Guilt-free, healthy desserts: can sweets that look and taste this delectably rich actually be good for you? These luscious concoctions are more than the sum of their beneficial parts

Natural Health, June, 2004 by Karen Kaplan

healthy ingredient;

chocolate

Chocolate--especially the deepest, darkest kind--has a superabundance of antioxidants, according to Pennsylvania State University researchers. The bad news is that, as always, chocolate is high in sugar and fat. So let common sense be your guide: Eat chocolate routinely but judiciously, and complement it with healthy foods like nuts rather than fatty creams and sugary syrups. To get the most out of your chocolate moments, choose the bittersweet variety that has at least 70 percent cocoa. Not only is it better for you, but it also has a more sophisticated and satisfying taste.

honey-vanilla panna cotta with strawberries and mint

SERVES 4

    1 cup plus 1 tablespoon low-fat (2%) milk
1 1/2 teaspoons unflavored gelatin
  1/2 vanilla bean, cut in half lengthwise
  1/8 teaspoon sea salt
    1 cup plain nonfat yogurt, preferably
      Greek-strained style (try Total Greek
      brand, available at health-food stores
      and Trader Joe's)
  4-5 tablespoons Tupelo or forest honey
    1 basket strawberries, preferably organic,
      halved or quartered if large
    1 tablespoon chopped fresh mint leaves

(1) Place 1 tablespoon milk in small bowl. Sprinkle
gelatin over milk. Let stand until gelatin softens,
about 10 minutes. Place remaining 1 cup milk, vanilla
bean and salt in small, heavy saucepan. Bring to
simmer. Remove pan from heat; add gelatin mixture
and stir until dissolved. Remove vanilla bean from
milk; scrape seeds from bean back into milk; discard
pod.

(2) Place yogurt in medium bowl; whisk until
smooth. Gradually whisk milk mixture into yogurt.
Add 3 tablespoons honey; if more sweetness is
desired, add another tablespoon honey. Pour
mixture into four 1/2- to 2/3-cup ramekins or
custard cups. Refrigerate until set, about 4 hours,
(Can be prepared up to 3 days ahead.)

(3) Place strawberries in bowl. Add remaining 1
tablespoon honey and mint; toss to coat. Run
small, sharp knife around edges of panna cottas
to loosen. Invert onto dessert plates. Spoon
strawberries over top, and serve.

PER SERVING: 155 calories; 9% fat (1 g; <1 g
saturated); 74% carbs (29 g); 17% protein (7 g); 2 g
fiber; 211 mg calcium; 1 mg iron; 87 mg sodium.

This classic Italian dessert (its name translates as "cooked cream") is normally prepared with heavy cream and sugar, but our lighter rendition is made with low-fat milk and nonfat yogurt; it's also sweetened with honey, a wonderful source of antioxidants. (See sidebar, page 75.) Both milk and yogurt are rich in calcium, which is important for strong bones and teeth, while yogurt with active cultures may help reduce recurrent yeast infections. The strawberry topping is low in calories, fat and sodium, and high in fiber and vitamin C. The berries also contain ellagic acid, which may fight certain cancer-causing agents.

apricot, walnut and maple crisp

SERVES 4

    1 pound apricots, preferably organic,
      pitted and sliced (about 3 1/2 cups)
  1/4 cup plus 3 tablespoons maple sugar
      cup plus 1 tablespoon whole-wheat flour
      or spelt flour, preferably organic
      cup chopped walnuts
      teaspoon salt
2 1/2 tablespoons walnut oil, plus extra for
      brushing cups
      Vanilla ice cream, yogurt or nondairy
      frozen dessert like Soy Dream (optional)

(1) Preheat oven to 350[degrees]F. Brush four 2/3- to
3/4-cup ramekins or custard cups very lightly with
walnut oil. Combine apricots with 3 tablespoons
maple sugar and 1 tablespoon flour in large bowl.

(2) Mix remaining 1/4 cup maple sugar, 1/4 cup flour,
walnuts and salt in medium bowl. Pour 2 1/2 tablespoons
walnut oil over mixture and blend with fork
until topping is moist and crumbly.

(3) Divide apricots among prepared ramekins. Sprinkle
topping over apricots, dividing evenly. Bake until
topping is golden-brown and apricots bubble thickly,
about 30 minutes.

(4) Cool slightly and serve with frozen treat of your
choice.

PER SERVING: 330 calories; 49% fat (18 g; 1.5 g
saturated); 43% carbs (35 g); 8% protein (7 g); 5 g
fiber; 55 mg calcium; 2 mg iron; 150 mg sodium.

rose-orange angel food cake with triple berry compote

SERVES 12

CAKE

    1 cup cake flour or brown-rice flour,
      preferably organic
      cup powdered sugar, preferably organic
1 1/2 cups egg whites
    1 tablespoon water
    1 tablespoon lemon juice
1 1/2 teaspoons rose water
1 1/2 teaspoons cream of tartar
  1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla
  1/2 teaspoon sea salt
    1 cup organic sugar
    1 teaspoon grated orange peel

COMPOTE

    2 6-ounce packages raspberries,
      preferably organic
    2 5.6-ounce packages blackberries,
      preferably organic
    2 4.4-ounce packages blueberries,
      preferably organic
    3 tablespoons sugar, preferably organic
1 1/2 teaspoons rose water
      teaspoon grated orange peel

for cake:

(1) Preheat oven to 350[degrees]F. Sift flour and powdered
sugar in large bowl six times.

(2) Place egg whites, water, lemon juice, rose water,
cream of tartar, vanilla and salt in a large metal
bowl. Using electric mixer, beat mixture until soft
peaks form. Beat in regular sugar 1 tablespoon at a
time. Add orange peel and continue beating until
whites are stiff and glossy.

(3) Sift flour mixture over egg-white mixture.
Carefully yet thoroughly fold together. Transfer
batter to ungreased 10 inch-diameter angel food
cake pan or tube pan. Bake until cake is golden and
tester inserted near center comes out clean, about
so minutes. Invert and suspend pan onto bottle to
cool cake.

for compote:

(1) Combine 1 basket of each berry variety in large
bowl. Add sugar, rose water and orange peel. Mash
berries with potato masher. Add remaining berries
and stir gently.

to serve:

(1) Remove cake pan from bottle. Run small, sharp
knife around edge of cake to loosen; turn cake out
onto platter. Cut into slices and serve with berries.

PER SERVING: 187 calories; 2% fat (<1 g; 0 g
saturated); 88% carbs (41 g); 10% protein (5 g); 4 g
fiber; 20 mg calcium; 1 mg iron; 154 mg sodium.