By: Carleton Rivers, MS, RD, LD

Replacing sugar-rich desserts with fruit-filled alternatives can be a healthy and tasty way to lighten up your diet! Try out one of these recipes to satisfy your sweet tooth without expanding your waist line.

Peach-Berry Frozen Dessert

Recipe website: http://www.diabeticlivingonline.com/recipe/desserts/peach-berry-frozen-dessert/
Makes 9 servings

Ingredients:

• 8 oz. package fat-free cream cheese, softened
• 12 oz. peach fat-free or low-fat yogurt
• 4 oz. frozen light whipped dessert topping, thawed
• 1 cup chopped, peeled fresh peaches; frozen unsweetened peach slices, thawed, drained, and chopped; or one 8-1/4-ounce can peach slices (juice pack), drained and chopped
• 1 cup fresh or frozen unsweetened blueberries, raspberries, and/or strawberries, thawed and drained if frozen

Directions:

1. In a medium bowl, combine cream cheese and yogurt. Beat with an electric mixer on medium speed until smooth. Fold in the whipped topping, peaches and the 1 cup berries.
2. Pour into a 2-quart square baking dish. Cover and freeze about 8 hours or until firm.
3. To serve, let stand at room temperature about 45 minutes to thaw slightly. Cut into squares.

Raspberry Lemonade Sorbet

Ingredients:

• 1 cup of frozen raspberries
• 1 handful of fresh spinach leaves
• 1/2 cup sugar-free or light lemonade

Directions:

1. Pour frozen raspberries, lemonade and spinach into the blender. Blend on medium speed until smooth. You may need to stop blending, push down ingredients from the side of the blender with a spatula, and blend again.
2. Pour blended ingredients into a freezer safe bowl and cover with lid or plastic wrap.
3. Place in the freezer for at least an hour. Enjoy!

Baked Apples

Recipe website: http://simple-nourished-living.com/2011/08/healthy-baked-apples-recipe/
Makes 4 servings

Ingredients:

• 2 large apples
• 2 tablespoons brown sugar
• 1 tablespoon butter, melted
• ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
• ¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg
• ⅓ cup water or apple juice

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350°F.
2. Cut the apples in half around the middle. Remove the core and seeds with a small spoon or knife. Place the apples in an ovenproof baking dish.
3. In a small bowl, combine the brown sugar, butter, cinnamon and nutmeg. Spoon this mixture into the centers of your apple halves. Pour water or apple juice into the baking dish.
4. Bake apples for 40 to 45 minutes or until the apples are tender, basting them occasionally with the juices from the baking dish.