A Low Fat Thanksgiving Dessert - Orange "Mousse" with Raspberries

While many of the traditional Thanksgiving desserts are "to die for" delicious, we don't actually want to die for them! When you or a family member are following a low fat diet, the holidays can be a pain. So many of the great foods around you are high in fat and calories. While I choose to cook many traditional foods, I also try to include some low fat or fat free alternatives for my relatives. The fact that I am dieting is a major issue as well! You can find many low fat recipes for pies and other traditional desserts, but I have an alternative. This dessert is very low fact and extremely delicious. It seems decadent and rich while still being healthier than many other desserts.

While I prefer the combination of orange and raspberry, you can experiment with an fruit flavors you wish. When you are ready to serve the desserts at your Thanksgiving feast, you can either place the serving bowls on the table and allow each guest to serve themselves, or you can dish the dessert out into smaller bowls and have them ready to eat. The mousse makes a very attractive dish, I think! A few whole raspberries on top would look wonderful as well. The benefit to this dessert is that it does not appear to be low fat. No one eating this would be able to tell or to feel that they are "missing out" on the best desserts! This dish can also be made using a vegetarian gelatin substitute if you have vegetarian guests.

Orange "Mousse" with Raspberry Sauce

1 ½ cups of boiling water

1 6 oz package of Orange flavored Jello gelatin

2 teaspoons of grated orange peel

1 cup of cold watermelons3/4 cup cold orange juice

1 8 oz tub of Fat Free Cool Whip whipped topping

1 10 oz package of frozen raspberries in syrup

Thaw the raspberries and puree, then set them aside in the refrigerator.

Mix the gelatin and the orange peel in a large bowl. Whisk in the boiling water until the gelatin is dissolved. Whisk in the cold water and the orange juice. Refrigerate for about 1 ½ hours until the mixture is thickened slightly but not set. Stir in the whipped topping until the mixture is smooth. Place back in the refrigerator for about three hours until it is set.

To serve, place some raspberry sauce in a bowl and place a scoop of the mousse on top. Garnish with powdered sugar or whole berries. A small dollop of fat free whipped cream would be good as well!