Healthy Treats for Sweets This Valentine's

Editor's note: trying something new today, a contribution from the  "skinny chef" Jennifer Iserloh. Enjoy!  Suz 

Worrying about your health is no picnic and eating right is a big part of how you look and feel.  I teach people how to maintain a healthy diet, but as a professionally trained chef I’ll be the first one to admit that taste is just as important to me as eating the right foods.  But I believe that you can have both, by using good quality ingredients that are high in nutrients you need and the flavors you love.

Vitamin D and cancer fighter tumeric are the top foods that are currently being studied in the fight against cancer, and it’s a cinch to get them into every day meals, dishes that you can even share with family and friends.  You’ll find these ingredients in your local grocery store, from vitamin D rich fortified dairy, like skim milk and yogurt to golden spice mixtures that contain turmeric, like good old curry powder right from the spice aisle.

Valentine’s day is just around the corner, and these creamy pudding pops from my latest book “Secrets of a Skinny Chef" contain vitamin D rich skim milk flavored with dark rich cocoa powder. A lot of frozen treats on the market are low in sugar and fat, but what about all those preservatives and artificial sweeteners they contain? I’d rather eat the real thing. This frozen treat is lightened naturally with fat-free milk and the sweet flavor of carrot juice.

Chocolate Pudding Pop

Makes 8 pops

2 cups fat-free milk
1 cup carrot juice
1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
3 tablespoons granulated sugar
4 teaspoons cornstarch
2 teaspoons vanilla extract

Place the milk, carrot juice, cocoa, sugar, cornstarch, and vanilla in a large saucepan. Whisk briskly. Bring the mixture to slow boil, whisking continuously, until small bubbles start to form around the edges and the mixture is thick—about 3 to 4 minutes. Transfer the mixture to a popsicle mold with eight holders or pour it into eight paper drinking cups. Cover and freeze 3 to 4 hours or until firm. Store in a freezer for up to 1 week.

Looking for more chocolaty desserts that deliver naturally good nutrients like Vitamin D, potassium and folate?  Try my chocolate avocado shake that is a hit with kids too!

Jennifer Iserloh, the Skinny Chef, believes that the essence of good health springs from your own kitchen.  You can eat the foods you love by cooking them the healthy way to satisfy both body and soul! She celebrates delicious, easy to prepare dishes that can be enjoyed for a lifetime, reinventing meals that grandma would be proud to serve.

As a trained chef, Jennifer has shared her recipes and healthy living tips both in print publications such a SELF magazine, Prevention, and First for Women, as well as on the Today Show, CBS, NBC and other TV and radio programs. A certified yoga teacher and former private chef for internationally known celebrities, she continues to teach the secrets to comforting meals made healthier and healthy fare made tastier.