<p>My DH is trying to lose weight and I’m trying to figure out what foods will not totally wreck his efforts during the holidays. I’d really appreciate any recipes that would fill the bill, especially in terms of desserts. I know to make lean meats, lots of veggies, etc. But what works that is at least marginally festive and delicious for a treat?</p>
<p>I’m trying to cut out sugar as much as possible since that seems to help with inflammation, although then fat becomes more important.
I haven’t made chocolate fondue ( w fruit) for a while- Would a dab of chocolate be enough to make it seem special?
I also like fruit desserts. - very European!
[Stunning</a> Winter Fruit Desserts | MyRecipes.com](<a href=“http://www.myrecipes.com/m/menus/winter-fruit-desserts-10000001683994/page9.html]Stunning”>Healthy Winter Fruit Dessert Recipes)</p>
<p>Low carb, but not low cal: skewers of baby mozarella balls & grape tomatoes. Marinate the ingredients overnite, tthen put on bamboo skewers you find a Asian markets. </p>
<p>When I did Atkins (low carb) - I ate Ricotta cheese sprinkles w splenda & cinnammon. </p>
<p>Also - Jello w whipped cream</p>
<p>My approach is to enjoy while it lasts. I do not enjoy any diet type of desert. Is is any worhtwhile to consume something that taste below your expectations? I rather not have it at all. Like frozen non-fat no-sugar yougurt over ice cream? Forget it, why even bother, it taste so badly, I rather not have any. Not big fan fo any sugar substitutes, avoid them at any cost. Jello and whipped cream sound good but keep in mind that it would be the most extremely processed food full of chemicals, food calorings and whatever stuff produced from petroleum that you could put into your body. Calories are completely irrelevant if think of harm not related to calories. Ricotta cheese sounds awesome and so does cinnammon, but why to ruin it with splenda? There are many other things, like plain greek yougurt (but not instead of ice cream, I mean for breakfast). It taste great by itself, for variety, I add tons to powder chocolate (no other ingredients, no sugar, just chocolate) and honey to taste. I have no idea about calories. Just enjoy, it will not hurt as much as Jello with whipped cream.</p>
<p>Emerald, those are really elegant looking fruit desserts. He loves pears so that is a real option, I think.</p>
<p>NJ2011mom, the ricotta with splenda and cinnamon sounds really good but he’s not low enough carb to do that, at least I don’t think. Sugar free jello with light whip cream and maybe canned fruit in the jello is a thought.</p>
<p>I also noticed that Tate’s gluten free chocolate chip cookies (extraordinarily good, btw) are just 80 calories. I’m thinking one of those great cookies and a small bowl of lower sugar ice cream would suffice. (A friend told me the gluten free Tate’s cookies are even better tasting than the regular and she’s right!)</p>
<p>Just off the top of my head- what about baked pears / apples etc with Cinnamon. Serve with greek yoghurt or a SMALL serving of ice cream. I love stewed rhubarb. Sprinkle with some toasted oatmeal and almonds- yum!</p>
<p>OP here. I’ve actually never baked a pear or apple before. I’m intrigued.</p>
<p>[Baked</a> Pear Recipe - Allrecipes.com](<a href=“http://allrecipes.com/recipe/baked-pear/]Baked”>Baked Pear Recipe)</p>
<p>[Baked</a> Pears Recipe - Allrecipes.com](<a href=“http://allrecipes.com/recipe/baked-pears-2/]Baked”>http://allrecipes.com/recipe/baked-pears-2/)</p>
<p>[Baked</a> Apples With Walnuts](<a href=“http://www.fitsugar.com/Baked-Apples-Walnuts-929715]Baked”>http://www.fitsugar.com/Baked-Apples-Walnuts-929715)</p>
<p>Skip the butter : )</p>
<p>I agree with the baked apples. For a week night treat, I’ll core an apple, put it a bowl, sprinkle Spenda, cinnamon and walnut bits on it, then microwave for 90 seconds. Really good!</p>
<p>Meringues or any meringue based dessert like a pavlova would be relatively low fat/low cal for a dessert.</p>
<p>This is not a dessert, but it’s very festive and delicious:</p>
<p>[Smoked</a> Salmon in Cucumber Boats Recipe | MyRecipes.com](<a href=“http://www.myrecipes.com/recipe/smoked-salmon-cucumber-boat-50400000117849/]Smoked”>http://www.myrecipes.com/recipe/smoked-salmon-cucumber-boat-50400000117849/)</p>
<p>and very easy, only four ingredients: cucumbers, smoked salmon, red onions, Greek yogurt.</p>
<p>My sugar fix is fresh fruit, usually clementines or Fuji or Braeburn apples. I bet that if you peeled and segmented a couple of clementines on a plate or sliced up an apple (skin and all) on a plate, he’d like it. A plate of apple slices is like eating a candy bar.</p>
<p>Of course, it literally is like eating a candy bar, so you can’t go crazy with it. But, it’s crazy how sweet it tastes after weaning off candy and sweet stuff.</p>
<p>I also like a little snack plate of extra sharp cheddar cheese and sliced spicy salami or pepperoni. Or, if you wanted to go gourmet Italian: proscuitto and parmigianoreggiano. In fact, that combo with a sliced apple would be quite the little festive feast!</p>
<p>A slice of Angel Food Cake topped with strawberries and lite whipped cream and then sprinkled with red & green sugar sprinkles.</p>
<p>I have made a festive low cal Christmas jello mold before. Let me know if you are interested.</p>
<p>Personally, one of my favorite desserts is an apple, cut into thin slices, with a tablespoon or so of caramel sauce. That’s about 35 calories for the caramel, but it’s very satisfying and takes lots of time to eat.</p>
<p>Nuts of any kind are low-carb… but high calorie.</p>
<p>However… it’s the holidays, there will be cookies and so on everywhere. Perhaps it would be easier all around to focus on maintaining (not gaining) and then losing after the holidays. I decided to do that the week of Thanksgiving until Christmas, then also decided to add in an extra walk in the evening. Enjoying a tiny piece of everything has been a successful strategy, and I’ve actually lost a whole pound since Thanksgiving.</p>
<p>For that late night trip to the refrigerator. Keep a few of those small, single serve containers of Edy’s Slow Churned half the fat ice cream cups. Get your H a tiny spoon (appetizer spoon) - they give you tiny spoons in Europe and it seems like you are eating more than you really are. If you want to jazz it up for him then scoop into small bowl and tuck one of those really skinny ginger snap cookies into one of the scoops.</p>
<p>The other easy treat is one of those “no sugar added” (not sugar free) fudgsicles. They really remind you of your childhood and are acceptable for the South Beach diet. Some folks put the fudge pop in the micro for 10 seconds, remove from stick, stir in a spoon of peanut butter and a spoon of whip cream/Cool Whip. I haven’t tried it, but those who love peanut butter cups are happy!</p>
<p>
On what planet is this the case?</p>
<p>Candy bar, yuck. Depending on the apple slices, Yum.</p>
<p>Granny smith apple pealed and sliced, in a small bowl with a little cinnamon and a sprinkle of stevia, cover with plastic wrap and micro 90 seconds. Love it.</p>
<p>Works for pears with a spritz of vanilla extract and a little dusting of stevia. The non-fat ricotta sounded good with cinammon and stevia too, maybe add a little sliced pineapple or use non-fat cottage cheese?</p>
<p>If you do not cut apple, it cleans gums really well. In season apple is my favorie snack. But I stop them when they are out of season, not worth to have something with no nutritional value.</p>