Healthier Takes on Traditional African American Dessert Favorites

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Need some help picking out a dessert to share at a family or church gathering? Why not try one of these healthier versions of classic favorites such as peach cobbler, sweet potato pie, and banana pudding.

Southern Peach Cobbler

What could be better than peach cobbler straight from the oven?

Serves 8

Ingredients

• ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
• 2 tablespoons cornstarch
• 1 cup peach nectar
• ¼ cup pineapple juice or peach juice(if desired, use juice reserved from canned peaches)
• 2 16-ounce cans of peaches, packed in juice, drained, (or 1¾ pounds, fresh, sliced)
• 1 tablespoon tub margarine
• 1 cup dry pancake mix
• ⅔ cup all-purpose flour
• ½ cup sugar
• ⅔ cup fat-free evaporated milk
• ½ teaspoon nutmeg
• 1 tablespoon brown sugar
• nonstick cooking spray, as needed

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit.
2. Combine cinnamon, vanilla, cornstarch, peach nectar, and juice in saucepan over medium heat. Stir constantly until mixture thickens and bubbles.
3. Add sliced peaches to mixture.
4. Reduce heat and simmer for 5–10 minutes.
5. In another saucepan, melt margarine and set aside.
6. Lightly spray 8-inch-square glass dish with cooking spray. Pour hot peach mixture into dish.
7. In another bowl, combine pancake mix, flour, sugar, and melted margarine. Stir in milk. Quickly spoon this mixture over peach mixture.
8. Combine nutmeg and brown sugar. Sprinkle mixture on top of batter.
9. Bake for 15–20 minutes or until golden brown.
10. Cool and cut into eight squares.

Southern Sweet Potato Pie

There’s nothing fake about the flavor in this heart healthy treat!

Serves 16

Ingredients

Crust

• 1¼ cups flour
• ¼ teaspoon sugar
• ⅓ cup fat-free milk
• 2 tablespoons vegetable oil

Filling

• ¼ cup white sugar
• ¼ cup brown sugar
• ½ teaspoon salt
• ¼ teaspoon nutmeg
• 3 large eggs, beaten
• ¼ cup fat-free evaporated milk
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 3 cups sweet potatoes (cooked and mashed)

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.

Prepare crust:

2. Combine flour and sugar in bowl.
3. Add milk and oil to flour mixture.
4. Stir with fork until well mixed. Form pastry into smooth ball with your hands.
5. Roll ball between two 12-inch squares of wax paper, using short, brisk strokes, until pastry reaches edges of paper.
6. Peel off top paper and invert crust into pie plate.

Prepare filling:

7. Combine sugars, salt, nutmeg, and eggs.
8. Add milk and vanilla. Stir.
9. Add sweet potatoes and mix well.

Putting it together:

10. Pour mixture into pie shell.
11. Bake for 60 minutes or until crust is golden brown.
12. Cool and cut into 16 slices.

Southern Banana Pudding

This traditional dessert with a healthy twist will please your entire family!

Serves 10

Ingredients

•  3¾ cups cold, fat-free milk
• 2 small packages (4 serving size) of fat-free, sugar-free instant vanilla pudding and pie-filling mix
• 32 reduced-fat vanilla wafers
• 2 medium bananas, sliced
• 2 cups fat-free, frozen whipped topping, thawed

Directions

1. Mix 3½ cups of the milk with the pudding mixes. Beat the pudding mixture with a wire whisk for 2 minutes until it is well blended. Let stand for 5 minutes.
2. Fold 1 cup of the whipped topping into the pudding mix.
3. Arrange a layer of wafers on the bottom and sides of a 2-quart serving bowl. Drizzle 2 tablespoons of the remaining milk over the wafers. Add a layer of banana slices and top with one-third of the pudding.
4. Repeat layers, drizzling wafer layer with remaining milk and ending with pudding. Spread the remaining whipped topping over the pudding.
5. Refrigerate for at least 3 hours before serving.

Source: US Dept Health & Human Services

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