Healthy Recipes: Meringue Bones with Bloody Berries

INGREDIENTS:
1 ½ teaspoons Pure vanilla extract
½ teaspoon Cream of tartar
1 ½ Tablespoon Cornstarch
1 ½ cups Sugar
¾ cup Egg whites, large (room temperature)
Pinch Salt

Topping:
4 cups Strawberries, sliced
2 cups Raspberries, cleaned
2 Tablespoons Honey

PREPARATION:
• Preheat oven to 275°F.
• Line a baking sheet with parchment paper
• Portion out vanilla and cream of tartar and set aside.
• In medium bowl, mix cornstarch and sugar.
• Place egg whites in large mixer bowl of standing mixer. Make sure bowl is clean and free of any debris. Use whip attachment for the whipping of the egg whites.
• Start whipping eggs on low speed while adding cream of tartar and salt, then increase speed to medium until soft peaks start to form.
• Move speed up to medium high and gradually add sugar and cornstarch mixture.
• Then add in pure vanilla extract and increase speed to high and whip until meringue is glossy and stiff peaks form. About 4 to 5 minutes.
• Pipe mixture onto prepared baking sheet, making about 20 medium sized “bones”.
• Reduce oven heat to 250°F and bake for about 50-60 minutes. Make sure bones don’t crack or start to turn tan or brown. Lower heat if this is the case by about 25 degrees.
• Prepare topping while bones are cooking. In a saucepot, add berries and honey. Cook on low-medium heat, allowing the berries to become juicy. Remove from heat and allow cooling.
• Once cooled, place ¼ of a cup of fruit in a small bowl and serve with one meringue bone.

Number of Servings: 20
Serving Size: 1 Bone
Calories: 55
Fat: 0
Carbohydrates: 14
Fiber: 0.5
Protein: 1.5
Sodium: 17.5

H3 Recipe: Severed Finger Sugar Cookies

These are perfect for Halloween parties! They’re finger licking good!

INGREDIENTS:

1/2 cup Apple butter

1/2 cup Butter, unsalted

1 cup Powdered sugar                   

1 each Egg   

1 teaspoon Vanilla extract

1 cup Whole wheat flour

1 3/4 cup All purpose flour

1 teaspoon Baking powder

1/4 teaspoon Salt

1/4 cup Almonds, sliced

1/4 cup Strawberry jam

PREPARATION:

• In a large bowl, beat the butter and apple butter until creamy. Mix in the sugar, egg and vanilla.


• In a separate bowl, mix the dry ingredients: all purpose flour, whole wheat flour, baking powder, and salt.


• Add the dry mixture to the sugar mixture.


• Preheat oven to 325° F 


• Using your hands roll a tablespoon of dough into a finger shape. Place the "fingers" on a greased cookie tray.  Stick a sliced almond on the end of each finger for the fingernails. Use a table knife to make three indents for the knuckles.


• Bake until lightly golden, about 17 to 20 minutes.  Transfer to a rack to cool.


• In a small sauce pan, cook the strawberry jam over low heat until it reaches a thin consistency. Remove from the heat and dip the "severed" end of each cookie into the sauce.

Yield: 40 servings,

Serving Size: 1 tablespoon uncooked cookie dough

Nutritional info: 60 calories

Fat:  3 grams