No-Cook

This sparkling drink is ideal as a refreshing spritzer for brunch or on a hot summer day.

When the colorful allure of the many bell pepper varieties draws you in at the supermarket’s produce section, try this recipe for an unusual vegetable tray. The cream cheese mixture is also wonderful on celery, on cucumber rounds, or in hollowed-out cherry tomato halves.

You can enjoy this protein- and fiber-packed, easy-to-prepare dip on baked tortilla chips or in Vegetarian Taco Salad (page 94).

Don’t let the small size of these cheese balls fool you. They’re loaded with flavor and crunch!

The subtle, fresh taste of dill is at its best when teamed with cucumbers. Cut some into spears, rounds, or wedges and try them with this super-simple dip.

When looking for the perfect banana for a smoothie, you want to choose one that is not green but also not overly ripe (a few brown spots are great, but you don’t want it to be brown). Green bananas are difficult to blend smoothly in the blender and won’t give you the nice sweetness ripe bananas will. But, if they’re overly ripe, the flavor will be overpowering. If you’re a big fan of smoothies, it’s best to buy bananas in bulk when they’re on sale. When they are the perfect ripeness, peel them and store them in resealable freezer bags in the freezer so they’re ready for you whenever the craving strikes.

Though this shake isn’t as thick as some, it’s still incredibly rich and really satisfies that chocolate craving. In the evening, I love to add Triple Sec or orange liqueur to make it even more indulgent. The liqueur really adds even more depth and makes the shake something special. But either way, I’m sure you’ll find it delicious!

This is a great recipe if you have a craving for something sweet but don’t want to indulge in an overly caloric dessert. With each serving having only 85 calories and 2 grams of fat, you can save yourself the trip and the cost of going to a coffee shop with a friend and indulge right in your own kitchen.

This is a great, colorful treat to serve when hosting a girls’ night or cocktail hour. It’s fun and extremely easy to make in large quantities, since you’re just skewering one piece of marshmallow, strawberry, and banana on each skewer. When buying hot fudge, you may need to read the nutritional information to determine whether or not it’s fat-free. Some brands say “fat-free” directly on the label, but others that are may not say so. Just be sure that “0 g fat” is listed on the nutrition label.

Let’s face it, baking cookies or making candy can take a lot of time—time we sometimes just don’t have. But we do still want to offer treats that are made with love. These truffles are a simple, fast, and fun answer that will keep you from slaving over a stove and will keep your family fit and happy. In fact, they’re the perfect homemade sweet treat to impress everyone whether they’re interested in eating healthfully or not. And, they’re even perfect for getting the kids in the kitchen with you.

When strawberries are in season, this recipe is not only extremely affordable, it’s amazingly scrumptious. With each bite, you taste fresh strawberries followed by a hit of chocolate that lingers perfectly. I’ve come to love this recipe as a topping for low-fat whole-grain waffles and low-fat pancakes, as a dip for cinnamon flatbread sticks, and even as a topping for fat-free vanilla or chocolate ice cream. Whether your strawberries were cold or not when you started preparing this tapenade, it’s best to refrigerate it until they are fully chilled after being mashed.

This dessert is great to take out the door, to sell at a bake sale (if you store the cups in a tub of ice), or even to just open the refrigerator to. There’s just something so much more appealing about food that’s ready to go. Feel free to make this in any resealable plastic container you have sitting around your kitchen. But if you want it to look like it was made by the pros, next time you go to a warehouse or club store, buy 12-ounce clear plastic take-out cups with lids. If you’re making a lot, line them up and fill them assembly-line fashion. If you have a few extra minutes and want the shortcakes to be even more decadent, try following this recipe using the Sexy Strawberry Tapenade (see page 207) instead of plain strawberries—a 1/4-cup serving of the tapenade has only 50 calories and 2 grams of fat. Just layer a serving (or two) of the tapenade between the angel food cake and whipped topping in a 12-ounce cup, and you’re in for an extra-special treat.

These adorable little bears are exceptionally great for kids instead of less nutritious sandwich cookies. You can make plenty ahead of time and store them in an airtight plastic container for whenever they (or you) need a snack in seconds.

When you go to the grocery store looking for fat-free hot fudge, be sure to flip the jar and look at the nutrition label even if the front doesn’t say it’s fat-free. Several common brands don’t brag about being fat-free, but they are. The store brand at my local grocery store is one of them, so you might want to check at yours. Feel free to microwave these for a few seconds after you spread each side but before assembling. You’ll end up with an even gooier treat!

This quick dessert takes pudding to a new level of decadence by making it a little more like a pie featuring cookie crumbs, reminiscent of a chocolate crumb crust, and a touch of whipped topping. Feel free to make this with any flavor pudding. You can even sub in an all-natural pudding, though that will add calories (about 1/3 cup of sugar-free pudding has only 60 calories, while about 1/3 cup of naturally sweetened pudding has 90 calories). Always be sure to read labels. Numerous friends have reported, after enjoying this recipe, that they love it as is . . . their husbands usually “require” more Cool Whip. If you’re making it for your guy or you are a guy, you may want to add a bit more.

Though most caramel apples might be off limits, this sweet snack sure isn’t. It’s easy to throw together and great any time of the day . . . even for breakfast! Next time you go to a warehouse or club store, pick up some clear plastic containers with lids. You can make a few of these at a time and store them in your refrigerator for a few days so they’re ready when you are.

As you’ll notice throughout this book, I use very few fat-free products beyond milk, yogurts, and ice creams because I don’t think they taste good. So if you haven’t tried fat-free ice cream in a while or you’ve never tried fat-free double churn, it’s definitely worth giving it a try. It’s come a long way from the fat-free ice cream of even a few years ago. The marshmallow used in this recipe is an actual sundae topping. If you can’t find it easily, sub in marshmallow creme and stir just the tiniest touch of water into it so it’s not so thick. You won’t need as much to get it spread over the sundae. If you’re having trouble finding fat-free hot fudge, check the labels of all hot fudge at your grocery store. A number of brands make fat-free versions, but some don’t say it on the front of the jar.

When I was a child, I don’t think I ever saw my mother drink unless we were on the occasional vacation and she ordered a piña colada. I do, however, distinctly remember her spooning a touch of Kahlùa over her vanilla ice cream a fair number of times—and every time, she had a big smile on her face as she ate it. I remember her looking so happy. So in honor of her, I created this scrumptious sundae.

Make several of these low-fat chipwiches at once and store them in your freezer so you have some on hand for later. For freezing, stick the wrapped sandwiches in resealable freezer bags to keep the ice cream from getting icy.

Depending on the flavor and thickness of the brand of dressing you buy, you may want to consider adding a little lemon juice to it before tossing it with the salad. Lemon can really brighten the flavor and/or thin thicker dressings (thus requiring less dressing). Be careful, though—some brands are already pretty acidic, so adding lemon juice may make the dressing sour. Buy prewashed lettuces to save time.