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Today, February 6th, is National Frozen Yogurt Day. Celebrate by taking a trip down to TCBY and indulge in this yummy, low fat treat!

Flavor options include: Blueberry Cheesecake, Chocolate, Coffee, Cookies and Cream, Golden Vanilla, Peanut Butter, Raspberry, Strawberry, White Chocolate Mousse, Strawberry Cheesecake, and Mocha.

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Today, December 13th, is National Cocoa Day. Celebrate by making a low calorie batch of cocoa cookies.

Prep Time: 7 minutes
Cooking Time: 10 - 12 minutes
Servings: 20
Calories: 109 cal
Fat: 2.8 g

Ingredients:
- 1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 cup reduced fat margarine
- 1 cup white sugar
- 2 egg whites
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 3 cups low fat cocoa powder

Instructions:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Lightly grease baking sheets.

In a bowl stir together the flour, baking soda and salt.

In a large bowl beat the margarine and the sugar until light and fluffy. Mix in the eggs and vanilla and beat well. Stir in the flour mixture and mix thoroughly. Stir in the cocoa.

Drop dough by rounded teaspoons onto the prepared baking sheets. Bake at 350 degrees F (175 degrees C) for 10 to 12 minutes or until lightly browned. Let cookies cool on a wire rack.

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Today, September 24th, is National Cherries Jubilee Day. Celebrate with a low fat version of this fancy and sweet dessert.

Servings: 4
Calories: 192 cal
Fat: 0 g

Ingredients:
- 1 15-ounce can pitted, dark cherries, or 1 cup pitted fresh cherries and 1 cup cherry juice
- 1 teaspoon cornstarch
- 2 tablespoons brown sugar
- 2 tablespoons kirsch or brandy, optional
- 2 cups vanilla non-fat frozen yogurt

Instructions:
Drain or pour the cherry juice into a small skillet. Whisk in the cornstarch and brown sugar.

Bring the mixture to a boil over high heat. Add the cherries and stir to coat them with the sauce.

Remove the skillet from heat and carefully add the kirsch or brandy. Return to heat and cook for 1 minute.

Scoop the frozen yogurt into 4 bowls and spoon the warm cherry mixture over the top. Serve immediatley.

Serving Size: 1 scoop of frozen yogurt with cherries .

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Today, September 22nd, is National White Chocolate Day. Celebrate with me by making these amazing low sodium White Chocolate and Cranberry cookies. Two of my favorite ingredients! Yum!

Cooking Time: 10 minutes
Servings: 36
Calories: 92 calories
Fat: 4g

Ingredients:
- 1/2 c Shortening
- 1 c Brown Sugar
- 1/4 c Egg Substitute
- 1 t Vanilla
- 1 3/4 c Flour
- 1 t Sodium Free Baking Soda
- 1/4 c Buttermilk
- 1/2 c White Chocolate Chips
- 1/2 c Dried Cranberries

Instructions:
Beat shortening until light. Add sugar and beat until fluffy. Beat in egg and vanilla. Stir together dry ingredients.

Add alternately with buttermilk. beat until smooth.

Stir in chips and cranberries.

Drop about 2 inches apart on greased baking sheet. Bake at 375 8 to 10 minutes, until lightly browned.

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Today, September 19th, is National Butterscotch Pudding Day.

Celebrate by having Jell-O’s sugar free, fat free, Instant Butterscotch Pudding. Add some lite whipped cream on top and you’ll have the perfect little dessert that won’t alter your diet. Yum!

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Today, September 14th, is National Cream-Filled Donut Day.

I know what your thinking … “I can’t eat a cream-filled donut!” Well, just substitute a cream-filled donut with a jelly-filled donut and you can save about 100 calories.

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Today, September 13th, is National Peanut Day. Celebrate by eating peanuts as a healthy snack.

Peanuts once took the rap as a not so healthy food, but recent research suggests that peanuts can reduce cardiovascular disease and lowers triglycerides (see post) in the body. Peanuts are high in protein and fiber, and are now believed to help curb hunger, and therefore help in diet control. So eat away!

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Today, September 7th, is not only my birthday, but National Napoleon Day. Let’s celebrate together with this lite, low fat Strawberry Napoleon.

Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 15 minutes
Servings: 10 -12 servings

Ingredients
- 2 cups milk, cold
- 1 (3 1/2 ounce) package instant vanilla pudding
- 1 (8 ounce) carton Cool Whip, thawed
- 36 saltine crackers
- 1 pint fresh strawberries, cleaned and sliced

Instructions:
Mix pudding mix and milk-(skim or low fat is fine) and beat on low for 2 minutes.

Fold in Cool Whip- can be low or non fat.

Place 12 crackers in bottom of 8″ square dish to cover bottom, break crackers if needed.

Breaking also helps disguise the saltines.

Top with 1/3 of the pudding mix.

Repeat to create a total of three layers of crackers and three layers of pudding.

Cover and refrigerate for at least 4 hours.

Just before serving top with cleaned and sliced berries.

Note: Vanilla and strawberries are my favorite combo but try with different types of fresh fruit using what is in season. Also try different pudding flavors keeping in mind that lighter colors disguise the saltines the best!

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Today, September 6th, is National Coffee Ice Cream Day.

Grab a bowl and a spoon and have some Dreyer’s Slow Churned, No Sugar Added Coffee ice cream. Don’t forget the whipped cream!

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Don’t forget to enter the contest for a Free 1 Year Subscription to SHAPE Magazine!

I hope everybody was able to stay on track during the holiday weekend. I know I had a hard time, but today is a brand new day to start fresh. Today is, National Macadamia Nut Day. Enjoy a low carb Cream Cheese Macademia Nut Parfait without falling off track.

Ingredients:
- 1 8 oz package of Regular Cream Cheese
- 1 cup Hula Princess Macadamia Nuts
- Heavy Whipping Cream
- Expert Foods Mousse Mix
- No calorie sweetener Splenda or Stevia
- Singing Dog Sugar Free Vanilla Extract
- Several small serving bowls or parfait dishes

Instructions:
To make the nut layer: Crush the Hula Princess Macadamia Nuts to a medium fine consistency.

To make the cream cheese layer: Whip package of cream cheese with an electric mixer and slowly add heavy whipping cream until you reach a mousse-like consistency. Stir in choice of sweetener and Singing Dog Vanilla extract to taste.

To make the whipped cream: Combine 1/4 cup of whipping cream with 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract and sweeten to taste. Whip until it doubles in volumne but is still soft. Add 2 teaspoons Expert Foods Mousse Mix and whip untill thick but not stiff. Thin if neccessary with a little cream.

For each serving dish, start with a layer of crushed macadamia nuts in the bottom of the dish and alternate with the cream cheese mixture. Top with whipped cream and a few whole macadamia nuts. Chill thoroughly!

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