Something sweet can still have a place in a balanced eating plan.
Lexi and April, registered dieticians at Arkansas Heart Hospital, are sharing two simple dessert ideas you can make at home. Lexi prepares Warm Cinnamon Raisin Apples, a recipe from the American Heart Association’s Delicious Decisions collection, and April prepares a Sugar-Free Brownie Blizzard Dupe made with a few simple ingredient swaps.
Whether you are craving something warm and fruity or cold and chocolatey, these two recipes offer easy ways to enjoy something sweet at home.
Warm Cinnamon Raisin Apples
This warm apple dessert combines apples, cinnamon, nutmeg, golden raisins and walnuts in a simple stovetop recipe. The American Heart Association classifies the recipe as heart healthy and low sodium. One serving contains 172 calories, 2 grams of protein, and 2 grams of fiber.
Lexi introduces the recipe as a fun fall option and walks through the ingredients and cooking process in her Arkansas Heart Hospital cooking demo.
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 10 minutes
Total Time: 20 minutes
Servings: 4
Serving Size: ½ cup
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon light or dark brown sugar
- 2 teaspoons cornstarch
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg, freshly grated preferred
- 1 cup 100% apple juice, divided
- 2 teaspoons canola or corn oil
- 2 medium Braeburn, Rome Beauty or Golden Delicious apples, peeled if desired, thinly sliced and patted dry
- 2 tablespoons raisins, golden preferred
- ¼ cup dry roasted chopped walnuts
- A dollop of fat free plain Greek yogurt may also be added when serving
Instructions
- In a small bowl, combine the brown sugar, cornstarch, cinnamon, and nutmeg.
- Stir in 1/3 cup of the apple juice until everything is well combined. Set the mixture aside.
- Heat a large skillet or wok over high heat.
- Pour in the oil and swirl it around the pan to coat the bottom.
- Add the sliced apples and cook for 2 to 3 minutes, stirring constantly, until the apples are tender and lightly browned.
- Stir in the raisins and the remaining 2/3 cup of apple juice.
- Add the brown sugar mixture and stir to combine.
- Continue cooking for 4 to 6 minutes, stirring constantly, until the sauce thickens and coats the apples.
- Remove from the heat.
- Sprinkle the chopped walnuts over the apples just before serving.
- Add fat free plain Greek yogurt if desired.
Sugar Free Brownie Blizzard Dupe
If you are craving something cold and chocolatey, April’s Sugar Free Brownie Blizzard Dupe offers a different take on a frozen dessert.
This recipe starts with zero sugar brownie mix, but swaps the oil traditionally used in the mix for unsweetened applesauce. The brownies are then combined with a chocolate whipped topping mixture and frozen until thick and scoopable.
Ingredients for the Brownies
- 1 box Zero Sugar Brownie Mix
- 1/3 cup unsweetened applesauce
- 3 tablespoons water
- 1 large egg, or 2 egg whites
Ingredients for the Blizzard Base
- 1 tub, 8 ounces, Zero Sugar Cool Whip
- 1 tablespoon Jell O Sugar Free Chocolate Fudge Instant Pudding Mix
- 2 to 3 prepared brownies, cut into small cubes
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.
- Lightly grease an 8 by 8 inch baking pan with nonstick cooking spray.
- In a mixing bowl, combine the water, egg, and unsweetened applesauce.
- Add the brownie mix and stir until just blended. Avoid overmixing.
- Spread the batter evenly into the prepared baking pan.
- Bake for 24 to 26 minutes. Begin checking the brownies about 5 minutes before the end of the suggested baking time.
- Allow the brownies to cool completely.
- Place the cooled brownies in the freezer for about 20 minutes. Chilling them makes it easier to cut them into small pieces for the finished dessert.
- While the brownies are chilling, place the thawed Zero Sugar Cool Whip in a large bowl.
- Gently fold in 1 tablespoon of dry Sugar Free Chocolate Fudge Instant Pudding Mix until evenly combined.
- Cut 2 to 3 chilled brownies into small cubes.
- Gently fold the brownie pieces into the chocolate whipped topping mixture.
- Place the mixture in the freezer for 2 to 3 hours.
- Once the mixture has reached a thick, scoopable texture, divide into serving dishes and enjoy.
A Healthy Diet Keeps Balance in Mind
A balanced eating pattern can include foods you enjoy while still keeping your overall nutrition goals in mind. Choosing more fruits and vegetables, using better fats, limiting unnecessary added sugars and paying attention to portions are all strategies Arkansas Heart Hospital promotes through its nutrition resources.
These two recipes take different approaches. The Warm Cinnamon Raisin Apples recipe uses fruit, walnuts, and warm spices to create a simple heart healthy dessert, while the Sugar Free Brownie Blizzard Dupe uses ingredient substitutions to create a different option for satisfying a chocolate craving.
Watch Lexi and April prepare each recipe, then try your favorite at home.