Yogurt Parfait Shots

By Marie Feldman, RD
(Makes 4 servings)

Ingredients

• 1 cup nonfat Greek yogurt
• 4 teaspoons honey or 4 tablespoons light maple syrup
• 4 teaspoons chopped nuts
• Handful of berries (about 12 small raspberries, 8 blackberries, or 2-3 cut up strawberries, or mix n’ match)

Directions

1. In small bowl combine the yogurt and honey or maple syrup.
2. Spoon sweetened yogurt into four shot glasses until each is half full; this will be about 2 tablespoons for each.
3. Add 1 teaspoon chopped nuts to center of each glass.
4. Fill glasses with rest of yogurt (again about 2 tablespoons per glass) and top each with a few berries.
5. Chill if not serving immediately.

Black & Blue Berry Cake (But any fresh berries will do)

Makes 8 to 9 servings

• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 stick unsalted butter, softened
• 2/3 cup sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• 1/2 teaspoon finely grated lemon zest (or orange zest)
• 1 large egg
• 1/2 cup well-shaken low-fat buttermilk
• 1/2 cup fresh blackberries
• 1/2 cup fresh blueberries

Preheat oven to 400 F. Grease and flour 9-inch round cake pan.

Whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt and set aside. In large bowl, beat butter and sugar with electric mixer at medium-high speed until pale and fluffy, about 2 minutes, then beat in vanilla and zest. Add egg and beat well.

At low speed, add 1/3 flour mixture, then 1/3 buttermilk and repeat in 3 batches until just combined. Drop/pour batter into cake pan, smoothing top. Sprinkle berries over top and gently (if at all) push berries into top of batter. (Cake will rise over berries while baking.)

Bake 20 to 25 minutes, or until a wooden pick inserted into center comes out clean. Cool in pan 10 minutes, then turn out onto rack for 10 minutes before moving to plate.

Berry Topped Pudding Pie

Recipe from the American Heart Association, courtesy of Alton Brown.

(Makes 8 servings)

• Canola or corn oil for pie pan
• 2 large egg white
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1/8 teaspoon cream of tartar
• 1/8 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 3/4 cup walnuts or pecans, finely chopped
• 1 small package fat-free, sugar-free instant lemon or vanilla pudding mix, prepared with 2 cups cold fat-free milk
• 12 ounces fresh berries or other fruit, sliced if needed
• 1/2 cup fat-free frozen whipped topping, thawed (optional)

Preheat the oven to 300 F. Pour small amount of oil onto paper towel and lightly wipe bottom and side of an 8- or 9-inch pie pan.

In large mixing bowl, using electric mixer, beat egg whites, vanilla, cream of tartar, and salt on medium speed until foamy. With mixer still running, gradually add the sugar in slow, steady stream, until stiff peaks form. (The peaks shouldn’t fold over when the beater is lifted.) Very gently fold in ½ cup of nuts.

Using flexible spatula or rubber scraper, spread meringue over bottom and up side of pie pan and onto lip of pan, but not over edge of pan. Sprinkle bottom of pan with remaining nuts.

Bake for 50 minutes, or until meringue is firm and lightly browned. Transfer to cooling rack and let cool completely, at least 2 hours.

Using package directions, prepare pudding. Spread over cooled crust. Arrange fruit decoratively over pudding. Top with whipped topping.

Note: In warm weather, meringues will get gummy after a few days, so it’s best to serve this dessert within 24 hours.