(NAPSI)—The dessert table doesn’t have to be an enemy during the holidays. Simply be mindful of portions.

“It isn’t necessary to feel deprived of your favorite desserts,” explains Cheryl Toner, M.S., R.D. “Instead, shift your thinking to how much is enough. When you are living an active, healthy lifestyle, there is room for a small holiday treat.”

Indulgence and moderation can go hand in hand with CanolaInfo’s “Skinny Mini Holiday Desserts” Recipe Collection. It takes care of portion control for you and features bite-sized indulgences to limit calories while pleasing your sweet tooth.

Each skinny mini dessert has 200 calories or less per serving and is made with canola oil, which has the least saturated fat and most omega-3 fat of all common culinary oils. This keeps saturated fat levels in check (2.5 grams or less) in the recipes, which include Mini Peppermint Cupcakes, Almond-Apricot Snowballs, Mini Pear-Ginger Cheesecakes with Ginger Snap Crust, Mini Pumpkin and Date-Nut Cakes with Maple Glaze, Cherry Pie Bites and these pops:

Brownie Party Pops

Yield: 32 pops

Serving: One pop

Brownies

canola oil spray

½ cup canola oil

1¼ tsp vanilla extract

2 eggs

½ cup all-purpose flour

1¼ cups granulated sugar

⅔ cup cocoa powder

¼ tsp baking powder

½ tsp salt

½ cup semisweet chocolate chips

Pops

2 cups milk chocolate chips

1 tsp canola oil

Optional Toppings

candy sprinkles

chopped peanuts

coconut flakes

mini chocolate chips

Special equipment

32 candy/lollipop sticks (6-inch)

plastic foam block

Preheat oven to 325° F. Line bottom and sides of 9×9 inch baking pan with parchment paper or foil. Leave about 4 inches of overhang on two opposite sides. These serve as handles to remove brownies from pan in one piece, so there should be enough overhang to have a solid grip. Spray parchment or foil with canola oil. In medium bowl, mix together canola oil, vanilla and eggs until fully combined. In large, separate bowl, whisk flour, sugar, cocoa, baking powder and salt together. Slowly whisk liquid ingredients into dry ingredients, stirring constantly. Fold in chocolate chips. Spread brownie batter evenly in lined pan. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes. Cool completely on rack. Remove from pan and trim off any overly crusty parts. Line baking sheet with parchment paper. Melt milk chocolate chips in double boiler. Add canola oil and stir until smooth. Dip one candy/lollipop stick into melted chocolate (this will help brownie adhere better to stick). Scoop up about 1 Tbsp of brownie. Form brownie onto stick, making sure brownie is nice, round and secure. Immediately after molding it to stick, dip pops one at a time into melted chocolate. Allow some chocolate to get onto sticks to help keep them secure. Dip into different toppings as desired. Place sticks into plastic foam block to keep them upright as they set. Once all pops are finished, place in refrigerator for about 30 minutes to set. When finished, store in an airtight container in refrigerator or cool place for up to one week.

Nutritional Analysis per Serving (excluding optional toppings): Calories 140, Total Fat 8 g, Sodium 45 mg

The complete “Skinny Mini Holiday Desserts” Recipe Collection is at www.CanolaInfo.org.

 

On the Net:North American Precis Syndicate, Inc.(NAPSI)