Low Fat Holiday Treats

Too many holiday treats can easily derail your diet. Fortunately, if you bake smart, you can enjoy dessert.

To add onto my “Tips to Curb Holiday Overeating” blog from earlier this week, I want to share my favorite dessert recipe in time for the holiday buffet season.

For times, when you need a healthier dessert, try incorporating flax seed.  Flax seed is high in most of the B vitamins, magnesium, and manganese, but it is also rich in Omega-3 fatty acids, high in insoluable and soluable fiber, and is perhaps our best source of lignans, which convert in our intestines to substances that tend to balance female hormones.  In addition, lignans may help prevent Type 2 diabetes.

A delicious way to incorporate flax into a daily diet is to mix flax powder into oatmeal for a satisfying snack or even to "cheat" every once in awhile and place them into brownies!

Prep Time: 20 minutes

Cook Time: 35 minutes

Total Time: 55 minutes

 

Ingredients:

·         1/4 lb butter (1 stick)

·         2 cups erythritol (powdered, not granulated)

·         1 Tbsp vanilla

·         4 eggs (room temp is best)

·         1/2 cup cocoa

·         1 tsp salt

·         4 oz unsweetened chocolate, melted

·         2 cups flax seed meal

·         1 Tbsp baking powder

·         1/3 cup cream

·         2/3 cup water

·         1 cup artificial sweetener

·         1 cup walnuts (optional)

Preparation:

Preheat oven to 350 F and grease a 9 x 13 pan.

1) Cream the butter until fluffy.

2) Add the erythritol to the butter and cream them together until fully combined (aim for a fluffy texture).

3) Add the vanilla and beat the eggs into the mixture, one at a time.

4) Add salt and cocoa, beat well.

5) Add chocolate, beat until fluffy.

6) Add the rest of the ingredients and mix well to combine.

7) Pour into a pan and bake for 35 to 40 minutes until top springs back. (You can also test if they're ready by sticking a toothpick in the brownies. If it comes out clean, or almost-so, they're done.)

8) Cool, then cut into 32 squares. If you cheat and eat one warm, know that the texture will be different once completely cool. That's when they become like real brownies. (They are even better the next day.)

Nutritional Analysis: Each of 32 brownies has 1 gram effective carbohydrate, plus 3 grams of fiber, 3 grams of protein, 10 grams of fat, and 107 calories.

 

So dig in without the guilt, because you won’t break your calorie bank with these delicious treats!

Happy Holidays!

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