Low in fat, not low in taste..

I was chatting with someone at the gym last week about my weight loss and was hugely inspired when she told me that she had been overweight as a teenager and kept her weight off for over 30 years! But she mentioned that she cooked very healthily at home, "except for desserts of course", because otherwise her children would complain and be upset...

I felt that this was a bit of a shame and a missed opportunity; since starting this journey myself I must admit that I HAVE changed the kinds of desserts I cook for everyone on Shabbos and Yom Tov, and I don't think that anyone has been worse off for it! Occasionally I'll make a full fat apple crumble, and serve myself a portion with just fruit, but in general we all eat the same and nothing has more than 4pp in it... My Succos dessert menu includes baked apples with sultanas and parev custard; the poached pears in pomegranate juice I described in an earlier blog; and lots of different baked goods served up with sugar-free compotes.

This recipe, for summer fruit mini muffins, is a new one I developed for our pre-Yom Kippur meal, and judging by the oohs and aahs I got, and pleas for seconds, no-one felt deprived by the lack of oil or margarine! I hope your family will enjoy them too.

INGREDIENTS

100g low fat spread (eg Smartbalance)
10g splenda
2 large eggs, beaten
0.5 tsp almond essence
125g flour
3/4 tsp baking powder
Frozen summer fruits

Preheat the oven to 160'c (fan-assisted) and prepare 18 fairy-cake cases in appropriate trays. Combine all the ingredients except the fruit into a smooth batter and drop by heaped teaspoons into the cake cases. Drop about a teaspoon of frozen fruits on top of the batter in each case. Bake for approximately 20 minutes or until cooked through and starting to brown on top.

These are excellent served warm. Less than 2pp each!