Tart & Diet-Smart Dessert

Dessert is usually the first thing to go when you're trying to slim down. But decadent doesn't have to be a diet killer. The combo of fresh fruits and low-fat dairy alternatives in this easy-to-make treat mean that dessert is here to stay —and it's wearing skinny jeans.

Quick Lemon Custard with Fresh Fruit Topping

Ingredients:

1 box (4 servings) instant sugar-free lemon pudding
1 1/2 cups cold 1% low-fat milk (or skim milk)
1 cup low fat vanilla yogurt
1 to 1 1/2 cups fresh fruit, sliced (or whole blackberries, raspberries, or blueberries)

Preparation:

1.Pour cold milk into mixing bowl. Sprinkle pudding powder over the top. Beat on medium- low speed, scraping sides at least once, for 2 minutes or until well blended.

2. Add yogurt and beat on medium-low briefly to blend.

3. Spoon evenly into 4 dessert dishes (about 1/2 cup each). Cover and refrigerate until ready to serve. Right before serving, top with fresh fruit.

Makes 4 servings.

Nutrition Information Per serving: 138 calories, 1.7 grams of fat (0.9 g saturated fat), 6 grams of protein, 25 grams of carbohydrates, 2 grams of fiber, 378 mg sodium.

Spice Up Snack Time

Next to "happy hour," "snack time" just may be our favorite time of the day. But if you work in an office where free, calorie-dense food is always available (back off with that bagel!), you know you have to be proactive about your snacks to avoid the pitfalls. Bring vegetable and fruit snacks with you to work. If you're fortunate enough to have a refrigerator in the office, stock it up with low-cal, low-fat, low-sugar, and low-sodium foods.

Spicy Cucumbers

4 large cucumbers, peeled, de-seeded & sliced
1 tablespoon paprika
Pinch cayenne
Pinch black peppercorns, ground
3/4c fresh lemon juice


Yields 8 servings. Mix all ingredients together, let sit for 5 minutes & serve.

Diet Lies We Fall For

You may be self-talking yourself right out of your goal jeans. If we're not careful, the small, white lies we tell ourselves when dieting may end up as poundage on our tushies.

One of the biggest lies:
"I deserve it."

Girl, you deserve a lot of things, but a muffin top is not one of them. "This is a classic example of self-sabotage, Self-medicating with food is a learned behavior, which invariably leaves us feeling miserable." You deserve to be successful, healthy and to feel good about yourself - none of which you will find floating at the bottom of an ice cream bowl. Instead, Creating a reward system that doesn't involve food. Perhaps some minor retail therapy (we won't lie: we get pretty darn excited over a new pair of yoga pants). The big idea? "Work on progressively altering the feeling that food soothes. The numbing effect is fleeting at best but the consequences sadly linger."

3 Big Diet Myths—Busted!

Potatoes are not your enemy. No, we're not kidding. And according to HealthGal and expert nutritionist Amy Hendel, potatoes aren't the only foods to be sorely misunderstood. Here are the three we're thrilled to see Hendel rescue from the Do Not Eat list:

1. White potatoes. Enjoy them grilled or baked, or, take a tip from Hendel: "Consider chilling it and helping to make it a weight fighting food by stabilizing its starch."

2. Carrots. Carrots are high in fiber and other health promoting nutrients. "Cooked, raw or grated into a tomato sauce, this is a true superstar veggie."

3. Corn and peas. Yeah, they're "bread-like" veggies, but they're nutrient-rich and can help you feel fuller, faster. "Just remember that half a cup is a portion."

4 "Handy" Portion Control Tips

How much is too much?
Portion control is crucial, but as gals on the go, we know it's not always easy to figure out what a 'portion' is. Here are a few of the... ahem, handy comparisons we use to estimate portion sizes:

A woman's fist or a baseball = one cup serving of vegetables or fruit
A rounded handful = about one-half cup cooked or raw veggies or cut fruit, a piece of fruit, or one-half cup of cooked rice or pasta; also a good measure for a snack serving, such as chips or pretzels
A deck of cards or the palm of your hand (don't count your fingers!) =a three-ounce serving of meat, fish or poultry
A thumb tip = about one teaspoon of peanut butter or margarine

Text Away Temptation

Who makes good nutritional decisions under pressure? Don't look at us! If you're on the go like we are, we sometimes need a little guidance in choosing how to eat healthy when our choices (and time!) are limited. Technology to the rescue! In a pinch, you can send an SOS by texting DIET1 to diet.com/mobile for instant nutritional info on fast food and chain restaurant entrees. Get the lowdown on calories, carbs, fats and protein in your food before it becomes permanently attached to your down low.

Peanut Butter in Your Pocket

On pain of sounding like a broken record, peanut butter is awesome. And on pain of sounding like your crazy Aunt Mildred, we carry it in our purse. No, we do! And before you start picturing the gooey mess that would make, consider this: Nut Butter comes in single serve and 100 calorie packs. We've discovered a deep-down, made-for-each-other love for maple almond butter. Each serving is packed with protein and hunger-stopping power. Toss one in your purse in the morning, and when hunger calls, you'll have a fantastically yummy answer.

156-Calorie Carrot Bread

Ingredients
2 cups grated carrots
2 "stage 2" containers of baby food carrots (or 1 extra cup grated). The baby carrots make the cake "fudgier" - using just grated carrots make it more "bread-like"
1 cup all-purpose flour
1 cup whole wheat flour
2 cups Splenda Baking Sweetner
2 teaspoons baking soda
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon ground nutmeg or cinnamon
6 oz egg beaters or 7 egg whites
1 1/2 cups apple sauce
1 1/4 teaspoons vanilla extract
3/4 cup chopped walnuts

Directions
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Spray and flour a 9x13 inch pan.

2. In a large bowl, combine grated carrots, flour, Splenda, baking soda, baking powder, salt and nutmeg/cinnamon. Stir in eggs, apple sauce, 1 1/4 teaspoon vanilla, and 3/4 cup chopped nuts. Spoon batter into prepared pan.

3. Bake in the preheated oven for 30 to 40 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center of the cake comes out almost clean. Do not overbake.

serving size is 1/12th of cake, 156 calories per serving, 5.2 grams of fat, 23 grams of carbs, 5.8 grams of protein

"Wet" Your Appetite

Apples, celery, peppers and cucumbers —turns out, some of our favorite, go-to healthy snack options are also some of the wettest. And the wetter, the better according to the experts at Fit Sugar. "Foods rich in water tend to pack fewer calories into bigger servings and come with added fiber." Broth based soups count, too! "These are known as nutrient dense because the ratio of nutrients to calories is high." Just remember, a good snack is a balanced snack. Try pairing "wet" snacks with protein packed nuts or nut butter for a hunger-killing afternoon pick-me-up.

Black Fruits in Lavender Honey Glaze

Blackberries, cherries, and grapes, Oh, my! Tote the leftovers to work for your afternoon snack, or impress the heck out of your friends with this baby at your Sunday brunch. With a sinfully good fruit salad that's this easy and exotic, you really can't go wrong.

Ingredients

Lavender Honey Glaze
1 1/2 tsp. lavender blossoms, dried

1/2 cup honey, warmed

1 Tbsp. fresh orange zest

1/2 cup orange juice, fresh squeezed


Fruit Salad
4 cups blue-black seedless grapes

3 cups blackberries

3 cups dark, sweet cherries (such as Bing), pitted

2 cups black-skin plums, sliced

12 each fresh lavender blossom sprigs, for garnish


Preparation
In a small bowl, whisk together lavender honey glaze ingredients until well combined.
In a large bowl, combine fruits for salad. Pour lavender honey glaze over fruits and toss gently to coat. Garnish with fresh lavender blossom sprigs.

Nutrition (per 1/2-Cup Serving):
127 Calories; Protein 1.2 g; Carbohydrate 32 g; Fat 0.6g; 4% Calories from Fat; Cholesterol 0mg; Sodium 2 mg; Fiber 3.3g.

3 Tips to Slimming Down on a Skinny Budget

Raise your hand if a tight budget is keeping you out of your skinny jeans.
Girl, we know. Eating right isn't always the cheapest option, but there are ways to trim down while watching your finances. A few practical suggestions.

1.Shop seasonally and locally. If it's local, and in-season, the shipping costs are largely reduced, with the savings passed on to you. How do you know if it's local? Many grocery stores have sections specifically for local produce.

2. Cut up your own produce. You'll only save a few minutes of prep-time, but you'll be shelling out some serious dough. "Don't waste money for this "convenience,"" says Fernstrom.

3. Avoid the exotic. As much as this pains us to say, opt for less glamorous fruits and vegetables. "Green peppers don't seem as fancy as yellow or orange, but are a fraction of the cost."

4 Foods for a Good Mood

Cranky? The culprit might be hiding in your snack drawer.
What you eat can have a huge effect on how you feel - and we're not just talking about your rumbly tummy. Quick-grabs like soda, candy and white breads cause spikes— and ultimately crashes in— blood sugar, leaving you feeling less than your best. "The goal is to maintain an even, steady keel," says Pachella. She suggests almonds, avocados, low-fat yogurt or dark green leafy veggies to help you find and keep your good food mood.

A Tropical Way to Punch Up Your Lunch

Chicken breast over greens... again? We know the drill. Might we suggest adding some sweet and spicy Caribbean salsa to perk things up a bit? We're big, big fans of this little condiment. It goes great on everything from grilled chicken and shrimp to a mixed greens salad. Seriously, yum.

Ingredients
2 cups chopped seeded watermelon
1 cup chopped fresh pineapple
1 cup chopped onion
1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro
1/4 cup orange juice
1 tablespoon chopped jalapeno pepper or jerk seasoning (or to taste)

Preparation
In a large bowl combine ingredients; mix well. Refrigerate, covered, at least 1 hour to blend flavors. Stir before serving.


Nutrition per serving (makes 8 servings):
34 calories; 1g protein; 0g fat; 0mg cholesterol; 3 mg sodium