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Suggested Recipes - Desserts


Apple-Cranberry Crisp

Cranberries give this crisp a delightful color and tartness. A moderate amount of oil replaces the large amount of butter usually called for in toppings for this kind of dessert. It is best served warm. Serves 12.

  • 12 large green apples, peeled, cored, and sliced
  • 8 ounces fresh or frozen cranberries
  • Juice of 1 lemon
  • 1/3 cup brandy
  • 1/3 cup light-brown sugar, packed
  • 1 teaspoon cinnamon
  • 2 tablespoons whole wheat pastry flour

Topping:

  • 1 and 1/2 cups old-fashioned rolled oats
  • 1/2 cup toasted wheat germ
  • 3/4 teaspoon salt
  • 1 and 1/2 teaspoons cinnamon
  • 1/2 cup light-brown sugar, packed
  • 1/3 cup canola or grapeseed oil
  • 1/3 cp maple syrup

Preheat oven to 375º F. Toss the sliced apples in a large bowl with the cranberries, lemon juice, brandy, 1/3 cup of light-brown sugar, 1 teaspoon of cinnamon, and the whole wheat pastry flour. Pile the apple mixture into an 8 x 10-inch backing dish.

Mix the ingredients for the topping and spread over the apples. Cover the baking dish with aluminum foil and bake for 20 minutes. Uncover and bake for 40 minutes more until the apples are soft.

Per serving: 279.5 calories, 7.7g fat (0.8g saturated fat - 24.8% of calories from fat), 4.1g protein, 48.7g carbohydrate, 0 mg cholesterol, 5.8g fiber

Source: Andrew Weil, M.D. and Rosie Daley (2002). The Healthy Kitchen: Recipes for a Better Body, Life, and Spirit, Alfred a. Knopf: New York, p. 299.

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Lemon Watermelon Slush

  • 1 cup lemon juice, freshly squeezed, with pulp (from approximately 4 large lemons)
  • 1/2 cup sugar
  • 8 cups seeded, diced watermelon
  • 30 to 40 ice cubes
  • 2 tablespoons fresh mint for garnish

In a small saucepan, bring lemon juice and sugar to a boil. Stir until all sugar is dissolved and remove from heat. Chill syrup well.

Blend in four batched. For each batch, place 2 cups of watermelon into blender, add 1/4 of the chilled lemon syrup, and blend until mixed well.

Add ice cubes to blender one at a time, approximately 10 per batch, until mixture is thickened. Repeat for three remaining batches. Serve in chilled glasses and garnish with fresh mint. Yields 8 servings.

*Debra’s note: Splenda or Stevia can be used.

Per serving:
100 calories, 0.5g fat.

Source: American Cancer Society

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Mango Bread Pudding with Chai Spices

  • 4 cups stale (but not dry) white bread slices cut into 1/2 cubes
  • 2 large ripe mangoes, peeled and cut into 1/2 cubes (3 cups)
  • 2 cups skim milk
  • 2 eggs, lightly beaten
  • 2 tbsp. light or dark rum (optional)
  • 1/2 cup packed dark brown sugar
  • 1 tsp. vanilla extract
  • 1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon
  • 1/2 tsp. ground cloves
  • 1/2 tsp. ground cardamom
  • 1/2 tsp. ground ginger
  • 1/4 tsp. ground black peppercorn
  • 1/8 tsp. salt

Position rack in the center of the oven; preheat oven to 350°F. Coat an 8-inch baking dish with cooking spray. Toss bread cubes and mangoes together in the baking dish. Whisk milk, eggs, rum (if using), brown sugar, vanilla, cinnamon, cloves, cardamom, ginger, pepper and salt in a medium bowl. Pour over the bread and mangoes; allow the mixture to soak for about 5 minutes. Bake the pudding until it is set and knife inserted in the center comes out clean, about 1 1/4 hours. Serve warm for best flavor.

Makes 8 servings, 1/2 cup each.

Per serving: 164 calories; 2g fat, 54 mg cholesterol; 33g carbohydrates; 5g protein, 2g fiber, 175 mg. sodium

Source: Eating Well, February/March 2005

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Meringue Tartlets with Strawberries and Shaved Chocolate
Serves 8

These elegant tartlets combine the luscious tastes of high-quality chocolate and fresh strawberries on top of a fat-free meringue – an alternative to high-fat shortcake. The meringues are not difficult to make. Cream or tartar, found in the baking section of your grocery store, allows them to achieve their stiff consistency.

To make successful meringues, be sure to start with clean, dry, grease-free equipment and, if possible, bake them on a low-humidity day. If you prefer, substitute fresh or frozen sliced peaches for strawberries.

Ingredients:

  • 2 cups sliced fresh strawberries
  • 1/4 cup plus 1 tablespoon sugar, divided
  • 4 large egg whites, at room temperature
  • Dash of cream of tartar
  • Dash of salt
  • 2 tablespoons plus 2 teaspoons shaved good-quality dark chocolate

Preheat the oven to 250 degrees. Cover a baking sheet with parchment paper.

In a bowl, mix the strawberries with 1 tablespoon of the sugar. Refrigerate the strawberries until ready to use. In a large mixing bowl, combine the egg whites, cream of tartar, and salt and beat with an electric mixer at medium speed for about 1 minute, until the eggs are frothy. With the mixer at high speed, add the remaining 1/4 cup sugar 1 tablespoon at a time, beating for 5 to 7 minutes, until stiff, glossy peaks form.

Drop the meringue onto the prepared baking sheet in eight 3 to 4 inch diameter rounds, smoothing the edges. Bake for 1 hour. Turn the oven off, but leave the meringues in overnight or for about 12 hours. Do not open the oven door. If the meringues will not be served immediately, remove them from the oven and store in a tightly covered dry container until ready to serve.

When ready to sever, gently peel the meringues off the parchment paper. Top each meringue with 1/4 cup strawberries and garnish with 1 teaspoon shaved chocolate, and serve.

Per Serving
68 calories; 1g total fat (less than 1g saturated fat); 13g carbohydrates; 2g protein; 1g dietary fiber; 65mg sodium.

Source: Then New American Plate Cookbook by AICR

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Perfectly Easy Parfaits

Blend 1/2 cup nonfat ricotta cheese, 1/2 cup fat-free cream cheese and 3 tablespoons sugar. In four parfait glassed, layer fresh raspberries or blackberries with the cheese mixture and graham cracker crumbs or a grape nuts-type cereal for more crunch. Top with a few juicy berries.

Layer honeydew melon or cantaloupe with instant vanilla pudding (made with skim milk) in a parfait glass. Top with fresh mint sprigs.

Source: American Institute for Cancer Research Newsletter, Summer 1995, Issue 48, p. 7. www.aicr.org.

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Roasted Bosc Pears with Pomegranate Glaze

Bosc pears are distinguished by russet skins and elegantly elongated necks and stems. They are an ideal dessert pear because they hold their shape when roasted or poached.

What to drink : Late-harvest Sauvignon Blanc.

  • 3/4 cup dry red wine, such as Syrah or Zinfandel
  • 3/4 cup pomegranate juice
  • 1/2 cup sugar
  • 1 cinnamon stick
  • 2 teaspoons grated orange peel
  • 6 Bosc pears with stems, peeled
  • Vanilla ice cream
  • Purchased biscotti

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

Stir wine, pomegranate juice, sugar, cinnamon stick, and orange peel in medium saucepan over medium heat until sugar dissolves, about 3 minutes.

Using small melon baller, core pears from bottom of wide end. Trim bottoms flat and stand upright in 8x8x2-inch baking dish. Pour pomegranate-wine sauce over pears.

Roast pears until tender when pierced with knife, basting pears with sauce every 20 minutes, about 1 hour.

Using spatula, transfer roasted pears to serving platter. Transfer pan juices to small saucepan. Simmer until reduced to 2/3 cup, about 5 minutes. (Can be made 4 hours ahead. Let sauce and pears stand at room temperature. Rewarm sauce before continuing.)

Spoon glaze over pears. Serve warm or at room temperature with vanilla ice cream and biscotti.

Serves 6

Source: Bon Appetit, October 2004

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Spiced Pumpkin Bars

  • 1 cup egg whites or liquid egg substitute (from approximately 8 large eggs)
  • 1 cup unsweetened applesauce
  • 1 1/2 cup granulated sugar
  • 2 cups canned unsweetened pumpkin
  • 2 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
  • 1 tbsp. baking powder
  • 1 tsp. salt
  • 2 tsp. ground cinnamon
  • 1/2 tsp ground ginger
  • 1/4 tsp. nutmeg
  • 1/4 tsp. ground cloves
  • Confectioners’ sugar, sifted

Preheat oven to 375F. Lightly spray a 12 x 18 x 1 inch pan with a nonstick spray. In a large bowl, whisk together egg whites, applesauce, sugar and pumpkin. Sift or stir together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt and spices. Gently fold dry ingredients into pumpkin mixture; do not overwork. Spread mixture evenly in prepared pan. Bake until firm to the touch and lightly browned, 20-25 minutes. Cool, and then slice into 24 bars. Dust lightly with confectioners’ sugar just before serving.

Per serving (one bar): 102 calories; .1g fat; 0 cholesterol; 23g carbohydrates; 2.4g protein; 68mg sodium

Debra’s notes: We used whole wheat flour and substituted half of the sugar with Splenda®, which will increase the fiber and decrease the calorie count.

Source: Everyday Cooking with Dean Ornish

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Sunrise Smoothie

  • One 15oz. can of 100% juice-packed peaches, drained
  • One 15oz. can of 100% juice-packed apricots, drained
  • 1/3 cup frozen raspberries
  • 1 cup plain non-fat yogurt
  • 1 tbsp. ground flaxseed
  • 3 oz. tofu*
  • 3 ice cubes

Blend and enjoy.

Makes 4 servings

Per serving: 166 calories; 29g carbohydrates, 8g protein; 2g fat; 3.5g fiber

*For tofu, try a brand such as Mori-Nu® This type of tofu does not need to be refrigerated until it is opened.

Source: Suzanne Dixon, MPH, MS, RD, Cancer Nutrition Information, LLC, www.cancernutritioninfo.com

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Very Berry Tarts
Serves 50

Ingredients:

  • 50 wonton wrappers, 3-1/2 inch squares
  • 1/2 c. seedless raspberry fruit spread, warmed
  • 2 c. blueberries
  • 2 c. blackberries
  • 4-1/2 black cherry, low-fat yogurt

Preheat oven to 375 degrees and spray muffin tins with cooking spray. Press wonton skins into muffin tins allowing corners to stand up over the edges. Bake wontons until lightly brown, remove from tins and cool. About 7 minutes.

Lightly brush warmed fruit spread onto the bottom of wontons, then fill each with fruit and top with a rounded tablespoon of yogurt.

Garnish with a small piece of fruit, mint leaf, or a drizzle of fruit spread. Serve immediately.

Per Serving:
50 calories, 0 g total fat, 0 g saturated fat, 11 g carbohydrates, 2 g protein, 1 g dietary fiber, 55 mg. Sodium, 0 mg, cholesterol

Debra's Suggestion: Add some dark chocolate at baking time.

Source: ADA Times, May/June 2007; Adapted by Kathleen Thomas, RD, CD, LD, CDE

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