Makeovers for Holiday Treats

Posted: Dec. 1, 2004

Freshly baked goodies are so much a part of the holiday fun, it is hard to imagine how to keep the holiday spirit and your resolve to eat healthfully. But you can add a healthy spin to the season’s treats. Review your favorite recipes and substitute lower-fat ingredients for those high in fat. Also, select recipes that include whole grains, fruits and vegetables.


The Best Light Pumpkin Pie

This pumpkin pie saves 151 calories and 12 grams of fat per slice from the traditional version and it tastes identical!

1 cup ginger snaps
16 oz. can pumpkin
1/3 cup egg whites (about 4)
1/2 cup sugar
2 tsp. pumpkin pie spice (cinnamon, ginger, cloves)
12 oz. can evaporated skim milk

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grin the cookies in a food processor. Lightly spray a 9” glass pie pan with vegetable cooking spray. Pat the cookie crumbs into the pan evenly. Mix the rest of the ingredients in a medium-sized mixing bowl. Pour into the crust and bake until knife inserted in center comes out clean, about 45 minutes. Store in the refrigerator.

Allow to cool and slice into 8 wedges. Serve with fat-free whipped cream if desired.

Yield: 8 servings
Calories per serving: 165
Fat: 1.5 g
Saturated fat: .5 g
Cholesterol: 1.5 mg
Sodium: 170 mg
Carbohydrates: 32 g
Fiber: 2 g
Protein: 6 g

The following recipes are courtesy of EGG BEATERS Real Egg Product:

Apricot Oatmeal Cookies

1/2 cup firmly packed light brown sugar
1/3 cup Fleischmann’s margarine, softened
1/2 Egg Beaters Real Egg Product
1 tsp. vanilla extract
1 cup quick-cooking oats
1 cup crisp rice cereal
3/4 cup all-purpose flour
1 tsp. ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp. baking soda
1/4 cup seedless raisins
1/4 cup diced dried apricots
1/3 cup confectioners’ sugar
2 to 3 tsps. orange juice

In a bowl, with mixer at high speed, beat brown sugar and margarine until creamy. On medium speed, beat in egg product and vanilla until blended.
In small bowl, mix oats, rice cereal, flour, cinnamon and baking soda; stir into creamed mixture. Stir in raisins and apricots.
Drop dough by rounded tablespoons onto greased baking sheet.
Bake at 350 degrees for 8 to 10 minutes or until cookies are lightly browned. Cool completely on wire racks.
In small bowl, combine confectioners’ sugar and orange juice; drizzle over cookie tops.

Yield: 2 dozen cookies
Calories per cookie: 82
Fat: 3 g
Saturated fat: 0 g
Cholesterol: 0 mg
Sodium: 62 mg
Dietary fiber: 1 g

Rich Fudge Brownies

1 cup firmly packed light brown sugar
3/4 cup sugar
1 cup all-purpose flour
3/4 cup Egg Beaters Real Egg Product
1/2 cup Fleischmann’s margarine, melted
1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa
1 1/2 tsp. vanilla extract
1/3 cup pecans, chopped
Confectioners’ sugar

In a large bowl, combine sugars, flour, egg product, margarine and cocoa until well blended. Stir in vanilla and pecans.
Spread into a well-greased 13”x9”x2” baking pan.
Bake at 350 degrees for 25 minutes or until done. Cool in pan on a wire rack. Wrap and store refrigerated for up to 1 week.
Dust with confectioners’ sugar before serving. Undusted brownies can be frozen for up to 1 month.

Yield: 36 brownies
Calories: 85 per brownie
Fat: 3 g
Saturated fat: 1 g
Cholesterol: 0 mg
Sodium: 30 mg

Cranberry Muffins

1 cup chopped cranberries
1/2 cup sugar
1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
2 tsps. baking powder
3/4 cup skim milk
1/2 cup Egg Beaters Real Egg Product
1 tsp. grated orange peel
1/4 cup Fleischmann’s margarine, melted
1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon

In a small bowl, combine cranberries and 3 tablespoons sugar; let stand 5 minutes.
In a large bowl, combine flour, baking powder and 4 tablespoons sugar.
In another small bowl, blend milk, egg product and orange peel. Stir milk mixture and margarine into flour mixture just until moistened; stir in cranberries. Spoon batter into 36 greased 1 3/4-inch muffin-pan cups.
Combine remaining 1 tablespoon sugar and cinnamon and sprinkle over muffin tops.
Bake at 400 degrees for 12 to 15 minutes or until done.
Variation: To make 12 (2 1/2-inch) muffins, spoon batter into 12 greased muffin-pan cups; top with sugar mixture. Bake at 400 degrees for 20 to 25 minutes.

Yield: 36 mini muffins
Calories: 49 per mini muffin
Fat: 1 g
Saturated fat: 0 g
Cholesterol: 0 mg
Sodium: 37 mg

The following recipe is from Nabisco Reduced Fat Cookies and Crackers:

Oreo Cheesecake Miniatures

1 1/2 cups nonfat cottage cheese
1 cup Egg Beaters Real Egg Product
1/2 cup sugar
3/4 cup nonfat cream cheese
1 Tbs. vanilla extract
16 Reduced Fat Oreo Chocolate Sandwich Cookies, chopped
1 cup cherry pie filling

Line 16 (2 1/2-inch) muffin pan cups with foil liners; set aside.
In electric blender, blend cottage cheese and 1/2 cup egg product until smooth.
In electric mixer, combine cottage cheese mixture, remaining egg product, sugar, cream cheese and vanilla. Beat at low speed for 2 minutes; gently stir in cookie pieces. Portion the filling into foil-lined muffin-pan cups.
Bake at 325 degrees for 18 to 20 minutes or until set. Do not over-bake.
Cool on wire rack. Chill at least 2 hours.
To serve, top each cheesecake with 1 tablespoon cherry pie filling.

Yield: 16 servings
Calories: 140 per cheesecake
Fat: 4 g
Saturated fat: 2 g
Cholesterol: 7 mg
Sodium: 197 mg

Source: Columbia St. Mary’s

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