FEB. 2011 - Eat Sweets – Still Lose Weight!
Biggest Loser Cookbook Tells You How
Who says losing weight means eating bland food? The Biggest Loser Dessert Cookbook (Rodale, 2010; $21.99) puts that myth to rest with more than 80 healthy treats that satisfy your sweet tooth without breaking your calorie budget.
Written by Chef Devin Alexander, The Biggest Loser Dessert Cookbook features sweet recipes made without artificial sweeteners, white flour, white sugar or refined products of any kind. It’s the first all-desserts cookbook to feature low-calorie, low-fat desserts such as Pumped Up Pumpkin Bites, Fudge Swirl Peanut Butter Cupcakes, Mexican “Fried” Ice Cream and Pecan Praline Cookie Thins.
Alexander, a professionally trained chef and caterer, is the former chef of The Biggest Loser and host of Healthy Decadence with Devin Alexander. She has authored many other cookbooks as well.
To give you a “taste” of what you’ll find in the cookbook, here are two delicious recipes from The Biggest Loser Dessert Cookbook.
OUTRAGEOUS ORANGE CUPCAKES
Butter-flavored cooking spray
1 cup whole-grain oat flour
3/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
3 large egg whites
1/2 cup fat-free, fruit-juice-sweetened vanilla yogurt
1/4 cup agave nectar
2 tablespoons orange juice concentrate
2 tablespoon unsalted butter, melted
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 teaspoon orange extract
1/2 tablespoon dried orange peel
2 cups, “Cut The Crap Whipped Topping,” divided
2 teaspoons freshly grated orange zest, divided
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Line 8 cups of a standard, nonstick muffin tin with foil cupcake liners (see note). Lightly mist them with spray.
Add the flour to the bowl of a food processor or mini-food processor fitted with a chopping blade. Process it for 2 minutes.
Place a sifter over a small mixing bowl. Add the flour mixture, baking soda, baking power and salt. Sift them into the bowl. Set the mixture aside.
In a medium mixing bowl, using a sturdy whisk (or a spatula if you don’t have one), mix the egg whites, yogurt, agave, juice concentrate, butter and extracts until well combined. Stir in the flour mixture until just combined. Then stir in the orange peel.
Divide the batter among the prepared cups, filling each cup about two-thirds full. Bake the cupcakes for 19-22 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out dry (a few crumbs are OK). Let them cool completely then divide the whipped topping among them, about 1/4 cup on each, spreading it evenly over the tops. Sprinkle the tops evenly with the orange zest, about 1/4 teaspoon on each.
Note: It is very important that you do not use paper liners. Full fat baked goods tend to have so much fat in them, that the paper ones are fine, but lower-fat treats stick to the paper. Note that the most common brands of foil wrappers often come with a paper-liner between each foil liner, so be sure to remove the paper liners.
Makes 8 cupcakes. Each (1 cupcake + 1/4 cup whipped topping) serving has: 144 calories, 4 g protein, 24 g carbohydrates (17 g sugar), 4 g fat, 2 g saturated fat, 8 mg cholesterol, 1 g fiber, 238 mg sodium
FROZEN BLUEBERRY MARGARITA
Before you start making the drinks, it’s important to have all the ingredients ready. You don’t want the blueberries and ice to melt while you’re squeezing lemons and limes. If desired, you can rim your serving glass with lime juice and salt.
3 cups frozen blueberries
1/2 cup gold or silver tequila
1/2 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice
1/4 cup freshly squeezed lime juice
1/4 cup light agave nectar
24 ice cubes
4 lime wedges for garnish (optional)
Add the blueberries, tequila, lemon and lime juices, agave and ice to a blender with ice-crushing ability. Blend on high until the mixture is smooth. Divide the margaritas among four 12-ounce glasses and serve immediately.
Makes 4 servings. Per serving: 188 calories, < 1 g protein, 33 g carbohydrates (27 g sugar), < 1 g fat, 0 g saturated fat, 0 mg cholesterol, 3 g fiber, < 1 g sodium
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