Rainbow Fruit Salad
Good as a side dish or dessert, this salad made from fresh fruit is naturally low in fat, saturated fat, and sodium and is cholesterol-free.

Fruit salad:

1 large mango, peeled and diced 2 cups fresh blueberries 2 bananas, sliced 2 cups fresh strawberries, halved 2 cups seedless grapes 2 nectarines, unpeeled and sliced 1 kiwi fruit, peeled and sliced

Honey orange sauce:

⅓ cup unsweetened orange juice 2 Tbsp lemon juice 1½ Tbsp honey ¼ tsp ground ginger dash nutmeg

1. Prepare the fruit.
2. Combine all the ingredients for the sauce and mix.
3. Just before serving, pour honey orange sauce over the fruit.

	Yield: 12 servings Serving size: 4-oz cup Each serving provides: Calories: 96 Total fat: 1 g Saturated fat: less than 1 g	Cholesterol: 0 mg Sodium: 4 mg Fiber: 3 g Protein: 1 g Carbohydrate: 24 g Potassium: 302 mg

1-2-3 Peach Cobbler
Cooking oil spray helps to coat the pan with little fat or calories.

½ tsp cinnamon, ground 1 Tbsp vanilla extract 2 Tbsp cornstarch 1 cup peach nectar ¼ cup pineapple juice or peach juice 2 cans (16-oz) peaches, sliced, packed in juice, and drained (or 1¾ lb), fresh 1 Tbsp soft (tub) margarine 1 cup pancake mix, dry ⅔ cup all-purpose flour ½ cup sugar ⅔ cup evaporated milk, fat-free non-stick cooking oil spray (for baking dish)

Topping:

½ tsp nutmeg 1 Tbsp brown sugar

1. Combine cinnamon, vanilla, cornstarch, peach nectar, and pineapple or peach juice in a saucepan over medium heat. Stir constantly until mixture thickens and bubbles.
2. Add sliced peaches to mixture.
3. Reduce heat and simmer for 5-10 minutes.
4. In another saucepan, melt margarine and set aside.
5. Lightly spray an 8-inch-square glass dish with cooking oil spray. Pour hot peach mixture into the dish.
6. In another bowl, combine pancake mix, flour, sugar, and melted margarine. Stir in milk.
7. Quickly spoon this mixture over peach mixture.
8. Combine nutmeg and brown sugar. Sprinkle mixture on top of batter.
9. Bake at 400° F for 15-20 minutes or until golden brown.
10. Cool and cut into eight squares.

	Yield: 8 servings Serving size: 1 square Each serving provides: Calories: 271 Total fat: 4 g Saturated fat: less than 1 g	Cholesterol: less than 1 mg Sodium: 263 mg Fiber: 2 g Protein: 4 g Carbohydrate: 54 g Potassium: 284 mg

Baked Apple Slices
This recipe provides 1.5 fruit and vegetable servings per person.

2 oranges 2 Tbsp honey ¼ tsp ground cinnamon ¼ tsp ground cloves 3 Granny Smith apples, peeled, cored, and cut into ½-inch slices 5 Tbsp raisins ¼ cup chopped walnuts, divided ¼ cup vanilla yogurt, low-fat

1. Preheat the oven to 500°F.
2. Grate the zest of one of the oranges and set aside.
3. Squeeze the juice from both oranges into a small bowl. Stir the honey, cinnamon, cloves, and half the zest into the juice.
4. Lay half the apple slices in a glass baking dish. Scatter the raisins and 2 tablespoons of the walnuts on top. Pour on half the juice mixture and top with the remaining apples and juice. Combine the remaining 2 tablespoons of walnuts with the orange zest and scatter over the top.
5. Cover lightly with foil, and bake 30 minutes or until the apples are soft and the juices, bubbly. Serve warm or cold with a dollop of low-fat vanilla yogurt.

	Yield: 4 servings Serving size: ~1½ cups Each serving provides: Calories: 206	Total fat: 6 g Saturated fat: 1 g Carbohydrate: 41 g Sodium: 13 mg Fiber: 4 g

Oatmeal Cookies

¾ cup sugar 2 Tbsp margarine 1 egg ¼ cup canned applesauce 2 Tbsp milk, low-fat 1 cup flour ¼ tsp baking soda ½ tsp ground cinnamon 1 cup + 2 Tbsp quick rolled oats

1. Preheat oven to 350° F and lightly grease cookie sheets.
2. In a large bowl, use an electric mixer on medium speed to mix sugar and margarine. Mix until well blended, about 3 minutes.
3. Slowly add egg; mix on medium speed 1 minute. Gradually add applesauce and milk; mix on medium speed 1 minute. Scrape sides of bowl.
4. In another bowl, combine flour, baking soda, and cinnamon. Slowly add to applesauce mixture; mix on low speed until blended, about 2 minutes. Add oats and blend 30 seconds on low speed. Scrape sides of bowl.
5. Drop by teaspoonfuls onto cookie sheet, about 2 inches apart.
6. Bake until lightly browned, about 13-15 minutes. Remove from baking sheet while still warm. Cool on wire rack.

	Yield: 4 servings Serving size: 2 cookies, plus 4 servings for another snack	Each serving provides: Calories: 215 Total fat: 4 g Saturated fat: 1 g Cholesterol: 27 mg Sodium: 84 mg

Peach Cake

2¼ cups (29-oz can) canned peaches, light-syrup pack, drained and chopped ½ cup sugar 1 cup flour 1 egg 1 tsp baking soda 2 Tbsp vegetable oil 1 tsp vanilla 2 Tbsp brown sugar, firmly packed 2 tsp whole milk

1. Preheat oven to 350° F. Lightly grease 8- by 8-inch pan.
2. Spread peaches in baking pan. Mix remaining ingredients, except brown sugar and milk, together in mixing bowl; spread over top of peaches.
3. Bake until toothpick inserted into cake comes out clean, about 30-35 minutes.
4. For topping, combine brown sugar and milk in small bowl. Drizzle mixture on top of cake; return cake to oven, and bake 2-3 minutes.
5. Cut into eight pieces.

	Yield: 8 servings Serving size: about 2- by 2-inch piece Each serving provides: Calories: 205 Total fat: 4 g	Saturated fat: 1 g Cholesterol: 27 mg Sodium: 171 mg

Peach-Apple Crisp

20 oz canned peaches, light-syrup pack, drained 2 medium apples, tart, peeled and sliced ½ tsp vanilla ¼ tsp ground cinnamon ¾ cup + 3 Tbsp flour ¼ cup brown sugar, packed 3 Tbsp soft (tub) margarine

1. Preheat oven to 350° F. Lightly grease 9- by 9- by 2-inch casserole dish.
2. Combine peaches, apples, vanilla, and cinnamon in a bowl. Toss well and spread evenly in greased casserole dish.
3. Combine flour and sugar in small bowl. Cut in margarine with two knives until the mixture resembles coarse meal.
4. Sprinkle flour mixture evenly over fruit.
5. Bake until lightly browned and bubbly, about 20 minutes.

	Yield: 4 servings Serving size: ½ cup, plus 4 servings for another meal Each serving provides: Calories: 175 Total fat: 5 g	Saturated fat: 1 g Cholesterol: 0 mg Sodium: 57 mg

Rice Pudding
Use skim milk instead of whole milk to reduce fat and calories.

6 cups water 2 cinnamon sticks 1 cup rice 3 cups milk, fat-free ⅔ cup sugar ½ tsp salt

1. Put the water and cinnamon sticks into a medium saucepan. Bring to a boil.
2. Stir in rice. Cook on low heat for 30 minutes until rice is soft and water has evaporated.
3. Add skim milk, sugar, and salt. Cook for another 15 minutes until it thickens.

	Yield: 8 servings Serving size: ½ cup Each serving provides: Calories: 372 Total fat: less than 1 g Saturated fat: less than 1 g Cholesterol: 3 mg	Sodium: 366 mg Calcium: 255 mg Iron: 2 mg Fiber: 1 g Protein: 10 g Carbohydrate: 81 g Potassium: 363 mg

Sweet Potato Custard
Sweet potatoes and bananas combine to make a flavorful low-fat custard made with evaporated skim milk and no added fat.

1 cup cooked sweet potato, mashed ½ cup banana (about 2 small), mashed 1 cup evaporated milk, fat-free 2 Tbsp brown sugar, packed 2 egg yolks, beaten, or ⅓ cup egg substitute ½ tsp salt non-stick cooking spray as needed ¼ cup raisins 1 Tbsp sugar 1 tsp ground cinnamon

1. In a medium bowl, stir together sweet potato and banana.
2. Add milk, blending well.
3. Add brown sugar, egg yolks, and salt, mixing thoroughly.
4. Spray a 1-quart casserole with non-stick cooking spray. Transfer sweet potato mixture to casserole dish.
5. Combine raisins, sugar, and cinnamon; sprinkle over top of sweet potato mixture.
6. Bake in a preheated 325º F oven for 40-45 minutes or until a knife inserted near center comes out clean.

	Yield: 6 servings Serving size: ½ cup Each serving provides: Calories: 160 Total fat: 2 g Saturated fat: less than 1 g Cholesterol: 72 g*	Sodium: 255 mg Fiber: 2 g Protein: 5 g Carbohydrate: 32 g Potassium: 488 mg *If egg substitutes are used, cholesterol will be lower.

Winter Crisp
Only 1 tablespoon of margarine is used to make the crumb topping of this tart and tangy fruit dessert that is cholesterol-free and low-sodium.

Filling:

½ cup sugar 3 Tbsp all-purpose flour 1 tsp lemon peel, grated ¾ tsp lemon juice 5 cups apples, unpeeled and sliced 1 cup cranberries

Topping:

⅔ cup rolled oats ⅓ cup brown sugar, packed ¼ cup whole wheat flour 2 tsp ground cinnamon 1 Tbsp soft (tub) margarine, melted

1. To prepare filling, in a medium bowl combine sugar, flour, and lemon peel; mix well. Add lemon juice, apples, and cranberries; stir to mix. Spoon into a 6-cup baking dish.
2. To prepare topping, in a small bowl, combine oats, brown sugar, flour, and cinnamon. Add melted margarine; stir to mix.
3. Sprinkle topping over filling. Bake in a 375º F oven for approximately 40-50 minutes or until filling is bubbly and top is brown. Serve warm or at room temperature.

Apple Coffee Cake
Apples and raisins provide the moistness, which means less oil can be used in this low-saturated fat, low-cholesterol, and low-sodium coffee cake.

5 cups tart apples, cored, peeled, and chopped 1 cup sugar 1 cup dark raisins ½ cup pecans, chopped ¼ cup vegetable oil 2 tsp vanilla 1 egg, beaten 2½ cups all-purpose flour, sifted 1½ tsp baking soda 2 tsp ground cinnamon

1. Preheat oven to 350º F.
2. Lightly oil a 13- by 9- by 2-inch pan.
3. In a large mixing bowl, combine apples with sugar, raisins, and pecans; mix well. Let stand 30 minutes.
4. Stir in oil, vanilla, and egg. Sift together flour, soda, and cinnamon; stir into apple mixture about ⅓ at a time, just enough to moisten dry ingredients.
5. Turn batter into pan. Bake 35-40 minutes. Cool cake slightly before serving.

	Yield: 20 servings Serving size: 3½- by 2½-inch piece Each serving provides: Calories: 196 Total fat: 8 g	Saturated fat: 1 g Cholesterol: 11 mg Sodium: 67 mg Fiber: 2 g Protein: 3 g Carbohydrate: 31 g Potassium: 136 mg

Frosted Cake
Use fat-free milk and low-fat cream cheese to lower the saturated fat and calories in this special-occasion cake.

Cake:

2¼ cups cake flour 2¼ tsp baking powder 4 Tbsp soft (tub) margarine 1¼ cups sugar 4 eggs 1 tsp vanilla 1 Tbsp orange peel ¾ cup milk, fat-free

Icing:

3 oz cream cheese, low-fat 2 Tbsp milk, fat-free 6 Tbsp cocoa 2 cups confectioners sugar, sifted ½ tsp vanilla extract

1. Preheat the oven to 325° F.
2. Grease with small amount of cooking oil or use non-stick cooking oil spray on a 10-inch round pan (at least 2½ inches high). Powder pan with flour. Tap out excess flour.
3. Sift together flour and baking powder.
4. In a separate bowl, beat together margarine and sugar until soft and creamy. 5. Beat in eggs, vanilla, and orange peel.
6. Gradually add the flour mixture alternating with the milk, beginning and ending with flour.
7. Pour the mixture into the pan. Bake for 40-45 minutes or until done. Let cake cool for 5-10 minutes before removing from the pan. Let cool completely before icing.

Icing:
1. Cream together cream cheese and milk until smooth. Add cocoa. Blend well.
2. Slowly add sugar until icing is smooth. Mix in vanilla.
3. Smooth icing over top and sides of cooled cake.

	Yield: 16 servings Serving size: 1 slice Each serving provides: Calories: 241 Total fat: 5 g Saturated fat: 2 g Cholesterol: 57 mg	Sodium: 273 mg Calcium: 70 mg Iron: 2 mg Fiber: 1 g Protein: 4 g Carbohydrate: 45 g Potassium: 95 mg