Recipes for Wellness

With less than 125 calories per serving, feel free to indulge in this rich and creamy dessert without the worry.

Yield: 6 servings (serving size ½ cup)

Preparation:

Sprinkle gelatin over the water and allow to soften two to three minutes, then warm over low heat until dissolved. Beat the cream cheese, sour cream, sugar substitute, cocoa and vanilla until smooth, then beat in the dissolved gelatin. Spoon into stemmed glasses or a large serving bowl. Cover and chill. Variation: In place of vanilla extract, try substituting two tablespoons of your favorite liqueur, such as Frangelico, Crème de Cocoa, Crème de Menthe, Amaretto or Kahlua.

Ingredients:

• 1 envelope unflavored gelatin
• ¼ cup cold water
• 2, 8-oz. packages fat-free cream cheese
• 1, 8-oz. container fat-free sour cream
• 12 envelopes sugar substitute (or ¾ cup sugar)
• 6 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa
• 1 tablespoon vanilla extract

Nutritional Data Per Serving

• Calories: 116
• Fat: <1 gram (0% of calories)
• Fat: <1 gram (0% of calories)
• Cholesterol: 14 milligrams
• Sodium: 486 milligrams

Yield: 2 servings (serving size: 1 cup)

Preparation:

Combine all ingredients in container of blender; cover and process until smooth. Serve immediately, or cover and freeze.

Ingredients:

• 1 Cup vanilla low-fat yogurt
• ¾ Cup crushed ice
• 1 Tablespoon creamy peanut butter
• 1 (1.26-ounce) packet milk chocolate instant breakfast drink mix (we used Carnation Instant Breakfast Essentials Complete Nutritional Drink)
• 1 Medium banana (about 5 ounces), broken into chunks

Nutritional Data: Made with Yoplait vanilla low-fat yogurt, the smoothie has about 265 calories and 5.3 grams of fat per serving with 18% calories from fat. With Dannon Light & Fit vanilla fat-free yogurt, it has about 205 calories and 4.5 grams of fat per serving with 20% calories from fat.

Fruity and refreshing, this easy pie recipe will make you feel like you are in paradise, and it can be made 1 or 2 days in advance giving you more time to relax!

Yield: 8 regular pie slices

Preparation:

In a large bowl, mix all ingredients together (except pie crust). Pour in pie crust. Place pineapple pieces on top as decoration. Put in freezer for at least 2 hours. Can be made 1 to 2 days ahead.

Ingredients:

• 2, 6-oz. containers Pina Colada low fat yogurt
• 1, 15-oz. can crushed pineapple, drained (Put a couple of pieces aside.)
• 16-oz. low-fat whipped topping
• ½ cup shredded coconut
• Pre-made piecrust

Nutritional Data Per Serving

• Calories: 259
• Fat: 20.8 grams (32% of calories)
• Cholesterol: 16.2 milligrams
• Sodium: 68 milligrams

This is a heart-healthy recipe that will provide you with sustainable energy to fuel your morning. For a post-workout snack, have an egg white omelet (3 eggs=54cal, 12g protein) alongside. *For those taking the blood thinner medication Coumadin, may substitute other leafy greens lower in vitamin K, i.e. raw green leaf lettuce, raw endive)

Yield: 2 servings; Serving size: 1 small bowl

Preparation:

Mix almonds, cashews, granola together in bowl-set aside.

Add kale to dry mixture, followed by bananas (sliced banana will serve as binding agent) and toss together.

Finally, add grapes over the top.

Ingredients:

• Whole raw almonds, 1 oz
• Whole raw cashews, 1 oz
• May substitute other heart healthy nut such as pecan or pistachio
• Homemade granola, with cinnamon backdrop, 2 oz
• Kale, 1 cup raw, chopped
• Banana, 1 medium, 7"to 8", sliced
• Whole red seedless grapes, 1 cup

Nutritional Data Per Serving

• Calories: 324
• Fat: 17g
• Carbohydrates: 37g
• Sodium: 21mg
• Protein: 10g
• Sugar: 10g

If we had you at 'no-bake' you'll be in for a treat with this sweet and crunchy power snack.

Yield: 24, 2x1x1 inch bars (serving size one bar)

Preparation:

In a large mixing bowl, pour in honey, vanilla and salt. Heat in the microwave until mixture is thin and watery, about 60 seconds. Add peanut butter and stir until it melts. Add dried fruit and cereal and combine until cereal is well coated. Line a baking dish with wax paper and spread cereal mixture evenly into pan and press firmly to set. Leave to cool overnight or place in refrigerator. When bars are hard, cut into squares.

Ingredients:

• 1 cup honey
• 1 cup crunchy peanut butter (or your favorite nut butter such as almond or cashew butter)
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 cup dried cranberries (or your favorite dried fruit, diced)
• 5 cups high fiber cereal (we used Kashi Go Lean! Crisp cereal)

Nutritional Data Per Serving

• Calories: 167
• Fat: 6 grams
• Cholesterol: 0 milligrams
• Sodium: 179 milligrams
• Total Carbohydrate 27 grams
• Dietary Fiber 3.4 grams
• Sugars 18 grams
• Protein 5 grams

Consider trying this cheesecake for your next special occasion. The ingredient choices help this to be a better option than a traditional recipe. However, remember, this is still a dessert with calories and fat. Therefore, even though it is a better decision than traditional fare, be sure to watch your portions and keep this to an occasional treat.

Yield: 12 slices

Preparation:

Place a baking pan on bottom shelf of oven and pour in about 1 ½ - 2 inches of cold water. Pre-heat oven to 300°F. Crush graham crackers to make 1 ¾ cups crumbs. Stir ¼ cup sugar into graham cracker crumbs until thoroughly mixed. Mix dry crumb mixture with melted butter and stir until all crumbs are moistened. Press crumb mixture into bottom and 1 ½ inches up sides of 9-inch spring form pan.

Beat cream cheese and Neufchatel cheese at medium speed with electric mixer until smooth. Stir together 1 cup of sugar and 3 tablespoons of flour until blended. Gradually add flour/sugar mixture to cheeses and beat until blended. Beat in vanilla until blended. Add egg substitute equivalent to one egg at a time, beating until blended after each addition until equivalent of 3 eggs is added. Add fat-free sour cream and beat until just blended. Pour mixture into prepared crust and smooth top of mixture with spatula.

Carefully open oven door to avoid the steam that has formed from pan of water on bottom shelf. Place spring form pan on shelf above pan of hot water. Bake at 300°F for 55 minutes to 1 hour until center is almost set.

Turn OFF oven and let cake remain in oven with the door closed for 1 hour. Remove from oven and place on wire rack to cool to room temperature. When cooled, cover and place in refrigerator to chill for a minimum of 8 hours.

To serve, gently run a knife around edge of cheesecake and release sides of pan. If desired, garnish with fresh fruit and fat-free whipped topping.

Ingredients:

• 1 ¾ cups crushed (crumbs) graham crackers
• 1/3 cup margarine
• ¼ cup sugar
• 2, 8-oz. packages of fat-free cream cheese
• 3, 8-oz. packages of Neufchatel Cheese (reduced fat alternative to cream cheese)
• 1 cup sugar
• 3 tbsp. of all-purpose flour
• 1 tbsp. vanilla extract
• Egg substitute equivalent to 3 eggs
• 1, 8-oz. container fat-free sour cream

Nutritional Data Per Serving

• Calories: 473
• Fat: 30.7 grams (47% of calories)
• Cholesterol: 87 milligrams
• Sodium: 491 milligrams

Each Recipes for Wellness cooking segment focuses on a nutritious, delicious recipe that is as good to eat as it is good for you. In this segment, bariatric surgeon Dr. Edward Lin helps prepare a super simple Blueberry Oatmeal Crumble. When blueberries are in season, this is a delicious way to enjoy them.

Yield: 6 servings (serving size about 4-6 oz)

Preparation:

Preheat oven to 375º. Spray baking dish with non-stick spray. You can either use individual, 4 - 6 ounce ramekins or a 1 ½ quart baking dish. In a large bowl, mix brown sugar and cornstarch until well blended. Add blueberries and gently toss to coat. Add lemon zest and juice and toss to combine. Place oats in food processor fitted with steel blade. Process for 15 seconds. Add brown sugar and salt and pulse four times to combine. Add almonds and pulse two times. Sprinkle the small pieces of butter on top of the oat mixture and pulse five quick times. Pour the berry mixture into the prepared baking dish (if using ramekins, pour ½ cup berries into each). Spread the topping evenly over the berries. Bake for 30 minutes, or until filling is very bubbly and topping is browned. Let sit for 10 minutes before serving.

Ingredients:

• 1/3 cup quick-cooking oats
• ¼ cup dark brown sugar
• ¼ teaspoon salt
• ½ cup chopped almonds
• 2 tablespoons chilled butter, cut into small pieces
• 2 tablespoons dark brown sugar
• 2 teaspoons cornstarch
• 1 teaspoon freshly grated lemon zest
• 1 tablespoon freshly squeezed lemon juice
• 3 cups fresh or frozen blueberries

Nutritional Data Per Serving

• Calories: 177
• Fat: 8 grams
• Cholesterol: 10 milligrams
• Sodium: 128 milligrams

This light and refreshing dessert is great for a girls afternoon.

Yield: 6 servings

Preparation:

Prepare pudding mix according to package directions, using 1¾ cups milk and 1¼ cup pomegranate juice. Chill 5 minutes. Divide pudding evenly among 6 waffle cone bowls. Top each serving with 2 tablespoons berries and 1 tablespoon whipped topping. Sprinkle each serving with 2 tablespoons pomegranate seeds. Serve immediately.

Ingredients:

• 1 (1 oz) package sugar-free, fat-free cheesecake-flavored instant pudding and pie filling
• 1¾ cups 2% reduced-fat milk
• ¼ cup bottled pomegranate juice (such as POM)
• 6 (0.4 oz) waffle cone bowls (such as Keebler)
• ¾ cup blueberries or quartered small strawberries
• 6 tablespoons frozen reduced-calorie whipped topping, thawed
• ¾ cup pomegranate seeds/arils (1 pomegranate)

Nutritional Data Per Serving

• Calories: 149
• Fat: 3.2 grams (19% calories from fat)