A healthy, low point Valentine’s Day dessert

I was so excited to see this healthy Valentine’s Day recipe in the February issue of Woman’s Day. Not only does it have only 4 Weight Watchers POINTS per serving, but it doesn’t contain eggs – a big consideration since my daughter is allergic to eggs.

I also love the recipe because it uses ricotta cheese, one of my favorites. If you’re trying to lose weight or just eat healthier, ricotta is a great source of calcium and it’s high in protein – a nice change from milk or yogurt. Just this morning I used it in my egg white omelet – yum!

To lower the POINTS and calories, use Splenda or Stevia. Stay away from using using no-fat ricotta, because the hearts could fall apart without the extra little bit of fat.

Coeur à la Crème
6 servings

Heart Ingredients:

12 heart-shaped foil baking cups (Reynolds Fun Shapes are perfect for this, but may not be on the market anymore. Try finding similar sized round aluminum baking cups.)
6 (6-in.) squares triple-thickness cheesecloth
1 (15-oz) container part-skim ricotta
3/4 cup fat-free sour cream
1/2 cup confectioners’ sugar, sifted
2 tsp lemon juice
1 tsp vanilla extract or 1 vanilla bean split lengthwise, seeds scraped

Raspberry Sauce Ingredients:

1 package (10 oz) frozen raspberries in light syrup, thawed
2 tsp lemon juice
6 oz fresh raspberries (optional)
garnish with mint sprigs

Directions:

Reinforce 6 foil baking cups by inserting a second foil cup into each; place on a cutting board. Using a small knife, poke multiple slits in bottoms of each set of double liners to allow for drainage of the cheese mixture. Arrange cups on a baking sheet with sides.
Rinse cheesecloth under water; squeeze until just damp. Line each foil heart with a 3-layer square of cheesecloth, letting excess cheesecloth hang over edges of cups.
Purée ricotta in food processor until smooth. Transfer to a bowl; fold in sour cream, confectioners’ sugar and lemon juice until blended. Stir in vanilla extract or vanilla bean seeds until evenly distributed. Spoon mixture into prepared baking cups and spread until level; bring up sides of cheesecloth to cover tops. Cover with plastic wrap. Let drain overnight in refrigerator, or up to 2 days.
Raspberry Sauce: In a blender or food processor, purée the raspberries with syrup and lemon juice. Scrape mixture through a fine sieve to remove seeds; refrigerate sauce.
To assemble and serve: Unfold cheesecloth and drape it over the sides of the molds. Invert each baking cup onto a serving plate. While pressing down on the corners of cheesecloth, carefully lift off cup. Remove the cheesecloth slowly. Spoon drops of raspberry sauce onto plates around hearts. Drag a toothpick through drops to make hearts. Serve with fresh raspberries, if desired, and extra sauce. Garnish with mint sprigs.

Note: You can make raspberry sauce up to 3 days ahead. Make hearts at least 1 or up to 2 days ahead so that they have time to drain. Store unmolded in refrigerator.

Nutritional Information:
Amount Per Serving – 1 heart

Calories 218
Total Fat 6 g
Dietary Fiber 2 g
Protein 10 g

Weight Watchers POINTS – 4

Picture courtesy of Richard Schiller/Woman’s Day magazine