Ingredients for Fat Free Chocolate Cupcakes:

1/2 cup nonfat dry milk powder
1 small box Jell-O powder
chocolate pudding mix
1 tblsp unsweetened cocoa
1 cup flour
3/4 tspn vanilla extract
4 ounces applesauce
1/4 tspn baking soda
3 egg whites
1pinch salt
1/2 cup sugar (granulated)

Method of preparation for Fat Free Chocolate Cupcakes:

In a medium sized mixing bowl, combine Jell-O powder, pudding mix, dry milk, sugar, cocoa and flour, and set aside. Take a smaller bowl and blend vanilla extract, applesauce and baking soda in it. Then set it also aside. In another medium sized bowl, beat egg whites with a pinch of salt until stiff. Using an electric mixer, beat dry the jell-o mixture into the egg whites, one cup at a time, and then beat in the applesauce mixture at the end. Continue beating about 3 more minutes. Divide it equally into 10 muffin tins, that have been lined with paper liners. Bake at 350 degrees F for about 20 minutes, until it comes out clean. Cool in a pan on wire rack for 10 minutes and then remove it. You will get 10 cupcakes with this recipe. You can serve with nonfat strawberry frozen yogurt, light cherry pie filling or fresh raspberry sauce.

Ingredients for Low Fat Eggless Chocolate Cake:
2 c. Water
3 c. flour
2 c. sugar
1 tsp. salt
2 tsp. baking soda
3/4 c. oil
1/3 c. cocoa
1 tsp. vanilla
2 tsp. vinegar

Method of preparation for Low Fat Eggless Chocolate Cake:
Mix all the ingredients together in a bowl. Grease a 9 x 13 pan, and dump the mixture into the pan. Bake in an oven at 350 degrees for 35 minutes. Voila ! Your cake is ready.

Ingredients for French Fries:
5 large baking potatoes
Light vegetable oil cooking spray
2 large egg whites
1 Tbsp cajun spice

Method of preparation for French Fries:
Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Slice each potato lengthwise into 1/4″ ovals, then slice each oval lengthwise into lean matchsticks (like in french fries). Coat a baking sheet with 3 sprays of vegetable spray. Combine the egg whites and cajun spice in a bowl. Add the potatoes and mix it to coat with spice and eggwhite. Pour the coated potatoes onto the prepared baking sheet and spread them out
into a single layer, leaving a little space in between. Place the baking sheet on the bottom shelf of the oven. Bake for 40-45 minutes, until the fries are crispy, turning them every 6-8 minutes with a spoon or spatula so that they are baked evenly. Serve immediately when still hot. Makes 4 servings.

Ingredients for Fat Free Strawberry Soup:
1 quart strawberries
12 ounces fat-free vanilla yoghurt
A pinch of dry ginger
Juice of 1 orange
4 mint leaves

Method of preparation for Fat Free Strawberry Soup:
Remove the stem tops of the strawberries. Place all the ingredients in a food processor or blender and puree until smooth. Chill and serve with a small dollop of yoghurt and a mint sprig as garnish. It serves four.

Here is some good news for all chocolate lovers out there. Dark chocolate is actually good for you. It is very rich in antioxidants. Dark chocolate is rich in flavanols, which include procyanidins, epicatechins, and catechins. It is good for people with heart disease, blood pressure and other diseases.

Dark chocolate has several heart-healthy benefits. It provides lower oxidation levels of bad LDL cholesterol, higher blood antioxidant levels, and higher HDL concentrations of good cholesterol. It reduces blood clotting and stabilizes arterial plaque, making it less likely cause a stroke or heart attack.

It increases blood vessel flexibility and keeps blood pressure in control. Dark Chocolate actually lowers high blood pressure.

However, don’t replace healthy foods with chocolate. And don’t use chocolate as a substitute for fat-free fruits and veggies. It just doesn’t work that way.

But remember the darker your chocolate is , the better it is. Dark Chocolate has health benefits that are not seen in other varities of chocolate. Dark chocolate, not white chocolate or milk chocolate is good for you.

Adding chocolate to your diet will also add unwanted fat, calories, and sugar to your body . Just remember to balance the calories. If you add some chocolate to your diet, you need to subtract an equivalent amount of calories by cutting back on other foods to avoid weight gain. The benefits of dark chocolate are real, but like most other things, it works best in moderation.

Remember the word moderate as you nibble that delicious chocolate !

Green tea, the mystical light coloured concoction has captured the fancy of the world and has become extremely popular in recent times.

There are several health benefits of green tea. It is rich in catechins polyphenols, particularly epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG). EGCG is a powerful anti-oxidant. It has the power of inhibiting the growth of cancer cells and killing cancer cells without harming healthy tissue. It is also effective in lowering LDL cholesterol levels, and inhibiting the abnormal formation of blood clots.

According to recent study, Green Tea is very good for dieters. Green Tea is also used in many skin preparations, from deodorants to creams. And parents who are always worried about their children’s chocolate consumption can now rejoice. The consumption of green tea has been linked to reduced incidence of tooth decay. The only negative effect of green tea is insomnia, if green tea is taken in large quantities, because it contains caffeine. However, green tea contains less caffeine than coffee.

There is a recognized link between nutrition and oral health. It becomes more important in the present times and is a point of great concern. Tons of sugar rich soft drinks, sweetened fruit drinks, and non-nutritious snack foods that we consume these days bring us closer to a dental emergency.

Eating patterns and food choices are important factors that may affect how quickly tooth decay may develop. The naturally-occurring bacteria in the mouth thrive on the starches and sugars found in many foods. When teeth aren’t cleaned after eating, harmful, sticky plaque will form. The bacteria in the plaque use the sugar and starch to produce acids that can destroy the enamel of the tooth. The more often you eat and the longer foods are in your mouth, the more damage can occur.
Let’s have a look at some of the important points that must be remembered by heart:-

1. Take healthy diet. Go for healthful, nutritious food which contains vitamin C, and calcium. Citrus fruits, strawberries and kiwifruit are good sources of vitamin C.
2. Make sure water is readily available, and drink water more often. Water is not only important for a healthy body, but can help to rinse sugars and starches from your teeth.
3. Limit eating and drinking between meals. Each time you eat food that contains sugars or starches, the teeth are attacked by acids for 20 minutes or more. Foods such as cheese, raw vegetables, or fresh fruit are good choices.
4. Brush and floss effectively each day.