Key Lime Pie is a spring, summer ... make that every season staple around our house. But some versions pack a meal's worth of calories in one little slice.
That's why I had to try this pick from Southern Living's Slim Down South Cookbook (Oxmoor House, Jan. 6, 2014, $24.95). It delivers to-die-for Key Lime taste at about half the calories of standard recipes (316/slice compared to more than 600). You gotta love that!
You need only five ingredients: an egg substitute like Egg Beaters, limes, fat-free sweetened condensed milk, a ready-made graham cracker crust and fat-free frozen whipped topping. You use standard limes. (Hallelujah! It can take FOREVER to juice the teeny, tiny key lime variety). But figure four limes instead of three as suggested in the recipe below so you'll have enough juice.
You should be able to pick up everything needed in one stop unless you're like us. Luckily, Bob was patient when we had to go to two different stores to find FAT-FREE sweetened condensed milk because, as I told him, "It does make a difference."
Making this irrestible dessert is really quick and easy. Just be sure to think ahead. You can have it out of the oven in less than half an hour but it needs to cool - first on a wire rack; then in the fridge ... about four hours total.
The only work involved is squeezing and zesting the limes. With that done, toss the fresh lime juice, zest, egg substitute and condensed milk in a blender. Pulse the mixture a few times, pour it into the crust and bake about 12 minutes. Then wa-la! You've got pie!
After it cools completely on a wire rack, you can cover this delish dessert with whipped topping before refrigerating. But we left ours bare, spooning a small dollop of creamy goodness on each slice before serving.
Either way, get ready for everyone to rave over this citrus-packed creation never guessing how friendly it is to their waistlines. Don't you just love being sneaky?!
Legend has it that Key lime pie was created in the 1800s in Key West, Florida, using local limes along with sweetened condensed milk (which held up without refrigeration). This lighter version tastes just as rich. Freeze the pie for a few minutes to make it easier to transfer it to a pretty pie plate.
Hands-On: 15 minutes
Total: 4 hours, 15 minutes
Preheat oven to 350°. Process first 4 ingredients in a blender until smooth, stopping to scrape down sides as needed. Pour mixture into piecrust.
Bake at 350° for 10 to 12 minutes or until set. Cool completely on a wire rack (about 1 hour). Spread whipped topping over pie; chill 3 to 4 hours.
Serving size 1/8 pie: CALORIES 316; FAT 6.1g (sat 1.1g, mono 4.3g, poly 0.4g); PROTEIN 6.9g; CARB 55.4g; FIBER 0.1g; CHOL 6mg; IRON 1mg; SODIUM 199mg; CALC 146mg
Author: Carolyn O'Neil, MS, RD
Other Works: Registered dietitian Carolyn O'Neil is a three-time James Beard Award-winning food journalist and co-author of The Dish on Eating Healthy and Being Fabulous!
Publisher: Oxmoor Ho
use
Penned: Jan. 6, 2014
What's Inside: Healthy eating advice and 120 slimmed-down, Southern recipes. Designed to trim calories without giving up flavor, these figure-friendly dishes are organized by meal. You'll find sweet breakfast options (think Dried Cherry Pecan Oatmeal), nourishing lunches (make mine Chicken BLT Salad) and satisfying dinner favorites (Skillet Fried Chicken, anyone?) There're also chapters devoted to crowd-pleasing entrees, smart snacks and sensible sweets, many with fewer than 300 calories/serving.
Great for families, this nutritious collection focuses on healthier versions of much-loved Southern classics, wholesome ingredients and portion control. It also includes a 14-Day Slim Eating Plan to guide you through two weeks of healthful eating and helpful tips from slim and savvy southerners. Craving sweet tea? Try mixing half sweet and half unsweetened tea with a bit of mint.
Time Out: 288 pages
Available: $24.95 at Amazon and most book retailers
In the mood for something sweet? You'll also enjoy:
Prepare your own Mexican quick fix with this Chipotle-inspired bowl. Carbs are moderated by filling the bowl with beans, extra veggies and chicken. No need for rice, since the beans count as carbs.
Tips:
If you love tomatoes, increase the quantity to 1/2 cup, but note that the carbohydrates will also increase.
If preparing this recipe for one person, cut all of the ingredients in half. Or simply prepare the full recipe up to the end of step 2 and store leftover chicken and vegetable-bean mixture in separate airtight containers in the refrigerator for up to 2 days. Reheat in the microwave on High for 1 to 2 minutes, or until heated through, and continue with step 3.
Health Bite: The iron, calcium, magnesium, manganese, copper and zinc in black beans help to keep bones strong and healthy.
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