It’s that time of the year where we tend to put on all of those excess pounds after enjoying all of those yummy holiday treats. I’ve gathered a few of my favorite low-fat and low-sugar holiday treats. I love devils food cup cakes. The only problem is all of the eggs, oil and butter that go into the mixture that makes them taste so good. I heard a rumor about a cake made with diet soda. So, I decided to try it out myself. I was so surprised to see how great it tasted. You start out with a box of any brand of devils food cake or chocolate cake mix. Instead of the listed ingredients, you substitute 1 16-ounce can of diet soda. I used Diet Dr. Pepper, but you can use Diet Coke, Diet Pepsi or whatever your favorite diet soda is. You throw the soda in a large bowl with the cake mix and stir it up (stir for a little longer than you normally would) and bake in the over for about 25 minutes at 350 degrees, in a conventional oven. I like to use cupcakes, but you can use a regular sized cake pan, and it works just as well. The result is a light moist fluffy cake that is much lower in fat and calories than the original recipe. I like to use Cool Whip Free, instead of frosting. You can also drizzle sugar-free chocolate syrup on top instead of frosting. Hey! Get crazy and use both the syrup and the Cool Whip. Either way, it sure beats using sugary frosting. I used this recipe and made this cake and brought it to work to see if anyone noticed the difference. Everyone loved it. I waited until after my co-workers ate it before I told them what it was made with. I got a little creative and sprinkled sugar-free café mocha on top before the Cool Whip, and it tasted great. I figured the caffeine boost wouldn’t hurt anyone either, especially at 7am!
Another one of my favorites treats is sugar-free Jell-O. There’s so much you can do with it. I like to make Jell-O in single size serving cups and top with the Cool Whip I mentioned earlier. It tastes great and in very low in fat and sugar. You can change things up by using fancy serving bowls. You can also use regular ice cube makers or even the silly ones that come in different shapes and sizes as molds.
Last, but not least, are my favorite holiday cocktails. Everyone loves Sangria right? Well I came up with this recipe for a great sangria/wine cooler type of beverage that won’t leave you feeling guilty. Use 1 bottle of red or white wine. A cheap bottle of wine will do just fine. Mix equal parts wine and diet lemon lime soda, like sprite. Cut up a couple of apples oranges and lemons and throw them in the mix. Fill up large glass tumblers with lots of ice and enjoy! It tastes great and is a lot healthier than anything you drink out of a punch bowl or can! Have a great holiday season and enjoy!
