Desserts Approved by the American Heart Association

Blackberry Lemon Drop Cupcakes

by American Heart Association

Ingredients:

• Cooking spray

Cupcake Ingredients:

• 1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
• 1/4 cup almond flour
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/2 cup unsweetened applesauce
• 1/2 cup fat-free milk
• 2 large eggs
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 2 teaspoons grated lemon zest
• 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
• 5 drops lemon-flavored liquid stevia sweetener
• 1/8 teaspoon salt
• 1 cup frozen blackberries, each cut in half
• 3 tablespoons stevia sugar blend

Frosting Ingredients:

• 2 ounces low-fat cream cheese
• 2 ounces fat-free cream cheese
• 1 teaspoon stevia sweetener
  OR 2 stevia sweetener packets
• 8 drops lemon-flavored liquid stevia sweetener
• 8 drops vanilla crème-flavored liquid stevia sweetener
• 1 teaspoon grated lemon zest
• 1/2 cup fat-free, plain Greek yogurt
• 12 blackberries, thawed if frozen, patted dry with paper towels, optional

Directions:

1. Preheat the oven to 350°F. Lightly spray a 12-cup muffin pan with cooking spray.
2. In a large bowl, stir together both the flours, stevia sugar blend, and baking powder.
3. Make a well in the center of the flour mixture. Add the applesauce, milk, eggs, oil, 2 teaspoons lemon zest, lemon juice, 5 drops lemon-flavored liquid stevia sweetener, and salt, stirring just until moistened but no flour is visible. Gently fold in the 1 cup frozen blackberries. Spoon the mixture into the muffin cups.
4. Bake for 22 to 24 minutes, or until a wooden toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Transfer two a cooking rack. Let cool for 30 minutes before frosting.
5. Meanwhile, in a medium bowl, using an electric mixer on medium-high speed, beat the frosting ingredients except the yogurt, for 1 to 1½ minutes, or until smooth, scraping the sides of the bowl as needed. Add the yogurt and beat on medium-high speed for 20 to 30 seconds, or until smooth and creamy. Spread 2 tablespoons of the frosting on top of each cupcake. Garnish each with a blackberry.

Peanut Butter Chocolate Cheesecake Dip

by American Heart Association

Ingredients:

• 4 ounces fat-free cream cheese (softened)
• 4 ounces low-fat cream cheese (softened)
• 1/4 cup low-sodium peanut butter
• Chocolate-flavored liquid stevia sweetener to taste

Directions:

1. In a small bowl, stir together both cream cheeses and the peanut butter until smooth. Add the liquid stevia sweetener. Stir together until well blended.
2. Serve with celery sticks, baby carrots, apple and pear slices, and no-salt-added pretzels.

Raspberry Streusel Muffins

by American Heart Association

Ingredients:

Muffins:

• Cooking spray
• 1 1/2 cups whole grain sorghum flour
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 3/4 teaspoon baking soda
• 3/4 cup low-fat buttermilk
• 1/3 cup firmly packed light brown sugar
• 3 large egg whites
• 1/4 cup canola or corn oil
• 2 teaspoons grated lemon zest (from 1 medium lemon)
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 cup fresh or frozen, unsweetened raspberries (thawed if frozen)

Streusel:

• 2 tablespoons whole grain sorghum flour
• 2 tablespoons light brown sugar
• 2 tablespoons uncooked quick-cooking rolled oats
• 2 tablespoons chopped pecans
• 2 tablespoons light tub margarine
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

Directions:

1. Preheat the oven to 400˚F. Lightly spray a standard 12-cup muffin pan with cooking spray.
2. In a large bowl, stir together the sorghum flour, 1 teaspoon cinnamon and the baking soda.
3. In a medium bowl, whisk together the buttermilk, 1/3 cup brown sugar, egg whites, oil, lemon zest and vanilla. Stir into the flour mixture until the batter is just moistened but no flour is visible. (Don’t overmix; the batter may be slightly lumpy.) Spoon the batter into the muffin cups. Top each muffin with the raspberries.
4. In a small bowl, stir together the streusel ingredients until the texture of coarse crumbs. Sprinkle over the muffins, gently pushing into the batter. Bake for 16 minutes, or until a wooden toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. (Do not overbake or they will be dry.) (The USDA recommends cooking egg dishes to 160˚F.)
5. Transfer the pan to a cooling rack. Let stand for 5 minutes. Carefully transfer the muffins to the rack. Let cool completely, about 20 minutes.

Caramel Kettle Popcorn

by American Heart Association

Ingredients:

• 1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon olive oil
• 1/4 teaspoon salt, preferably sea salt
• 8 cups air-popped popcorn (1/4 cup plus 1 tablespoon popcorn kernels)
• 5 drops unflavored liquid stevia sweetener
• 2 squeezes caramel-flavored liquid stevia sweetener

Directions:

1. In a small skillet, heat the oil, both flavors of the liquid stevia sweetener and salt over low heat for 1 to 2 minutes, or until warmed through, stirring occasionally. Let cool for 5 minutes.
2. Pour the mixture into a gallon-sized resealable plastic bag. Shake well to coat the inside of the bag with the caramel mixture. Add the popped popcorn to the bag. Shake well to evenly coat.
3. Pour the popcorn into a serving bowl.

Banana Bread

by American Heart Association

Ingredients

• Cooking spray
• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 3 tablespoons stevia sweetener
  OR 8 stevia sweetener packets
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 4 medium semi-ripe bananas (mashed with a fork)
• 1 large egg
• 1/2 cup 100% orange juice
• 1/3 cup extra-light olive oil
• 1 cup chopped walnuts (optional)

Directions

1. Preheat the oven to 350°F.
2. Lightly spray two 9 x 5 x 3-inch loaf pans with cooking spray.
3. In a large bowl, stir together the flour, stevia sweetener, baking powder, baking soda, and cinnamon until well blended.
4. In a medium bowl, stir together the bananas, egg, juice, and oil until well blended.
5. Pour into the flour mixture, stirring together just until moistened but no flour is visible. Stir in the walnuts. Pour the batter into the pans, about halfway full, smoothing the tops.
6. Bake for 40 minutes, or until a wooden toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Transfer the pans to a cooling rack. Let cool completely.