Heart healthy desserts for a crowd

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"Today we have all gathered together to celebrate Paul’s success. We lads are greatly fond of Paul, and now that he is departing from our bachelor midst we must try to comfort ourselves with the thought that we are not losing a friend, but gaining a Linda. Looking at it like that, what a bargain we’ve got."

Heart-healthy eating means keeping fat intake under 30 percent of total calories, polyunsaturated fat below 10 percent, limiting cholesterol to 300 mg daily and staying below 3,000 mg of sodium according to the Franklin Institute. You also need to avoid excess calories. Most people think that no desserts are allowed. But there are heart-healthy desserts. And when preparing desserts for a crowd, think simplicity and minimal preparation and cook time.

1. Dessert Substitutions

   • When making heart healthy desserts, certain ingredients are key. Bananas, olive oil, cottage cheese, non or low-fat yogurt and milk, egg substitutes and cocoa or carb powder are often used.

     Bananas substitute for butter, margarine, and lard in recipes. Olive oil can be used instead of vegetable oil. Use fat-free or low-fat yogurt instead of heavy cream. Substitute fat-free milk for whole milk and cottage cheese for sour cream. You always have the option of using egg substitutes for eggs. Finally, try cocoa or carob powder instead of baking chocolate

   Dessert Types

   • Some desserts are lower in calories and fat to begin with like: sorbet, fruit salad, low-fat pudding or gelatin. So these are good alternatives to pastries, pies and fudge.

     Additionally, some dessert types are better suited for a crowd because they do not require as much preparation and cooking time. These include cookies, cakes, fruit desserts and puddings. All are more easily created in large quantities. Pastries, parfaits, petits fors are a hassle to prepare for large numbers of guests.

   Recipes

   • When choosing heart-healthy desserts for a crowd, you can use recipes that are already lower in calories and fat or you can take a favorite recipe and make it more heart healthy. For recipe suggestions, try the American Heart Association, Heart Healthy Living, FoodFit.com, Prevention.com and more.

     To makeover your own recipe, start by making substitutions for the highest calorie (butter, cream, chocolate bars) ingredients and experiment with these substitutions until you get great taste with low fat and calories.

   Suggestions

   • Smoothies can be great low-calorie crowd-pleasers if you prepare them yourself. Prevention.com offers a recipe for a watermelon smoothie with only 229 calories. You can double or triple the recipe and pour it easily for your guests.

     Bananas can be coated in fat-free yogurt, rolled in oats or toasted almonds, and frozen for a healthy treat. They can be mashed with a bit of cinnamon and low-fat milk to make a banana foster type dessert. At famousfrenchdesserts.com, there is a recipe for chocolate banana walnet flourless cake that only takes about 40 minutes total to prep and cook.

     Custards and puddings can be made in large quantities with reduced calories. Using ginger or pumpkin can make a flavorful dessert, but with fewer calories than a flan. Look for recipes at whatscookingamerica.com.

Source: www.ehow.com

Tags: desserts crowd, healthy desserts, cottage cheese, healthy desserts crowd, heart-healthy desserts