Thursday, August 27, 2009

Hot Fudge 'n Brownie Sundae - without the guilt!

Hi Gang! This one came across my radar from Hungry Girl and I am going to give it a whirl this weekend! Patti


PER SERVING (entire sundae): 190 calories, 2g fat, 116mg sodium, 41g carbs, 4.5g fiber, 27g sugars, 4g protein -- POINTS® value 3*

Chocolate, chocolate, chocolate... and MORE chocolate. AHHHHHHHH!



Ingredients:
1/2 cup Breyers Double Churn Free French Chocolate fat-free ice cream
2 tbsp. Fat Free Reddi-wip
1 tbsp. traditional fudge brownie mix
2 tsp. Hershey's Lite chocolate syrup
1 tsp. mini semi-sweet chocolate chips
1/2 tsp. fat-free liquid egg substitute (like Original Egg Beaters)

Directions:
Place brownie mix in a small microwave-safe dish (like a ramekin). Add egg substitute and 1/2 tsp. water, and mix well. Microwave for 45 seconds, and then let sit for 5 minutes. Then, use a fork to break it up and crumble into brownie bits (use your fingers, too -- just make sure your hands are clean!). Place ice cream in a dessert dish, and top with brownie bits. Set aside.

Place chocolate chips in a small microwave-safe dish, and cover with syrup. Microwave for 45 seconds, and then mix well. Pour sauce over the brownie bits and ice cream. Dig in!!!

MAKES 1 SERVING

HG Tip! Wondering what to do with the rest of your brownie mix? Make single-serving brownies by thoroughly mixing 2 tbsp. brownie mix with 1 tsp. fat-free liquid egg substitute and 1 tsp. water in a small dish and then microwaving for 1 minute. Let sit for 5 minutes, and then consume immediately! Your treat will contain around 106 calories, 2g fat, 22g carbs, and 1g fiber (POINTS® value 2*).

Tuesday, August 4, 2009

You Scream - I Scream - We All Scream for Ice Cream!

From the Weight Watchers website - the low down, on ice cream and great info on making an informed selection.

Like I always say, "Knowledge is power." My favorite is Edy's Slow Churned 1/2 the Fat Peanut Butter Cup at only 130 calories for half cup. Just be sure to invite me over for a small dish when you have it!

Ice cream

The one-size-fits-all term of old now has several sub-categories, with varying degrees of waistline-friendliness.

The rich, decadent flavor of superpremium ice cream comes from an abundance of milkfat (at least 14 percent) and very little added air — and density means more calories.

Premium is a step down from there (11- to 15-percent milkfat, and a bit more air), but still packs plenty of POINTS® values. Both varieties tend to come in more unusual, “gourmet” flavors. Regular contains at least 10-percent milkfat, and has even more air than premium. Compare nutrition facts labels — you’ll be surprised by how well some regular ice cream fits into the program. Reduced Fat contains at least 25-percent less fat than its regular counterpart. Light and low-fat has less than 30 percent of calories from fat or no more than 3 grams of fat in a half-cup serving. Non-fat has less than 0.5 grams of fat. That said, always check the nutrition facts: the “light” variety of a superpremium brand may have more POINTS values than the “regular” from another brand.

A few words about milkfat: Because the amount of air pumped into different brands varies so greatly, the percentage of milkfat doesn’t correspond precisely to the number of fat grams per serving. For example, if a superpremium vanilla has 16-percent milkfat and 12 fat grams per serving, the regular might have 10-percent milkfat and 7 grams of fat in a serving, and the light could have 4-percent milkfat and 4 fat grams. That’s why it’s so important to calculate the POINTS values for each specific brand you try.

Slow-churned, cold-churned or double-churned
Three names for the same thing, this is a revolution in reduced-calorie ice cream production, a new process that disperses the tiny globules of milk fat more thoroughly. The basic recipe — and the milkfat content — is the same as other low- and reduced-fat ice creams, but the technique used to make it creates the illusion of richness. These products can offer the satisfaction of premium ice cream with far less fat and calories. There are a few brands on the market now that have a POINTS value of only 3 per serving, but still feel indulgent. Note that “no sugar added” doesn’t always equal a big difference in calories (or POINTS value).

Soft serve
Surprise! Those sweet swirls are almost always reduced-fat — most recipes call for only 3- to 6-percent milkfat. Plus its soft texture comes from churned-in air, which yields fewer calories by volume. Frozen custard is not the same as soft serve — it’s got added egg yolks, plus a higher percentage of milkfat.

Gelato
Similar in texture to soft serve but with a much more intense flavor, gelato can be an occasional treat. It usually has more milk than cream, meaning a lower fat count than regular ice cream, but with much less air — so there are more calories in less volume. Stick to small servings.

Frozen yogurt
With a taste and calorie count that’s similar to light ice cream, this is usually a good choice — but don’t forget to read the nutrition facts! Some frozen yogurts have a higher POINTS value per serving than slow-churned ice cream.

Non-dairy frozen desserts
If you’re a vegan, lactose intolerant or watching your cholesterol, you can still enjoy a creamy treat. Frozen desserts based on soy or rice are plan-friendly — relatively low in calories and fat — and, while they may not taste exactly like the real thing, they’re a whole lot better than nothing.

Sherbet and sorbet
Sherbet has less milkfat and more sugar than low-fat ice cream, and its POINTS value is relatively low. Sorbet has no dairy in it at all, so it’s usually fat-free — but the high sugar content means that it may have just as many calories as some ice creams. But texturally it’s entirely different: more icy and refreshing, but less decadent.