Guilt-free healthy, holiday dessert recipes to complete your Thanksgiving feast
Jodi Davis
| 4 min read
Finding ways to help people focus on becoming healthier from the inside out is gratifying for me. With Thanksgiving quickly approaching, I find that it’s often a bit more challenging to find these recipes, especially in the dessert category. That’s where YOU come in!
Many people are looking for ways to stay on track with their health goals during the holidays and I enjoy learning from our readers, so I’m hoping you will share your favorite healthy holiday recipes with us! If you have a favorite healthy holiday recipe, please share it in the comment area below.
A great friend of mine shared his healthy dessert recipes with me recently and inspired this post. Healthy living and helping others on their journey toward health is just as important to him as it is to me. I hope you enjoy the recipes he shared with me!
This is a simple recipe to prepare. It’s low in calories and contains fruit, which makes it delicious!
Ingredients
- 8 oz (1 small container) Low-Fat Cool Whip
- 18 oz (three individual servings) yogurt, any of your favorite berry flavors
- 1 ready made pie crust
- 1 ¼ cups fresh berries (or your choice of fruit) to accompany the selected yogurt flavor
Directions
Thoroughly combine the Cool Whip and yogurt until smooth. Pour into pie crust and freeze 4 hours or until firm. Remove from freezer approximately 20 minutes before serving. Top with the fresh fruit of your choice just before serving. Store the leftovers in the freezer.
Nutritional Information (8 servings)
Per serving: 77.8 calories; 2.2g total fat; 69.4mg sodium; 11.3g carbohydrates; 0.8g fiber; 3.8g protein
Per serving: 77.8 calories; 2.2g total fat; 69.4mg sodium; 11.3g carbohydrates; 0.8g fiber; 3.8g protein
This recipe takes a bit more time to prepare but is a beautiful dessert item to set on the Thanksgiving table. If you love chocolate, you’ll find this recipe to be absolutely delicious!
Ingredients
CRUST:
- 1 cup chocolate wafer crumbs, (about 20 wafers)
- 1 tablespoon brown sugar
- 1 tablespoon canola oil
- 1 teaspoon instant coffee granules, dissolved in 2 teaspoons hot water
FILLING:
- 24 ounces 1% cottage cheese, (3 cups)
- 12 ounces reduced-fat cream cheese, (1 1/2 cups), cut into pieces
- 1 cup packed brown sugar
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar
- 3/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
- 1/4 cup cornstarch
- 1 large egg
- 2 large egg whites
- 2 tablespoons instant coffee granules, dissolved in 2 tablespoons hot water
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 2 ounces bittersweet (not unsweetened) chocolate, melted
- 16 chocolate-covered coffee beans, (optional)
Directions
Preheat oven to 325°F. Put a kettle of water on to heat for the water bath. Spray a 9-inch springform pan with cooking spray. Wrap the outside bottom of the pan with a double thickness of foil.
To prepare crust: Blend crumbs, sugar, oil and coffee in a small bowl with a fork or your fingertips. Press into the bottom of the pan.
To prepare filling: Puree cottage cheese in a food processor until very smooth, stopping once or twice to scrape down the sides. Add cream cheese, brown sugar, granulated sugar, cocoa and cornstarch. Process until smooth. Add egg, egg whites, coffee, vanilla, salt and chocolate and blend well. Pour into the crust-lined pan.
Place the cheesecake in a roasting pan and pour in enough boiling water to come 1/2 inch up the side of the springform pan.
Bake the cheesecake until the edges are set but the center still jiggles, about 50 minutes. Turn off the oven. Spray a knife with cooking spray and run it around the edge of the pan. Let stand in the oven, with the door ajar, for 1 hour. Transfer from the water bath to a wire rack; remove foil. Let cool to room temperature, about 2 hours. Refrigerate, uncovered, until chilled.
Before serving, garnish the cheesecake with chocolate-covered coffee beans, if using.
Nutritional Information (16 servings)
Per serving: 228 calories; 8g total fat; 310mg sodium; 33g carbohydrates; 2g fiber; 10g protein
Per serving: 228 calories; 8g total fat; 310mg sodium; 33g carbohydrates; 2g fiber; 10g protein
What healthy versions of your Thanksgiving favorites will you be making this year?
Photo credit: Anne White
