RASPBERRY CUSTARD BRULEE

Here is a delicious dessert that is light and elegant--perfect when something sweet sounds yummy but you don't want anything too heavy.  You do have to dedicate up to 15 minutes to stirring, but it's very easy to make and worth the stirring! 
Any berries can be substituted for the raspberries.

2 cups fresh raspberries (about 1 pint)
2 tbls sugar
2 tsp cornstarch
1 egg, lightly beaten
1 cup skim milk
2 tbls low-fat sour cream
1/2 tsp vanilla
4 tsp brown sugar

Gently rinse raspberries.  Drain & set on paper towels in refrigerator to dry while preparing custard.
Combine sugar and cornstarch in small saucepan; stir well.  Add egg; stir well.  Gradually stir in milk until smooth.  Cook over medium heat 12-15 minutes, or until thickened, stirring constantly.  Remove from heat; let cool 5 minutes.  Add sour cream and vanilla; blend well.
Preheat broiler with top oven rack about 4" from broiler.  Divide raspberries equally among 4 (6-ounce) ovenproof ramekins or custard cups.  Spoon custard evenly over raspberries, allowing some berries to peak through custard.  Place ramekins on baking sheet.  Sprinkle 1 tsp brown sugar atop custard in each ramekin.  Broil 2 minutes or until sugar melts. 
Serve immediately.

Serves 4

Cal: 122
Protein: 4.4g
Fat: 2.6g
Carbs: 21g
Chol: 54g
Calcium: 105g

BAKED PEARS WITH CINNAMON CREME SAUCE

This is an elegant-looking yet very simple and light dessert. Tasty, too!

4 medium pears
2 tbls packed brown sugar
1/2 cup water
1 tbls lemon juice
1/4 tsp ground cinnamon

Creme Sauce:
1/2 cup plain lowfat yogurt
1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
1 tbls packed brown sugar

Prepare creme sauce ahead of time:
Combine all sauce ingredients in small bowl & mix well. Chill to blend flavors.

Preheat oven to 350˚. Peel pears, cut in half lengthwise, and scoop out core. Place, flat-side down, in a small shallow baking dish. Combine brown sugar, water, lemon juice, and cinnamon. Pour over pears. Cover and bake 45 mnutes, or until pears are tender. Baste occasionally with pan juices whilte baking.
To serve, place 2 pear halves in each of 4 individual serving bowls. Spoon pan juices over pears, then top each serving with a dollop of creme sauce. Serve immediately.

Serves 4
Per serving:
134 calories
2 g protein
1 g fat
32 g carbs
24 mg sodium
2 mg cholesterol
6.7 g fiber

AMBROSIA WITH TOASTED ALMONDS AND COCONUT

from Mayoclinic.com
Serves 4

1/4 cup slivered almonds
1/4 cup flaked coconut
Approximately 1/2 pineapple, cut into bite-size cubes
(or 4 pineapple rings, cut into bite-size pieces)
2 oranges
1 red apple, cored and diced
1 banana, peeled & halved lengthwise, then sliced crosswise
1 tablespoon cream sherry
Fresh mint leaves for garnish

Preheat the oven to 325 F. Spread the almonds on one half of a baking sheet and the coconut on the other. Bake, stirring occasionally, until the almonds are golden and fragrant and the coconut is lightly browned, about 10 minutes. Transfer immediately to plates to cool.
Working with 1 orange at a time, cut a thin slice off the top and the bottom, exposing the orange flesh. Stand the orange upright and, using a sharp knife, thickly cut off the peel, following the contour of the fruit and removing all the white pith and membrane. Holding the orange over a large bowl, carefully cut along both sides of each section to free it from the membrane. As you work, discard any seeds and let the sections fall into the bowl. Repeat with the remaining orange. Drain orange sections & slice each in half. Add the pineapple, apples, banana and sherry to the orange sections in the large bowl. Toss gently to mix well. Divide the fruit mixture evenly among individual bowls. Sprinkle evenly with the toasted almonds and coconut and garnish with the mint. Serve immediately.

Nutrition(per serving):
Calories: 165
Monounsaturated fat: 1g
Protein: 2g
Cholesterol: 0mg
Carbohydrate: 26g
Sodium: 1mg
Total fat: 4g
Fiber: 4g
Saturated fat: 1g