Creative Christmas Desserts

Christmas desserts are often decadent and delicious. They are also typically high in fat and calories; however, they don't necessarily need to be.
One recipe for a holiday dessert that is a little less fattening is reduced fat peppermint cheesecake. Following the theme of candy canes, this cheesecake is delicious and has less fat than regular cheese cakes.

Just take 4 sheets of fat free Honey Maid graham crackers and smash them into crumbs.
Then spray an 8-inch pie pan with light cooking spray and then press tinfoil into the pan and mash the crumbs on top of the tin foil so that the pie crust is formed. Bake the crust for 8 minutes at 350 degrees.

Take 1 package of fat free cream cheese and 1 cup of skim milk. Heat the mix gradually in a saucepan. Beat a package of reduced fat cream cheese along with 1/2 C of sugar n a separate bowl.

Beat these until you have a smooth mixture. Then add 1 egg and mix well. Next, add 2 egg whites, one at a time and 1 and 1/2 tsp of peppermint extract. Also, stir in a few drops of red or green food coloring to make your cheesecake a little more festive. Pour the mixture into the pie pan. Then bake the cheesecake in a shallow roasting pan. The roasting pan will need to have enough water to cover the base of it. The steam will help the cheesecake to keep from cracking. Bake the cake for 3035 minutes until the center is almost set. The cake then needs to be cooled for 15 minutes and removed from the roasting pan. Allow the cake to cool completely on a wire rack and refrigerate for at least 8 hours.
Before serving, garnish the cake with crushed peppermint candies or mini candy canes. Crush the candy finely so that it doesn't have to be chomped on along with the cheese cake.

Another low fat dessert recipe that is great for the holidays is Low Fat Berry Delight. Take one package of sugar free strawberry or raspberry gelatin and dissolve it into 1 cup of boiling water. Stir until fully dissolved. Beat 1 package of fat-free cream cheese and 1tsp vanilla extract in a medium bowl with an electric mixer. Mix in the gelatin liquid slowly.
Using a wire whisk, add 2 cups of fat free whipped topping, fully thawed. Whisk the mix until smooth. Next add a 6oz pack of fresh raspberries. Empty the mix into an 8 x 8 glass dish and refrigerate for four hours. Top with sliced raspberries and/or blueberries. This dessert can also use cranberries in either the gelatin or the topping. It makes a great holiday recipe and has fewer calories than the typical dessert. It serves 6 people.

Lemon Zucchini bread is also a holiday treat that has fewer calories than the typical bread. This bread served with cranberry jelly or cinnamon margarine is a delicious and warm treat. It is best served quickly after being baked, or after being micro waved briefly.
Combine 1 C of whole wheat flour (not packed), 2/3 C of sugar, 1/2 tsp Baking Powder, 1/2 tsp Baking Soda, 1/2 tsp salt, and 1/4 tsp nutmeg in a large bowl. Stir the ingredients well with a wire whisk.
In another bowl, combine 1 cup of tightly packed grated zucchini, 1/4 C canola oil, one egg, one egg white, 1tsp vanilla, 1TBS lemon zest, and 1/4 C of plain non-fat yogurt, drained.

Add the zucchini mixture to the flour mix just until moist. Pour into loaf pan and bake at 350 degrees for 55 minutes to an hour or until toothpick comes out clean. This quick bread serves approximately 12 people and only has 194 calories per serving.

Eggnog is another traditional and beloved holiday food item that isn't necessarily a dessert, but it sure has the calories to brand it as one. Eggnog is another holiday treat that often adds too many calories to our diet. Try this low fat recipe for a little healthier treat.
Take 3/4 C of granulated sugar or Splenda sweetener. Mix it with 1/4 tsp cinnamon and 1/4 tsp nutmeg. Add one egg and 4 egg whites and beat with an electric mixer for 3-4 minutes.
Next, heat 1 and 1/2 C of skim milk gently in a saucepan. Stir in the egg mixture into the hot milk gradually. Stir constantly as you continue to heat the nog.
The next step is to stir in 1 and 1/2 tsp vanilla extract and remove the mix from the heat. Let it cool a little before blending in 1 and 1/2 cups of fat free half-and-half. Cover and chill the nog for about an hour before serving. Add 1/4 C rum or brandy if desired before serving and garnish with freshly grated nutmeg. This less fattening egg nog serves four and has 272 Calories per serving.