Fox 5 News Recipes: Low-Fat, No-Bake Desserts

Caramel Apple S'mores Shooters

Summer is in full swing, and while I love enjoying the hot summer sun at the beach, I've got to admit, I'm packing on a few extra pounds right now.  Perhaps it was all the cream cheese recipes I've been creating for Kraft and the RWOP.  Perhaps its Baby Bodhi's preference of watching the Fresh Beat Band over watching me do a P90X workout.  No matter how I look at it, I'd like to look a little hotter in my swimsuit!
I'm sharing a few of my favorite summer desserts that are lower in calories, quick and easy to make, and require NO oven time.  Who wants to be trapped in the hot kitchen all summer?!  Get out and play!  Enjoy!

Low-Fat Coconut Lime Tiramisu

This is an alcohol-free, kid friendly dessert that uses fat-free Cool Whip and fat-free cream cheese instead of the traditional marscapone cheese that can pack on fat and calories in a traditional tiramisu.  This dessert is easy, quick and absolutely delicious!

Low-Fat Coconut Lime Tiramisu

Prep Time: 15 minutes / Refrigeration Time: 30 minutes / Servings: 12

Serving = 1/12 of the recipe

Ingredients:

• 24 ladyfinger cookies
• 2 tbsp. chopped fresh mint, plus a few leaves for garnish
• 14 ounce(s) of light coconut milk
• 1 medium lime, juiced and zested
• 8 ounce(s) of Fat Free Cool Whip
• 8 ounce(s) of Fat Free Philadelphia Cream Cheese
• 1/4 cup(s) of finely shredded toasted coconut

Steps

1. Pour the coconut milk into a large baking dish.  Add the lime juice and stir until combined.
2. Soak about 12 of the cookies in the milk mixture for about 10 seconds on each side, until soft.  Arrange them into the bottom of a separate baking dish.
3. Mix the Cool Whip and Cream Cheese in a large mixing bowl for about 2 minutes with an electric mixer until smooth and creamy. Smooth about 1/2 of the mixture over the cookies evenly.
4. Soak the other 12 cookies and place them on top of the cream cheese mixture.  Spread the other half of the cream cheese mixture on top of the cookies.
5. Top with the toasted coconut. Place in the refrigerator for about 30 minutes to allow the tiramisu to set up.
6. To serve: Top with remaining 2 tbsp. chopped fresh mint leaves and lime zest. Serve immediately.

Caramel Apple S'mores Shooters

Mini-desserts are all the rage right now.  Shooters, cupcakes and bite-size treats are in every restaurant, bakery and grocery store.  They're cute, figure friendly and creative.  These were inspired by a summer camp-fire that my family had last year where we all came up with a different type of s'mores.  This was one of my favorites, that makes a great shooter using only four ingredients, takes about 10 minutes to make, and has only about 130 calories.  

Caramel Apple S'mores Shooters

Prep Time: 10 minutes / Cook Time: 0 minutes / Servings: 4

Serving = 1 shot glass

Ingredients:

• 3 cinnamon graham cracker sheets (12 crackers total)
• 3 tbsp. caramel syrup
• 4 tbsp. apple pie filling
• 4 tbsp. marshmallow creme

Steps:

1. Break the graham crackers up into chunks and place in a medium mixing bowl.  Heat the caramel syrup in the microwave for 10-15 seconds and mix into the graham crackers until combined.
2. Using 4 tall, narrow shot glasses, spoon a bout 1/8 of the graham cracker mixture into the bottom of each of the 4 shot glasses.
3. Chop the apple pie filling into small pieces.  Spoon 1/4 of the pie filling into each of the shot glasses over the graham cracker mixture.
4. Spoon the marshmallow creme into a sealable, plastic bag.  Snip of the corner and pipe 1/4 of the marshmallow creme into each of the shot glasses.
5. Top with the remaining bits of graham cracker mixture. 

Apple Green Tea Gelato Sandwiches

I've always loved Green Tea Ice Cream, but I was always afraid to make it myself because I thought the ingredients would be hard to find.  It turns out that the Matcha Green Tea powder used to make it is available in Henry's and any spice, coffee or tea shop!  

You're also getting the benefits of antioxidants from the green tea powder.  Normally, to get the full effect of green tea, we need to drink 4-5 cups of green tea per day.  But, just 1 tsp. of the matcha green tea powder gives the antioxidant benefits of 8-10 cups of green tea!  This recipe today uses a whole tablespoon of the powder, so eat and enjoy!

Apple Green Tea Gelato Sandwiches

Serving = 1/2 cup

Prep Time: 5 minutes / Freeze Time: 2 hours / Servings: 6

Ingredients:

• 2 cups whole milk
• 1 cup low-fat (2%) milk
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 1 tbsp. Matcha green tea powder
• 1 granny smith apple, thinly sliced

Steps:

1. Combine all ingredients except for apple in a blender and mix on high speed for about 2 minutes, until sugar dissolves.
2. Place mixture into ice cream maker and follow manufacturer instructions for completing ice cream or gelato instructions.  Place in the freezer for about 90 minutes after the ice cream maker to help the gelato thicken.
3. TO MAKE SANDWICHES: Slice two thin pieces of apple and remove the seeds.  Place a small scoop of gelato onto one of the slices and top with another slice.

Ménage à Trois Sorbet

Ménage à Trois Sorbet

Ménage à Trois is a California Red wine that celebrates the three delicious flavors of Zinfandel, Cabernet Sauvignon, and Merlot wines as one varietal.  It also bursts with flavors of blackberries and raspberries to give it a light and fruity flavor.  It's perfect for just about anything and fantastic for this fabulous dessert!

You don't need an ice cream maker, but it sure does speed up the process.  You can get an ice cream maker at just about any department store for around $50.  If I have one summertime kitchen equipment recommendation, it's an ice cream maker.  Enjoy at your own risk. 

Serving = 1/2 cup

Ménage à Trois Sorbet

Prep Time: 30 minutes / Cook Time: 5 minutes / Servings: 4

Ingredients:

• 1 1/2 cups Ménage à Trois California Red wine
• 1/2 cup water
• 3/4 cup sugar
• 1 bag (4 cups) Trader Joe's Very Cherry Berry Blend
• 1/2 tbsp. fresh lemon juice

Helpful Hints:  Costco and Vons have the Ménage à Trois wine for under $10.  

Steps:

1. In a small saucepan, combine 1/2 cup water and 1/2 cup sugar.  Stir on medium heat until sugar is dissolved and a simple syrup is created.  Remove from heat and cool in freezer for about 10 minutes.
2. In a blender or food processor, combine wine, simple syrup, frozen fruit, remaining sugar (1/4 cup), and lemon juice.  Blend on high speed for about 2 minutes until everything is smooth and combined.
3. Transfer mixture to an ice cream maker and follow manufacturer instructions for sorbet.  If you're not using an ice cream maker, transfer the mixture to a glass 9x7 baking dish, cover, and stir every 30 minutes until the mixture is frozen and sorbet texture is reached (about 2-3 hours).

Mango Moscato Granita

Mango Moscato Granita

This is a light, impressive, elegant end note to a nice pasta or chicken entree.  These would also be great at brunch as a "Frozen Mimosa." Serve them in a cute little wine glass or champagne flute, and you've got eloquent flare and figure friendly fun on a hot summer day.  I'll definitely be serving this as a spotlight for my next gathering!

Serving = 1/2 cup

Mango Moscato Granita

Prep Time: 5 minutes / Freeze Time: 3-4 hours / Servings: 6

Ingredients:

• 1 bottle (3 1/2 cups) Risata Moscato d'Asti
• 3 cups frozen mango chunks

Steps:

1. In a blender combine the wine and mango chunks.  Puree on high speed for about one minute until smooth.
2. Pour contents into a large, glass baking dish and freeze.  Remove from freezer about every 30 minutes and stir mixture from bottom with a fork, creating a rough, chunky, grainy texture.  After about 3 hours, mixture should be completely frozen, chunky and icy...ready to serve!