Delicious Desserts
and Healthy, Fun Snacks

Desserts and snacks don't have to be tasteless or boring just because they're vegetarian. Quite to the contrary. Vegetarian desserts and snacks are healthy and flavorful because they rely on the flavor of the ingredients and the blending of those flavors as they are combined. Sometimes subtle, sometimes robust, always delicious!

Serve them after dinner or at your next party or event. They're sure to be an instant hit! Some of the recipes you'll find here are raw food recipes and some are not. In either case they are all delicious! Take them along to the next family picnic. Ask the people who try them to try to guess what is in them. Get their opinions on the flavor. What a great, fun way to introduce new people to vegetarian cooking.

Okay--Enough chatter! On to the recipes. . .

1 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. baking soda
1/4 tsp. salt
1/4 cup plain low fat yogurt, divided
2/3 cup dried figs, coarsely chopped
1/2 cup walnuts, coarsely chopped
Nonstick cooking spray
1 cup sugar
1/2 cup orange juice
2 cups zucchini, grated
1 1/2 cups whole-wheat flour
1 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 tsp. cinnamon
1/8 tsp ground cloves

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Coat 9x5-inch loaf pan with cooking spray. Set aside. Combine sugar and orange juice. Stir in zucchini. Set aside.

Combine flours, cinnamon, cloves, baking powder, baking soda and salt in medium mixing bowl.

Stir half of flour mixture into zucchini mixture and stir in half of yogurt. Repeat with remaining flour and yogurt. Stir until blended. Fold in figs and walnuts. Pour batter into prepared pan.

Bake 1 hour to 1 hour 15 minutes or until wooden toothpick inserted in center of loaf comes out clean. Remove from oven and cool in pan 10 minutes. Remove from pan and cool completely on wire rack. For maximum flavor, wrap bread in plastic and store overnight before serving.

Makes 12 servings.

Per serving: 210 calories, 3.5 g total fat (0 g saturated fat), 44 g carbohydrate,5 g protein, 4 g dietary fiber, 55 mg sodium.

Dried Fruit and Coconut Balls

Ingredients

7 dried black mission figs, stemmed and quartered
4 dried Turkish figs, stemmed and coarsely chopped
1/4 cup preserved ginger, coarsely chopped
5 oz. pitted dates, quartered
1/4 cup golden raisins
1/4 tsp. ground cardamom
1 tsp. grated orange zest (optional)
1 Tbsp. orange juice
1/3 cup reduced-fat, unsweetened shredded coconut

Place figs and ginger in food processor, and grind by pulsing 10-12 times. Add dates, raisins, cardamom and orange zest (if using) and whirl until mixture forms a sticky ball, about 15 seconds. If mixture is too hard and dry, add orange juice and whirl to blend.

Spread coconut in wide, shallow bowl. Moistening hands lightly with cold water, form fruit mixture into balls slightly larger than 3/4-inch (balls should be bite-sized). Roll dried fruit balls in coconut, coating evenly. Place coconut-coated balls on plate.

Dried fruit balls can be stored in airtight, wax paper-lined container for 2 days at room temperature and one week in refrigerator. Bring to room temperature before serving. Yields 28-32 balls.

Makes about 15 servings (2 balls per serving).

Per serving: 90 calories, 1.5 g total fat (1 g saturated fat), 21g carbohydrate, 1g protein, 2 g dietary fiber, 0 mg sodium.

Contributed by the AICR from “Something Different”, written by Dana Jacobi, author of 12 Best Foods Cookbook and contributor to AICR’s New American Plate Cookbook: Recipes for a Healthy Weight and a Healthy Life.

VANILLA FRUIT CUP SOUP
Serves: 6
       Contributed by Nava Atlas*

This soup is basically a colorful fruit salad easily transformed
into an appealing dessert soup. Use the lushest fruits
of late summer for best results.

* 2 cups berries, as desired (blueberries,
* raspberries, or chopped strawberries, or a combination)
* 1/2 medium cantaloupe, cut into 1/2-inch dice
* 2 cups pitted watermelon, cut into 1/2-inch dice
* 1 1/2 cups green seedless grapes, left whole if small
  or halved if large
* 2 peaches or nectarines, cut into 1/2-inch dice
* 2 cups low-fat vanilla yogurt or soy yogurt
* 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
* 1/4 teaspoon ground ginger, or 1/2 teaspoon freshly grated
* 1 1/2 cups white grape juice, or as needed
* 1 to 2 tablespoons honey or maple syrup, optional

Combine all the ingredients except the last two in a serving
container. Add enough white grape juice to achieve a slightly
thick consistency. Taste, and if you desire extra sweetness, add
honey to your liking.

Cover and chill for an hour or two before serving.

* Nava Atlas is the author of numerous wonderful cookbooks
containing some great recipes! Visit her in A Vegetarian Kitchen

Ingredients:

1 1/2 C walnuts
1 1/2 C sulfite-free raisins or fresh pitted dates
1/2 C raw cocoa powder
1/2 tsp. vanilla
pinch of sea salt

Preparation:

Combine all ingredients in a food processor and blend until smooth and balled up.
Remove from bowl and press into square glass dish - alternatively, you can shape into one large square block with your hands.
Freeze until firm, then slice and serve.

Recipe provided by our friends at Purely Delicious Magazine** -
you can find them at: http://www.purelydelicious.net

** NOTE: Raw food diets are yet another aspect of healthy eating. For more information on Raw Food Diets please click the Purely Delicious link above or at the bottom of the page!.

As always - NJR recommends using Watkins seasonings and flavorings such as Watkins Sea Salt, Watkins Vanilla and Watkins Cocoa powder.

Ingredients:

3/4 cup all purpose flour
1 tsp. Watkins Cinnamon
1/2 tsp. Watkins Allspice
1/2 tsp. Watkins Baking Powder
6 tbsp. margarine or butter
1/4 cup sugar
2 tbsp. brown sugar
1 tsp. Watkins Vanilla Extract
1/2 tsp. Watkins All-Natural Orange Extract
Sugar, for dipping.
Watkins Cooking Spray

Preheat oven to 325 degrees F
Spray baking sheet with cooking spray; set aside.
In a small bowl combine flour, cinnamon, allspice and baking powder.
In a large bowl beat margarine, sugars and extracts together until smooth.
Beat in flour mixture. Shape dough (dough will be soft) into 1-inch/2.5-cm balls.
Dip tops of each into sugar.
Press down with a fork in criss-cross pattern.
Bake 12 - 15 minutes or until cookies are lightly browned.
Remove cookies to wire rack and allow to cool.
Makes 24 cookies

Ingredients

1/4 tsp. ground nutmeg
1/4 tsp. cinnamon
1/8 tsp. salt
2 Tbsp. canola oil
2 Tbsp. honey
1 Tbsp. shredded coconut (optional)
Cooking spray
4 cups mixed stone fruit (plums, apricots, nectarines, peaches),
peeled, pitted, and sliced*
1 pound cherries, pitted and halved*
4 Tbsp. whole-wheat flour, divided
4 Tbsp. brown sugar, divided
1/2 cup rolled oats
1/4 cup sliced almonds or chopped walnuts

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spray 9 inch square baking dish with cooking spray.

In mixing bowl combine sliced stone fruits with cherries.
Sprinkle with 3 Tbsp. flour and 2 Tbsp. sugar and gently toss.

In another mixing bowl make topping by combining oats, almonds
and remaining sugar and flour. Add nutmeg, cinnamon and salt.
Gently whisk to mix. Stir in oil and honey and thoroughly blend.

Spread the fruit mixture in the baking dish. Pour the topping
evenly over the fruit. Bake until the fruit is bubbly and
topping is slightly browned, about 50 minutes. Remove from oven
and sprinkle shredded coconut over top and let stand for
5 minutes. Serve warm or at room temperature.

*If desired, substitute with pitted frozen fruit that has been
thawed and drained of excess juices.

Makes 8 servings.

Per serving: 180 calories, 6 g total fat (1 g saturated fat),
31 g carbohydrates,3 g protein, 3 g dietary fiber, 40 mg sodium.

** Recipe courtesy of the American Institute for Cancer Research