Healthy Easter Dessert

This healthy recipe comes from eatingwell.com:

Lemon Verbena Cheesecake

Makes 16 servings

Ingredients

Crust
20 vanilla wafers (see Ingredient note)
1 tablespoon canola oil

Filling
16 ounces 1% cottage cheese (2 cups)
8 ounces reduced-fat cream cheese (Neufchatel), cut into pieces
1 cup sugar
2 tablespoons cornstarch
2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice
1 ½ teaspoons vanilla extract
Pinch of salt
3 large eggs, lightly beaten
2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh lemon verbena or lemon balm (see Tip)

Topping
2 quarts fresh strawberries
2 tablespoons sugar
Lemon verbena or lemon balm sprigs for garnish


Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 325°F. Coat a 9-inch springform pan with cooking spray. Wrap the outside of the pan with a double thickness of foil. Put a kettle of water on to boil for the water bath.
2. To prepare crust: Pulse vanilla wafers in a food processor into fine crumbs. Add oil and pulse to blend. Press the crumb mixture evenly into the bottom of the prepared pan. (Rinse and dry the workbowl.)
3. To prepare filling: Process cottage cheese in the food processor until very smooth and silky, stopping to scrape down the sides once or twice. Add cream cheese and process until smooth. Add sugar, cornstarch, lemon juice, vanilla and salt; process until well blended. Add eggs and pulse several times just until mixed in. Sprinkle in lemon verbena (or lemon balm); mix with a rubber spatula. (Do not process.) Scrape the filling into the crust.
4. Place the cheesecake in a shallow roasting pan and pour in enough boiling water to come 1 inch up the outside of the springform pan. Bake until the edges are set but the center quivers slightly, 50 to 55 minutes. Turn off the oven. Let the cheesecake cool in the oven, with the door ajar, for 1 hour.
5. Remove foil from pan. Cover cheesecake with plastic wrap and refrigerate until chilled, at least 2 hours.
6. To prepare topping: About 1/2 hour before serving, rinse strawberries. Set aside 3 whole berries for garnish; hull remaining berries and slice into a bowl. Sprinkle with 2 tablespoons sugar and toss to coat. Let stand until strawberries are juicy, 20 to 30 minutes.
7. To serve, place cheesecake on a platter and run a knife around the inside of the pan; remove pan sides. Make 3 lengthwise cuts in each whole berry; press lightly and arrange fanned berries in the center of the cheesecake. Garnish with a sprig of lemon verbena (or lemon balm). Top each serving with strawberries and juice and garnish with another sprig of verbena (or lemon balm).


Tips

Cover and refrigerate for up to 2 days.

Ingredient note: To avoid trans-fatty acids, look for brands that do not contain partially hydrogenated canola oil, such as Mi-Del Vanilla Snaps (found in natural-foods stores and large supermarkets).


Tip: If you cannot find lemon verbena or lemon balm, use 1 tablespoon freshly grated lemon zest instead.


Nutrition Information

Per serving: 188 calories; 6 g fat (3 g sat, 1 g mono); 51 mg cholesterol; 27 g carbohydrate; 7 g protein; 2 g fiber; 225 mg sodium.

Acai

Acai is showing up in everything from to yogurt to juice, but what is it and why is is good for us?

Acai is a Brazilian berry that that has disease-fighting atioxidants, and in fact it has one of the highest levels of these compounds of any food. A recent study found that people who consumed Acai had TRIPLED their blood levels of antioxidants. You can buy acai in juice or powdered form.

Agave Nectar

I have been asked recently about agave nectar. What is it and is it better than sugar?

Agave nectar is made from the blue agave plant, which is a desert shrub. It is a liquid sweetener that is only slighly lower in calories than sugar, but because it falls lower on the glycemic index, it is absorbed more slowly and won't cause spikes in blood sugar. It is sweeter than table sugar, so you would only use about half the amout called for in a recipe. And because agave necter has a lower burning point, you will want to make sure that you reduce the oven temperature by about 25 degrees.

Eating the Right Kind of Cereal

By eating the right types of breakfast foods you can cut your risk of certain diseases. Here are some helpful tips:

1. Get in more fiber: new studies are showing that for every 10 grams of fiber you eat daily, you have a 17% less chance of dying from coronary heart disease.

2. Pack in more B6: muscle mass is usually lost when dieting, which makes it harder to stay slim due to a subsequent drop in metabolism. But studies suggest that you can preserve and prevent muscle loss by eating cereals fortified with B6.

3. Eat oatmeal: Oatmeal is low on the glycemic index, which according to some studies, may cut your risk of age-related macular degeneration.

Time Your Carbohydrates

New research suggests that eating high quality carbs such as fruits, vegetables, and whole grains increases your metabolism, whereas limiting good carbohydrates slows down your metabolism.Your first meal of the day should include your biggest carbohydrate intake. Opt for water-releasing carbs later in the day, such as broccoli, tomatoes, asparagus, and green leafy salads.

Healthy Biscotti Recipe

If you are looking for a healthy treat AND one that tastes good, try this recipe from BodyTrends.com:

Ingredients:

3/4 C whole raw almonds

2 C all-purpose flour

2/3 C sugar

1 tsp baking soda

3/4 C egg substitute

1 tsp vanilla

1/4 C almond extract or almond liqueur (such as Amaretto)*

zest of 1 small orange - optional


Directions:

Put almonds in a shallow pan. Toast at 350° F for 10 minutes. Cool. Chop coarsely.

Mix flour, sugar, baking soda, salt and nuts in a large mixing bowl.

In a separate bowl, beat egg substitute, vanilla, almond extract and zest about 1 minute.
Add to flour mixture.

Cut dough in half. On a greased and floured baking sheet, pat dough into two logs, 1/2" thick x 1-1/2" wide and 12" long.

Place logs 2" apart. Bake in a preheated 300° F oven for 50 minutes or until golden brown.

Cool on a wire rack for 5 minutes. With a serrated knife, cut loaves at 45 degree angle, 1/2" thick (16-10 pieces). Lay slices flat on a baking sheet. Cook at 275F for 20-25 minutes, turning once. Store in an airtight container.


Per Cookie:

Calories: 110

Fat: 7 G

Chol: 3 mg

Fiber: 6 G

*Alcohol cooks off during baking.

How to Save Big at the Gym

Rocco Greco of Altheus Health and Sport in Rye, NY has these tips:

1. Sign up at the end of the month- sales reps are more willing to negotiate the last 3 or 4 days of the month to reach their sales goals.

2. Bring a friend- tell the rep you will both join if the fees are waived or reduced.

3. Shop around - let the rep know that you are doing this. This may entice him to cut or drop the enrollment fee.

4. Offer to pay upfront for an entire year in exchange for a month or two.

5. Press for perks - such as guest passes or free personal training sessions.

6. Be willing to walk away if the rep won't budge. There is always wiggle room and you will probably get a call back at the end of the month asking you to come back- enrollement fee-free.