The Sweet Life, Part 2

With your trusty Pink Patch and these two diet-safe holiday treats, you won't miss out on any winter sweets! 

It's a rough time for any girl on a diet; you don't want to feel like the size of a Buick OR bring down the holiday cheer. 

Making your own desserts is also a crafty way of ensuring there's a healthy option for you at holiday parties and family dinners. There recipes make 4 servings each, but you can easily adjust them for larger groups.

Plums with Gingerbread Cream

per serving: 96 calories, 0 grams fat, 18 grams carbohydrate, 6 grams protein

4 ripe plums (you can buy them a day or two in advance to make sure they're ripe)

2 cups fat-free plain Greek yogurt (such as Fage)

2 teaspoons ground ginger

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

1/4 teaspoon cloves

1/4 teaspoon nutmeg

Good quality brown sugar substitute (such as Splenda) to taste, plus extra for garnish

Juice of half a lemon

4 martini glasses

Cut each plum into 6 even wedges. In a bowl, combine yogurt, spices, extract and sugar substitute (as much or as little as you like - remember, it's sweeter than actual sugar). Whisk until well-combined (can be done one day ahead and refrigerated).

To assemble: spread about 2 tablespoons of sugar substitute on a plate. Dip martini glass rims in lemon juice, then in sugar substitute, so that the sugar substitute sticks to the glass (like salt with margaritas). Carefully layer 2 plum wedges and top with a few spoonfuls of gingerbread cream in martini glass. Repeat twice (you should have 3 layers of plums and 3 layers of cream). Serve and enjoy!

Rum-Glazed Bananas with Vanilla Frozen Yogurt

per serving: 321 calories, 5 grams fat, 44 grams carbohydrates, 5 grams protein

4 small ripe bananas

2 tablespoons butter

4 tablespoons dark rum

1 tablespoon good quality brown sugar substitute (such as Splenda), plus more to taste

1 pint fat-free vanilla frozen yogurt

4 strawberries

Slice bananas into even rounds, about 1/2 inch thick. Over medium heat, melt butter in a skillet, add bananas and sugar substitute. Cook 2-3 minutes, stirring twice. Standing away from the stove, add rum and cook until the mixture starts bubbling. Take the pan off the heat. Distribute frozen yogurt among bowls (about a 1/2 cup per person). Top with hot glazed bananas, and spoon some of the glaze over the dessert in a cross pattern. Top with a strawberry. Serve and enjoy!