Heart Healthy Summer Recipe: Dessert Parfait
If you’re in search of a low-fat, heart-healthy dessert to enjoy this summer, look no further than this heart-healthy parfait. It’s rich and decadent yet surprisingly light, making it the perfect sweet treat for warm days!
By Adi Ganz, MD, Cardiologist, Virtua Cardiology
If you're anything like us, heart-healthy desserts can feel impossible to find. The sweet treats, the ice cream, the cookies, the cakes - they call to you. They say: hey, one little bite won't hurt, right? But then one look, one bite, and boom—game over.
We get it y'all. Desserts are our sweetest weakness. But with this low-fat summer parfait, you can have your cake and literally eat it, too.
By swapping to angel food cake, you're choosing a dessert that is naturally low in fat, especially saturated fat, which is better for heart health. With the substitution of fat-free pudding and whipped cream, this dessert stays light and reduces the intake of unhealthy fats that can raise cholesterol. Plus, the fresh berries are loaded with antioxidants, which help reduce inflammation and protect against heart disease. And while the dessert is sweet, most of the sweetness comes from fruit and a touch of chocolate.
So eat your heart out, you deserve this healthy parfait with fruit.
Dessert Parfait
Ingredients:
- 1 box angel food cake mix
- 1 cup raspberries
- 1 cup strawberries
- 1 cup blueberries
- 1 cup chocolate chips
- 1 package fat-free vanilla pudding mix, prepared
- 1 can fat-free whipped cream
Directions:
- Cook the angel cake mix according to box instructions, let cool, and then cut into cubes.
- Slice the strawberries into fourths to make them easier to eat in the parfait.
- Begin to layer parfait. Start with angel food cake, lining the bottom of your container of choice. Then add strawberries, pudding, chocolate chips, mix of blueberries and raspberries, whipped cream, and repeat. The great thing about parfaits is their versatility so feel free to get creative with the layers!
- Add a serving spoon and enjoy!
Estimated Nutrition Value (per serving, makes 6):
Calories: ~210
Total Fat: ~3g
Saturated Fat: ~1g
Cholesterol: 0mg
Sodium: ~270mg
Total Carbohydrates: ~42g
Dietary Fiber: ~3g
Total Sugars: ~25g
Protein: ~4g
(Estimates based on standard store-bought ingredients. Actual values may vary.)
Don't put your heart health on the back burner.
Looking for more heart-healthy tips and recipes? Visit Virtua Cardiology to learn how you can protect your heart and enjoy a healthier lifestyle. Schedule a consultation with our expert cardiologists and get personalized care tailored to your heart health needs.
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