed

*To make fat-free buttermilk combine 3-teaspoons vinegar with enough milk to equal 1-cup; let stand for five minutes.

Preparation:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Coat an 8 1/2 inch x 4 1/2 inch loaf pan with spray oil.
2. Whisk flour, baking soda and salt together in a large bowl. Stir in brown sugar.
3. In a medium bowl, combine oil, egg, buttermilk and vanilla extract. Add these ingredients to the dry ingredients. Stir in mashed bananas.
4. Pour batter into the loaf pan and bake in the oven for 50-60 minutes, until skewer placed in the centre comes out clean.

#10 Banana and Date Cakes with Caramel Sauce

Prep time: 25 mins
Serves: 6

Ingredients:

• 1 cup self-raising flour
• 2 tbsp plain flour
• 1/2 tsp bicarbonate of soda
• 1/2 tsp ground nutmeg
• 125g pitted dates, chopped
• 1 cup brown sugar
• 2 eggs
• 1 cup buttermilk
• 3/4 cup mashed banana*
• 1 cup water
• 1 tsp cornflour
• 100ml buttermilk, extra
• 1/2 tsp vanilla extract

*2 bananas should yield 3/4 cup mashed banana.

Preparation:

1. Preheat oven to 180°C. Lightly grease a 6 x 3/4-cup capacity muffin pan.
2. Sift flours, bicarbonate of soda and nutmeg into a bowl. Add dates and 1/3 cup sugar. Mix well.
3. Whisk eggs and 1 cup buttermilk together in a jug with a fork until combined. Add banana. Mix well. Stir into dry ingredients until just combined.
4. Spoon mixture into muffin holes so they are three-quarters full. Bake for 20 minutes or until a skewer inserted into the centre comes out clean. Stand in pan for 5 minutes. Turn onto a wire rack while making sauce.
5. Place remaining 2/3 cup sugar and water into a saucepan over medium heat. Heat, stirring for 2-3 minutes or until sugar dissolves. Bring to the boil. Boil for 12-15 minutes or until sauce reduces and thickens slightly. Remove from heat. Set aside for 5 minutes.
6. Combine cornflour and 1/4 cup buttermilk in a jug. Mix to a smooth paste. Add to sauce with remaining buttermilk and vanilla. Return to stovetop over low heat. Heat, stirring for 5 minutes or until sauce just comes to the boil.
7. Place warm cakes onto serving plates. Spoon over sauce, and serve immediately.

#11 Oatmeal-Raisin Cookies

Prep time: 15 mins
Serves: 3 1/2 dozen

Ingredients:

• 1/3 cup firmly packed brown sugar
• 1/4 cup granulated sugar
• 2/3 cup apple sauce
• 1 large egg
• 1/3 cup skim milk
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 1 1/2 self rising flour
• 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
• 1 1/2 cups quick cooking oats
• 3/4 cup raisins

Preparation:

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
2. Beat brown and granulated sugar with apple sauce. Add egg and beat well. Add milk and vanilla. Add flour and beat well. Stir in the rest of the ingredients.
3. Drop by level tablespoons onto baking sheet coated with spray oil. Bake at 375 degrees for 9 minutes, or until lightly browned.

#12 Multigrain Pancakes

Prep time: 15 mins
Serves: 15

Ingredients:

• 1 1/4 cup flour
• 1/4 cup cornmeal
• 1/4 cup rolled oats
• 1/2 cup brown sugar
• 1 tsp baking soda
• 1/4 tsp salt
• Two whole egg whites, lightly beaten
• 1 cup fat-free buttermilk *
• 1 cup fat-free sour cream

*To make fat-free buttermilk combine 3-teaspoons vinegar with enough milk to equal 1-cup; let stand for five minutes.

Preparation:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2. Prepare skillet with spray oil, heat on medium until hot.
3. In a mixing bowl, combine flour, cornmeal, oatmeal, brown sugar, baking soda, and salt. In another mixing bowl, combine egg whites, buttermilk, and sour cream. Mix dry ingredients with wet ingredients just until moistened.
4. Ladle in the batter, using three or more tablespoons per cake. Cook for two minutes, then flip carefully and cook for two minutes more. Repeat with remaining batter.

Pies

#13 Deep-Dish Berry Pie

Pre time: 25 mins
Serves: 12

Ingredients:

• 8 cups mixed fresh berries-blueberries, raspberries, blackberries, strawberries (halved, if large), rinsed and drained
• 2 tbsp fresh lemon juice
• 1 tsp grated lemon zest
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 2 tbsp all-purpose flour
• 1/4 cup tapioca
• 1 sheet frozen puff pastry, thawed according to package directions
• 1 large egg, beaten with 1 tablespoon water

Preparation:

1. In a large bowl, gently toss berries, lemon juice, lemon zest, sugar, flour, and tapioca. Place in a 1 1/2-quart oven proof round baking dish. Set aside.
2. Meanwhile, roll out pastry on a lightly floured work surface to 1/8-inch thick. Using a sharp knife, cut out a circle 2 inches larger than the round baking dish. Brush the circle with the egg-water mixture and place, brushed side down, over the baking dish. Stretch the pastry tight (like a drum), pressing the overhanging dough onto the sides of the baking dish. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 1 hour. Cover and refrigerate remaining egg-water mixture.
3. Preheat the oven to 450°F. When ready to bake, brush the top of the pie with the remaining egg mixture. Bake for 15 minutes, then reduce oven temperature to 375°F. Bake for another 25 minutes, until pastry is golden. Remove from oven and cool on a rack. Serve warm, or at room temperature.

Crumble

#14 Muesli Topped Pear and Apricot Crumble

Prep time: 15 mins
Serves: 6

Ingredients:

• 5 pears peeled, and sliced
• 1 cup dried apricots
• 1/4 water
• 1 1/2 cups favourite muesli
• 2 tbsp caster sugar
• 1 tbsp maple syrup
• 1 tsp ground cinnamon
• Custard, to serve

Preparation:

1. Place the pears in a saucepan with the dried apricots and 1/4 cup water. Cook, covered over medium heat for 8-10 minutes, or until tender. Drain and pour into a lightly greased 6-cup capacity baking dish.
2. Combine muesli, with sugar, syrup, and cinnamon.
3. Sprinkle muesli mixture over pears and apricots, and bake for 20 minutes, or until topping is golden. Serve with custard.

#15 Apple and Passionfruit Crumble

Prep time: 15 mins
Serves: 6

Ingredients:

• 1 cup rolled oats
• 2 tbsp flaked coconut
• 3/4 cup cashew nuts, chopped
• 2 tbsp honey, warmed
• 6 apples, peeled, and cut into chunks
• 1/2 cup apple juice
• 1-2 tbsp honey
• 1/4 ground cinnamon
• Pulp from 2 passionfruit

Preparation:

1. Preheat oven to 180C.
2. Spread oats, coconut and cashew nuts over 3 separate baking trays lined with baking paper. Bake for 10-15 minutes, or until golden. Immediately after cooking, put the oats, cashews and coconut into a mixing bowl and stir through the warmed honey. Leave to cool until crisp.
3. Combine apples, apple juice, honey, and cinnamon in a saucepan. Cook over a low heat for 20-30 minutes, or until soft. Add passionfruit pulp. Mix together lightly with a spoon.
4. Divide the warm apple mixture into individual glasses, and sprinkle with crumble topping.

Source: adapted from 80/20 Diet, by Teresa Cutter.

#16 Apple and Fresh Date Crumble

Prep time: 15 mins
Serves: 4

Ingredients:

• 4 golden delicious apples, peeled, cored, chopped
• 100g fresh dates, pitted, chopped
• 1/3 cup (80ml) fresh orange juice
• 1 cinnamon stick
• 1/3 cup rolled oats
• 50g slivered almonds
• 2 tbs shredded coconut

Preparation:

1. Preheat oven to 180°C.
2. Place apples, dates, orange juice and cinnamon stick in a saucepan and bring to the boil. Reduce the heat and simmer covered for 2-3 minutes or until just tender.
3. Discard the cinnamon stick and divide the mixture among 4 x 1/2 cup oven proof dishes.
4. Combine oats, almonds and coconut. Sprinkle over the top and bake for 8-10 minutes.

Frozen

#17 Strawberries with Mango and Banana Sorbet

Prep time: 10 mins
Freeze time: 2 hours
Serves: 6

Ingredients:

• 3 1/3 cups (500g) strawberries
• 1 large handful mint
• 2 mangoes
• 2 bananas
• 4 passionfruit

Preparation:

1. Tread strawberries onto skewers, alternating with the mint leaves. Cover and refrigerate until ready to serve.
2. Peal mangoes and bananas and chop into chunks. Place in the freezer for 2 hours
3. Put the frozen mango and banana into a food processor until smooth. Serve the sorbet with the strawberry skewers, topped with passionfruit pulp.

Source: 80/20 Diet, by Teresa Cutter

#18 Frozen Peach Yoghurt

Prep time: 15 mins
Freeze time: 5-6 hours
Serves: 6

Ingredients:

• 2 cups fresh or frozen unsweetened sliced peaches, thawed
• 1 (.25 ounce) envelope unflavoured gelatin
• 1/4 cup cold water
• 1/4 cup sugar
• 16 ounces fat-free vanilla yoghurt

Preparation:

1. Place the peaches in a blender or food processor; cover and process until puréed. Set aside.
2. In a small saucepan, sprinkle gelatin over cold water; let stand for 1 minute. Stir in sugar. Cook and stir over low heat until gelatin and sugar are dissolved.
3. In a bowl, combine the yoghurt, peach purée and gelatin mixture until blended. Pour into an ungreased 9-inch square dish. Cover and freeze for 3-4 hours or until partially set.
4. Cut into pieces and place in a mixing bowl; beat on medium speed until smooth. Transfer to a freezer container. Cover and freeze until firm, about 2 hours.

#19 Strawberry Sandwiches

Prep time: 10 mins
Freeze time: 3 hours, or overnight
Serves: 6

Ingredients:

• 1 x 375g punnet strawberries, hulled and chopped
• 1/3 cup (80g) caster sugar
• 1 tablespoon lemon juice
• 1 egg white
• Extra strawberries, sliced, to serve
• 2 egg whites
• ½ cup (110g) sugar

Preparation:

1. Place strawberries, half of sugar and lemon juice in blender. Blend until smooth.
2. Place egg white in a clean bowl. Using electric beaters beat until soft peaks form. Add remaining sugar and whisk until firm. Gradually beat in strawberry purée. Continue to beat until thick and frothy. Pour into a 1 litre container. Freeze for 3 hours or overnight.
3. Preheat oven to 150C. Line 3 baking trays with baking paper. Mark out 12 x 8cm squares on to baking paper. Turn baking paper over pencil side down.
4. Place egg whites in a clean dry bowl. Using electric beaters beat until soft peaks form. Gradually add half of sugar a tablespoon at a time, until stiff. Fold in remaining sugar.
5. Using a small metal spatula spread meringue evenly within marked squares, making sure tops are smooth and flat. Bake for 30 minutes. Reduce heat 120C. Bake for a further 20 minutes. Turn off oven and leave to cool with door ajar.
6. To serve, dust 6 serving plates with icing sugar and top each with a meringue square. Top with scoops prepared ice cream, remaining meringues and sliced strawberries. Dust with icing sugar.

#20 Watermelon and Lime Ice Pops

Prep time: 15 mins
Serves: 10-12

Ingredients:

• 1/2 cup caster sugar
• 1 level tbsp glucose syrup
• Rind and juice of 1 lime
• 1kg watermelon flesh, skin and seeds removed

Preparation:

1. Pour 100ml cold water into a saucepan and add the caster sugar. Place the pan over a low heat and stir until the sugar dissolves. Bring the mixture to the boil and simmer it for 2 minutes, then remove the pan from the heat and stir in the glucose syrup and the lime zest and juice. Leave the syrup to cool.
2. Place the watermelon flesh in a food processor, purée it until smooth then stir in the syrup. Strain the mixture through a fine sieve, discarding the pulp. Pour the mixture into the lolly moulds and freeze until solid.

Vegetarian

#21 Grilled Berries with Vanilla Tofu Sauce

Prep time: 15 mins
Serves: 4

Ingredients:

• 100 g fresh strawberries, hulled, halved
• 100 g fresh blueberries
• 100 g fresh raspberries
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 1 tbsp fresh lime juice (or lemon juice)
• 125 g silken tofu
• 1/2 cup soy milk
• 1 tsp vanilla essence

Preparation:

1. Preheat grill to high.
2. Combine strawberries, blueberries and raspberries in a medium bowl. Add half the sugar and lemon juice. Toss to combine. Spoon into a shallow, oven proof baking dish large enough to hold all berries in a single layer. Place under grill and cook for 5 minutes or until fruit just starts to collapse. Remove from grill and set aside.
3. Purée tofu, soy milk, vanilla extract and remaining sugar in a blender until smooth.
4. Divide berries between serving bowls and top with vanilla sauce.

#22 Chocolate Banana Tofu Pudding

Prep time: 10 mins
Serves: 4

Ingredients:

• 1 banana, broken into chunks
• 336 g soft silken tofu
• 30 g confectioners’ sugar
• 25 g unsweetened cocoa powder
• 45 ml soy milk
• 1 g ground cinnamon

Preparation:

1. Place the banana, tofu, sugar, cocoa powder, soy milk, and cinnamon into a blender. Cover, and purée until smooth.
2. Pour into individual serving dishes, and refrigerate for 1 hour before serving.

#23 Soy Rice Pudding

Prep time: 10 mins
Serves:4

Ingredients:

• 1/2 cup white rice
• 4 cups soy milk
• 2 tsp vanilla extract
• 1 tsp cinnamon
• Dash of nutmeg
• 1/4 cup sugar
• 1/2 cup raisins

Preparation:

1. Preheat the oven to 275 degrees.
2. Mix all ingredients in a bowl and place in a 1 1/2 quart lightly oiled oven proof dish. Bake, covered, for 3 hours, or until the pudding sets.

Other

#24 Lemon Zest Ricotta Creme

Prep Time : 15 mins
Serves: 2

Ingredients

• 1-cup part-skim ricotta cheese
• 1/2 teaspoon grated lemon zest
• 1 squeeze of lemon juice
• 1/2-teaspoon vanilla extract
• 2 packages sugar substitute

Preparation:

Mix all together in a individual bowls. Put in refrigerator until ready to serve.

#25 Peppermint Cheesecake

Prep time: 15 mins
Serves: 8

Ingredients:

• 1/2 cup low fat Honey Graham Cracker crumbs (4 sheets)
• 1 8-ounce package reduced fat cream cheese, softened
• 1 8-ounce package fat-free cream cheese, softened
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 1 egg
• 2 egg whites
• 1 1/2 tsp peppermint extract
• 2-3 drops red food colouring (optional)

Preparation:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2. In a sealed plastic bag, crush cracker sheets with a rolling pin to make crumbs. Spray an 8-inch spring form or loose-bottomed baking pan with spray oil. Cover pan base and side with foil wrap. Press cracker crumbs on to base of pan. Bake for 8 minutes.
3. In a large bowl, beat cream cheese and sugar together, mixing until smooth. Add egg and mix well. Beat in egg whites one at a time. Add peppermint extract and, if desired, food colouring to make a light pink colour.
4. Pour cream cheese mixture into pan. Place cheesecake in a shallow roasting pan. Add enough hot water to cover the base of the roasting pan. The steam will help stop the cheesecake from cracking. Bake for 30-35 minutes until centre is almost set.
5. Cool in pan for 15 minutes, then remove from pan (leaving it on the base). Cool completely on a wire rack. Refrigerate for at least 4 hours. Serve chilled.

Phew! That’s a lot of dessert!! Now, time for you to share - do you have a favourite low fat dessert? I love hearing from you guys!

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Best wishes!