Lighten holiday desserts with some simple changes
By Susan Hovey County Extension Agent
The holiday season is here. Parties, drop-ins and other gatherings offer plenty of heavy desserts which tempt us. If you're the cook, you can lighten up some of those desserts. There are other ways that you can help your guests, too. Here are seven tips for the holiday parties.

Use lighter products in recipes. By using fat-free whipped cream, you reduce the calories by 60 and the amount of fat by 9 grams for each 1/4 cup. By using evaporated skim milk in place of evaporated milk, you save 140 calories and 18 grams of fat per cup. You can almost always reduce the amount of chocolate chips and nuts in a recipe, saving calories and fat.

Use egg whites or nonfat egg substitute in place of whole eggs. Use 1/4 cup of egg whites or nonfat egg substitute for every whole egg. Save 41 calories and 5 grams of fat with each egg.

Cut desserts into smaller pieces. Cutting pies into 10 pieces versus 8 saves 20 percent of the calories; cutting into 12 versus 8 saves 33 percent of the calories. Cakes, brownies and bar cookies should be cut into bite-sized pieces. Small pieces also give guests a choice they can now have two types of dessert without feeling "stuffed" or guilty.

Make cookies smarter. With any recipe make the cookies a little smaller than usual. Make just one or two varieties of cookies rather than five or six. Consider making dough and freezing it - bake just what you need, a little at a time, during the holiday season. Serve cookies on a smaller plate - a small plate of cookies is less tempting than a large plate - and guests will eat just one or two.

Make fewer high-calorie items, such as cakes and pies. You'll be less inclined to eat too many desserts if your choice is limited to a few special treats. If you really like to bake, consider making inedible crafts as part of your holiday creations, such as saltdough ornaments.

Feature hot beverages with dessert. Hot beverages can be a low-calorie highlight. Try hot herbal teas. Make your own flavored coffees - try adding ground cinnamon, pure vanilla or almond extract to the coffee grounds before brewing. Use lower-calorie coffee additions such as fat-free half and half, fat-free whipped cream, orange zest, cinnamon sticks and non-nutritive sweeteners.

Offer your guests a variety of fresh fruits with dessert. Serve grapes, oranges, pears and a variety of colors of other fruits, or serve a colorful bowl of mixed fruit. You can also place whole fruits in a bowl and put sliced fruits on holiday platters.