Less-guilty pleasures: Put your desserts on a diet this holiday season

By Valerie Phillips
Deseret Morning News

Trifle Bowl Dessert Keith Johnson, Deseret Morning News

If you're trying to cut your sugar intake, this is a challenging time of year. First come Halloween treats, then Thanksgiving pies, followed by a month of holiday cookies, candies and pastries.

It's enough to make a even a healthful eater like Margot Duncan "fall off the food wagon a little," as she puts it. Having been diagnosed with Type 2 diabetes 14 years ago, Duncan sticks mainly to vegetables, fish and meats.

"Basically I'm not a big sweet eater," said the Salt Lake resident. "I'm from Europe, and Christmas was really a time for sweets there. My mother made 35 different kinds of cookies. But, we didn't eat cookies all the time during the year like people do here, only at Christmas."

Her strategy at a holiday gathering is to first survey the table before picking and choosing. "I tell myself I can either have the potatoes or the piece of pie," she says. "People offer me sugar-free candy, but it still has carbohydrates. So most of the time, I just stay away from sweets."

But, not everyone has that kind of self-control.

About 17 million people in the United States, or 6.2 percent of the population, have diabetes, according to the American Diabetes Association. And with low-carb and "sugar-buster" diets in vogue, more people are concerned about their intake of sweets. There are more sugar-free products, artificial sweeteners and low-carb recipes than ever before.

It's not a bad idea to watch your sugar intake, even if you don't have a medical condition.

"Americans eat too much sugar in the first place — about 34 teaspoons a day," said Pauline Williams, a dietitian who teaches a "Dining With Diabetes" class with Utah State University Extension. "When you look at the guidelines of the Food Guide Pyramid, most people eating a 2,000-calorie diet should have only 12 teaspoons of added sugar a day."

Sugar intake is definitely linked to dental cavities, Williams said. The allure of sweet treats can also cause overindulgence, leading to weight gain.

Chocolate Fudge Pie Keith Johnson, Deseret Morning News

When you try to put your desserts on a diet, it's not just a matter of replacing all the sugar, honey or corn syrup with artificial sweeteners. In baking, sugar does a lot more than sweeten, Williams pointed out. It adds volume, caramelizes and helps food to brown, and it makes the dough more tender and moist. Artificial sweeteners can't do that. You may end up with a dryer, tougher product that doesn't brown very well. That's why some low-sugar recipes still call for a little sugar, honey or molasses to help with browning and flavor.

When you put cookies on a baking sheet, the dough doesn't spread, said Williams. You have to flatten it before baking or it will retain its round shape.

In the Deseret Morning News test kitchen, we found that non-caloric sweeteners like aspartame (Nutra-Sweet and Equal), sucralose (Splenda) and saccharin (Sweet 'N Low) work best in recipes where the sugar was used mainly to sweeten, as in a no-cook pudding. The cheesecake and carrot cake were flatter than the usual sugar-made products, although both had a nice texture. Other flavoring agents help mask the "fake" taste — such as the cinnamon in the carrot cake and chocolate in the chocolate fudge pie. The carrot cake frosting and the cheesecake, flavored only with vanilla, gave your palate the sense of something missing — similar to the first sip of diet soda.

The recipes we tested also were reduced in fat. We found you can only take out so much. The carrot cake frosting and the cheesecake needed a creamy texture, so reduced-fat sour cream and cream cheese were as low as we could go. With the chocolate fudge pie, all the fat was in the pie crust, but the crust was what made it seem "normal." The carrot cake recipe, which we got from the Sweet 'N Low Web site, called for 1/2 cup of oil and still weighed in at a hefty 120 calories for a 2-by-2 1/2-inch slice.

A tip from Williams: Mixing equal parts of aspartame (the blue packets such as Equal) and saccharin (the pink packets such as Sweet 'N Low) together somehow intensifies the sweeteners, so you can use half as much and save money. You also get the benefits of both sweeteners — the heat stability of saccharine without the aftertaste.

Carrot Cake Keith Johnson, Deseret Morning News

"I hear from people who are concerned about safety of these sweeteners," she said. "There is a limit on how much is safe — the equivalent of 20 cans of diet soda for a 150-pound person in one day. So it's really rare that someone would consume an excess amount of sweetener."

Big-name companies such as Russell Stover, Hershey and Nestle are now making sugar-free chocolate candies with sugar alcohols and other sugar replacers. These types of sweeteners go through your system undigested, so they don't raise blood sugar. But eating too much of them can cause bloating, gas and diarrhea.

These should be viewed as a treat, not a nutrient-dense food choice, says Williams. "These chocolates still have calories, and very little contribution to vitamins, minerals and other health-promoting compounds. If the calories don't keep you from eating too many, the gastrointestinal side effects will."

It's also a good idea to consider "diet" desserts in the context of what they contain, not just what they don't. For instance, the Trifle Bowl's berries add vitamins, minerals and fiber to your diet. And be aware that artificially sweetened desserts still contain some carbs, fat and calories. According to the American Diabetes Association, almost 90 percent of all people with newly diagnosed Type 2 diabetes are overweight. So calories are still a consideration along with overall carbohydrate intake.

TRIFLE BOWL DESSERT

1 small package strawberry-kiwi flavored sugar-free gelatin (strawberry or raspberry also work great)
1 small package white chocolate sugar-free pudding
1 angel food cake
2 cups sliced strawberries
2 cups blueberries
1 small container frozen fat-free whipped topping, thawed

Prepare gelatin according to package directions and allow to partially set. Prepare pudding according to package directions. Tear cake into bite-size pieces. Arrange half of cake pieces in a 3-quart trifle bowl. Spoon half of partially set gelatin over cake. Spread half of pudding mixture over gelatin. Sprinkle 1/3 strawberries and 1/3 of blueberries over pudding. Spread half of whipped topping over berries. Repeat layers with remaining cake, gelatin, pudding, 1/3 berries and topping. Sprinkle remaining 1/3 of fruit over trifle. Cover and chill.

Nutrients per 1-cup serving: 162 calories, 33 g. carb., 3.5 g. protein, 1 g. fat. Diabetic exchanges: 1 starch, 1 fruit. (A same-size serving of a regular trifle has 274 calories, 60 g. carb., 4 g. protein, 3 g. fat. — www.diabetes.org

CHOCOLATE FUDGE PIE

The only fat in this pie comes from the pie crust; you can use a ready-made chocolate cookie crust instead if you'd rather have a little sugar and less fat.

1 pie shell
2 small packages fat-free, sugar-free chocolate fudge pudding
3 1/2 cups fat-free milk
1 small container frozen fat-free whipped topping, thawed

Bake the pie shell according to package directions. Briskly mix pudding mix with milk, and pour into crust. Chill at least one hour. Top with whipped topping.

Nutrients per serving (with 2 tablespoons fat-free whipped topping): 175 calories, 4 g. fat, 20 g. carb. — Adapted from Jell-O.

LITE CHEESECAKE

Crust:

Lite Cheesecake Keith Johnson, Deseret Morning News

12 graham crackers, crushed (about 1 1/2 cups)
1/4 cup Splenda
1/3 cup light margarine

Filling:

2 8-ounce packages reduced-fat cream cheese, softened
16 ounces (2 cups) reduced-fat sour cream, at room temperature
1 cup Splenda
2 tablespoons vanilla
3 eggs
Berries for garnish

For crust: Mix crumbs, Splenda and light margarine together. Press mixture into the bottom of a 9- or 10-inch springform pan.

Preheat oven to 300 degrees. Fill a cake pan halfway with water and place on the bottom rack of the oven (to create steam). Blend filling ingredients, then beat at high speed until mixture is smooth. Pour into crust. Place the cheesecake on the middle rack in the oven and bake 1 hour. Then turn off the heat (without opening the door) and allow to sit in the oven an additional hour. Refrigerate at least 2 hours before serving. Garnish with berries. — Valerie Phillips

CARROT CAKE

Cake:

1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 cup granulated sugar, divided
1 tablespoon Sweet 'N Low
2 teaspoons baking soda
1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup unsweetened apple juice
1/2 cup vegetable oil
2 small jars (2.5 ounces) baby-food pureed carrots
2 large eggs, separated, at room temperature

Frosting:

1 8-ounce package reduced-fat cream cheese, softened
2 tablespoons confectioner's sugar
1 tablespoon skim milk
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
3/4 teaspoon Sweet 'N Low

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spray a 9-by-13-inch baking pan with nonstick cooking spray; set aside. Into large bowl, sift together flour, 1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons granulated sugar, 1 tablespoon Sweet 'N Low, baking soda, cinnamon and salt. In medium-size bowl, combine apple juice, oil, carrots and egg yolks. Stir liquid ingredients into dry ingredients and mix well.
In large metal bowl with electric mixer at high speed, beat egg whites until soft peaks form. Gradually add remaining 2 tablespoons granulated sugar, continuing to beat until stiff; fold into batter. Pour into prepared pan. Bake 30 minutes or until wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool on wire rack.

Prepare frosting: In medium-size bowl with electric mixer at medium speed, beat cream cheese gradually adding confectioners' sugar, milk, vanilla and 3/4 teaspoon Sweet 'N Low, until smooth and fluffy. Spread over cooled cake. Makes 24 servings at 120 calories each. — Sweet 'N Low

PUMPKIN PIE

Pastry for single-crust 9-inch pie
1 can (16 ounces) pumpkin
1 can (12 ounces) evaporated fat-free milk
3 eggs
3/4 cup Equal (or 18 packets )
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon salt
Light whipped topping (optional)

Roll pastry on floured surface into circle 1 inch larger than inverted 9-inch pie plate. Ease pastry into plate; trim and flute edge.

Beat pumpkin, evaporated milk and eggs in mixing bowl on medium speed of mixer until well combined. Blend in remaining ingredients. Pour into pastry shell. Bake in preheated 400-degree oven 35 to 40 minutes or until knife inserted into center comes out clean. Serves 8.

Nutrients per serving: 175 calories, 8 g. protein, 22 g. carbohydrate, 7 g. fat, 86 mg. cholesterol, 208 mg. sodium. Diabetic exchanges: 1 starch, 1/2 milk, 1 fat — www.equal.com

BANANA PINEAPPLE TROPICAL PIE

1 pastry shell for single crust 9-inch pie
2 8-ounce packages reduced-fat cream cheese, softened
1/2 cup Equal (or 12 packets)
1 8-ounce container frozen light whipped topping, thawed
1 8-ounce can crushed pineapple, well-drained
1/4 cup flaked coconut, divided
1/2 teaspoon rum extract
2 medium ripe bananas, cut into 1/2-inch thick slices
1 tablespoon chopped pecans

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Roll pastry on lightly floured surface into circle 1 inch larger than inverted 9-inch pie plate. Ease pastry into plate; trim and flute edges. Pierce sides and bottom of pastry with tines of a fork. Bake 10 to 12 minutes or until lightly browned. Cool completely on wire rack. Meanwhile, beat cream cheese and Equal until blended. Gradually mix in whipped topping, pineapple, 3 tablespoons coconut and rum extract.

Place half of cream cheese mixture in pie crust. Arrange banana slices in single layer; top with remaining cream cheese mixture. Sprinkle top of pie with remaining 1 tablespoon of coconut and chopped pecans. Refrigerate 2 hours. — Lisa Green of Santa Fe South Catering, Houston

POACHED PEARS

4 small ripe Anjou or Bosc pears
1/2 cup unsweetened apple juice
1 tablespoon fresh lime juice
1 cinnamon stick
2 whole cloves
2 tablespoons slivered almonds

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Peel pears, core and cut in half. Place in a glass baking dish. Combine remaining ingredients and pour over pears. Cover with foil and bake 20 minutes. Discard cinnamon stick and serve warm or cool, with a garnish of slivered almonds.

Nutrients per serving: 80 calories, no cholesterol, 17 g. carb., 1 g. protein, 1 mg. sodium, 2 g. fat. Diabetic exchanges: 1 fruit. — "Light & Easy Diabetes Cuisine," by Betty Marks

PEACH COBBLER

3 15-ounce cans sliced peaches in light syrup, drained
2 tablespoons cornstarch
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon salt
3/4 cup Equal
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 pastry shell for single crust 9-inch pie
1 tablespoon Equal
1/4 teaspoon. ground cinnamon

Place peaches in medium saucepan. Toss with cornstarch, lemon juice, 1 teaspoon cinnamon and salt. Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly until mixture thickens. Remove from heat; stir in 3/4 cup Equal and vanilla until dissolved. Spoon hot peach mixture into 8-inch square baking pan. Meanwhile, roll pie pastry on lightly floured surface to form a 9-inch square. Place pastry over hot peach mixture.

Trim and flute edges. Cut a few slits in top to allow steam to escape. Sprinkle top of pastry with combined 1 tablespoon Equal and 1/4
teaspoon cinnamon. Bake in preheated 400-degree oven 25 to 30 minutes or until pastry is crisp and lightly golden in color. — Delilah Winder of Bluezette in Philadelphia

LITE PECAN PIE

This pie has almost a cookie-like texture and great flavor.

Crust:

1 1/4 cups graham crackers, crushed
1 tablespoon light margarine
1 tablespoon cold water

Filling:

3/4 cup egg substitute (or 3 eggs)
1 cup sugar substitute for baking, such as Splenda
1/2 cup light margarine, melted
1 teaspoon vanilla
2 cups pecan pieces

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. To prepare crust, combine crushed graham crackers, margarine and water and press into bottom and sides of a 9-inch pie plate. Bake crust for 5 minutes. Remove crust from oven and set aside. To prepare filling, mix egg substitute, sugar substitute, and melted margarine. Add vanilla and mix. Add pecan pieces and mix.

Pour filling into crust and bake for 35 minutes at 350 degrees. Let cool and serve at room temperature. Serves 8.

Nutrients per serving: 297 calories, 20 g. carb.; 6 g. protein, 23 g. fat. Diabetic Exchanges: 1 1/2 carb. (a same-size serving of regular pecan pie has 500 calories, 64 grams carbohydrate and 30 grams fat.) — www.diabetes.org