Recipes

Desserts: Cakes and Cookies

1. Super Foods for Your Bones Slideshow Pictures
2. Bad Foods That Are Good for Weight Loss Slideshow
3. Superfoods Quiz: Test Your Food IQ

Light Vanilla Frosting

This frosting works well for cupcakes, cakes, or cookies.

Ingredients:

• 3/4 cup powdered sugar
• 1/4 cup Splenda® sweetener or other sugar alternative for baking
• 2 tablespoons less-fat margarine with added plant sterols (such as Take Control brand)
• 1 1/2 teaspoons fat-free half-and-half, whole milk, or low-fat milk
• 1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract
• About 8 drops food coloring (for colored frosting)

Preparation:

1. Add powdered sugar, Splenda®, margarine, milk and vanilla to a small mixing bowl and beat on medium speed to blend until smooth. This will take a few minutes, because the Splenda® takes a while to dissolve.
2. Add food coloring, if desired. About 8 drops will do.
3. Frost your goodies.

Yield:
About 2/3 cup of frosting (enough for 12 medium sugar cookies or 24 small cookies)

Nutritional Information:
Per serving (if frosting 12 cookies): 35 calories, 0 g protein, 6 g carbohydrate, 1.2 g fat, 0.2 g saturated fat, 0.6 g monounsaturated fat, 0.4 g monounsaturated fat, 0 mg cholesterol, 0 g fiber, 12 mg sodium. Calories from fat: 31%.

© 2006 Elaine Magee