Lime Zest Ricotta Crème: Add ¼ teaspoon grated lime zest to the Vanilla Ricotta Crème recipe, above.
Lemon Zest Ricotta Crème: Add 14 teaspoon lemon zest to the Vanilla Ricotta Crème recipe, above.
Creamy Lemon-Vanilla Ricotta Soufflés
Prep time: 15 minutes • Cook time: 15 minutes
These beautifully puffed sweets are an elegant twist on our classic Phase 1 ricotta crème and are just as easy to make. Prepare and bake them just before serving.
1 cup part-skim ricotta cheese
2 large eggs, separated
3 tablespoons granular sugar substitute
2 teaspoons grated lemon zest
½ teaspoon lemon extract
½ teaspoon vanilla extract
Pinch of salt
Preheat the oven to 375°F. Lightly coat 4 (4-ounce) ramekins with cooking spray.
In a large bowl, whisk together ricotta, egg yolks, 1 tablespoon of the sugar substitute, lemon zest, and lemon and vanilla extracts until well combined.
In another large bowl, with an electric mixer at high speed, beat egg whites and salt until soft peaks form, 2 to 3 minutes. Add remaining 2 tablespoons sugar substitute and continue beating until stiff peaks form. Gently fold a third of the egg whites into ricotta mixture just until combined. Repeat with remaining egg whites.
Spoon ricotta mixture into ramekins. Bake until soufflés have risen and are set and lightly browned, about 15 minutes. Serve immediately.
Makes 4 (½-cup) servings
Nutrition at a Glance
Per serving: 130 calories, 7 g fat, 4 g saturated fat, 10 g protein, 5 g carbohydrate, 0 g fiber, 180 mg sodium
Baked Ricotta Custard
Prep time: 10 minutes • Cook time: 45 minutes • Chill time (optional): 2 hours or overnight
A simple sprinkle of cinnamon makes these creamy custards taste just like rice pudding—without the rice!
¾ cup part-skim ricotta cheese
4 ounces nonfat tub-style cream cheese, at room temperature
¼ cup granular sugar substitute
1 large egg
1 large egg white
¼ cup fat-free half-and-half
¼ teaspoon vanilla extract
Ground cinnamon, for garnish
Heat the oven to 250°F.
In a large bowl, with an electric mixer at medium speed, beat ricotta and cream cheese until creamy. Add sugar substitute and beat until well combined. Add egg, egg white, half-and-half, and vanilla; beat until well blended.
Transfer mixture to 4 (8-ounce) ramekins. Place ramekins in a baking dish. Add hot water to baking dish to a depth of 1 inch. Bake until custards are set, about 45 minutes. Remove from water bath and cool on rack. Serve chilled or at room temperature, sprinkled with cinnamon.
Makes 4 servings
Nutrition at a Glance
Per serving: 128 calories, 5 g fat, 3 g saturated fat, 12 g protein, 7 g carbohydrate, 0 g fiber, 283 mg sodium
Chilled Espresso Custard
Prep Time: 10 minutes • Cook Time: 12 minutes • Chill time: 3 hours or overnight
Coffee lovers won’t be able to resist this lovely custard flavored with espresso powder. If you prefer, use decaf espresso powder or instant coffee.
1½ cups 1% milk
2 large eggs, beaten
3 tablespoons granular sugar substitute
2 teaspoons espresso powder
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Ground cinnamon, for garnish
Lemon twists, for garnish
In a medium bowl, whisk together milk, eggs, sugar substitute, espresso powder, and vanilla until well blended. Pour into 4 (6-ounce) custard cups and place cups in a deep skillet.
Fill the skillet with water to halfway up the custard cups. Bring water to a simmer over high heat. Reduce heat to low, cover pan with foil, and continue to simmer for 10 minutes. Carefully remove the cups from the pan, cover custards with plastic wrap (it can touch), and refrigerate for at least 3 hours or overnight. When ready to serve, garnish with cinnamon and lemon twists.
Makes 4 servings
Nutrition at a Glance
Per serving: 110 calories, 3.5 g fat, 1.5 g saturated fat, 6 g protein, 13 g carbohydrate, 0 g fiber, 80 mg sodium
Cocoa-Nut Mousse
Prep Time: 20 minutes • Cook Time: 10 minutes • Chill Time: 2 hours or overnight
Toasted coconut, cocoa, and almonds—a familiar (and favorite!) candy-bar combination—come together in this creamy, decadent mousse. And as if that isn’t good enough, the nuts and ricotta cheese offer a dose of healthy protein, making a dessert that is both filling and satisfying to your sweet tooth.
½ cup slivered almonds
¼ cup shredded unsweetened coconut
4 cups part-skim ricotta cheese
3 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder
1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon granular sugar substitute
2 teaspoons almond extract
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 cup light or fat-free whipped topping
A few slivered almonds and a pinch of coconut for garnish (optional)
Heat the oven to 275°F. Spread almonds on a baking sheet and toast until golden and fragrant, stirring occasionally, 8 to 10 minutes. Transfer to a plate to cool. Spread coconut on the baking sheet and toast until golden, 2 to 3 minutes. Transfer to a plate to cool.
In a large bowl, beat ricotta with an electric mixer at high speed until light and airy, about 4 minutes. Add cocoa powder, sugar substitute, and almond and vanilla extracts; beat just until blended. Fold in whipped topping and reserved almonds and coconut.
Spoon mousse into 8 dessert bowls or cups; cover and chill for at least 2 hours or overnight. To serve, garnish with a few almonds and a little coconut, if desired.
Makes 8 (2/3-cup) servings
Nutrition at a Glance
Per serving: 260 calories, 16 g fat, 8 g saturated fat, 16 g protein, 12 g carbohydrate, 2 g fiber, 160 mg sodium
Maple-Almond Flan
Prep time: 10 minutes • Cook time: 45 minutes • Chill time: 4 hours or overnight
A traditional Spanish dessert, flan is a creamy custard baked with a sugar-based caramel, which creates a toasty-tasting sweet sauce. In this version, sugar-free maple syrup is drizzled on top to create a similar effect. The maple taste is the perfect complement to toasted slivered almonds.
3 tablespoons slivered almonds
8 ounces canned fat-free evaporated milk
¼ cup plus 2 tablespoons fat-free milk
½ cup egg substitute
1½ tablespoons granular sugar substitute
¼ teaspoon almond extract
¼ teaspoon vanilla extract
4 tablespoons sugar-free maple-flavored syrup
Heat the oven to 275°F. Spread almonds on a baking sheet and toast, stirring once, until lightly golden, 8 to 10 minutes. Transfer almonds to a cutting board to cool; roughly chop and set aside.
Meanwhile, in a small saucepan, combine evaporated milk and fat-free milk and heat over medium-low heat until scalded but not boiling. Remove the pan from the heat and set aside.
In a large bowl, whisk together egg substitute, sugar substitute, and almond and vanilla extracts. Whisk in ½ cup of heated milk mixture, then whisk in remaining milk mixture.
Divide flan among 4 (6-ounce) custard cups. Place cups in a baking pan and add hot water to come halfway up cups. Bake until flans are set, about 25 minutes. Remove from the oven, cool in the pan, then chill in the refrigerator for at least 4 hours or overnight.
Half an hour before serving, remove flans from refrigerator. Just before serving, run a knife around edges and invert flans onto individual plates. Drizzle each with 1 tablespoon syrup and sprinkle evenly with reserved almonds.
Makes 4 servings
Nutrition at a Glance
Per serving: 108 calories, 3 g fat, 0 g saturated fat, 9 g protein, 13 g carbohydrate, 1 g fiber, 161 mg sodium
Ricotta
Cheesecake
with Lemon Drizzle and Pine Nuts
Prep time: 10 minutes • Cook time: 1 hour 20 minutes • Chill time: 4 hours or overnight
This traditional Italian dessert is refreshingly light and delicately citrusy. You’ll find it’s quite unlike our dense, creamy American cheesecake but no less delicious.
3 tablespoons pine nuts
6 large eggs, separated
¾ teaspoon cream of tartar
1/3 cup plus 1 teaspoon granular sugar substitute
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 (32-ounce) container part-skim ricotta cheese
1 teaspoon finely grated lemon zest
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
Position a rack in the middle of the oven and heat the oven to 275°F. Lightly coat a 9-inch springform pan with cooking spray. Spread nuts on a baking sheet and toast until lightly golden, about 10 minutes. Transfer nuts to a plate to cool. Increase the oven to 325°F.
In a large metal bowl, with an electric mixer at high speed, beat egg whites until frothy, about 1 minute. Add cream of tartar and continue to beat until stiff peaks form, about 3 minutes longer. Set aside.
In a separate large bowl, with an electric mixer at medium speed, beat egg yolks, 1/3 cup of the sugar substitute, and vanilla for 1 minute. Add ricotta and zest, and beat until smooth.
Gently fold one-third of the whites into the yolk mixture, then add the rest of the whites and gently fold in until well combined. Pour batter into the prepared pan, place the pan on a baking sheet, and bake until cake is golden and mostly set, about 1 hour 10 minutes. Remove cake from oven and cool on a rack for 20 minutes.
In a small saucepan, combine lemon juice and remaining 1 teaspoon sugar substitute; bring to a simmer over low heat. Remove from the heat and gently brush the surface of the cooled cake with two-thirds of the warm lemon mixture; drizzle remaining mixture into the cracks. Sprinkle the top with pine nuts.
Cool cake completely, then run a knife around the edge before releasing from pan. Chill, loosely covered, for 4 hours or overnight. Serve chilled.
Makes 12 servings
Nutrition at a Glance
Per serving: 140 calories, 9 g fat, 4.5 g saturated fat, 11 g protein, 5 g carbohydrate, 0 g fiber, 140 mg sodium
South Beach Diet Nutty Granola Topping
Prep time: 10 minutes • Cook time: 25 minutes
This tasty topping is meant to be enjoyed in tablespoon-size servings on top of low-fat or nonfat plain yogurt, fat-free or reduced-fat cottage cheese, or part-skim ricotta. Made in a large batch, it can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 1 month. Or, place half in a zip-top freezer bag, press out the air, seal tightly, and freeze for up to 3 months—no defrosting necessary, just scoop out and use!
½ cup slivered almonds
½ cup unsweetened coconut
½ cup flaxseed
½ cup pecans, chopped
½ cup pumpkin seeds
½ cup sunflower seeds
½ cup walnuts, chopped
2 tablespoons trans fat-free margarine
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
2 teaspoons sugar substitute
Heat the oven to 325°F.
In a large bowl, combine almonds, coconut, flaxseed, pecans, pumpkin seeds, sunflower seeds, and walnuts.
In a small saucepan, melt margarine over low heat. Remove the pan from the heat and whisk in cinnamon and vanilla. Pour over nut mixture and toss to combine. Sprinkle with sugar substitute and toss again.
Spread mixture on a baking sheet and bake, tossing every 5 minutes, for 20 to 25 minutes, or until lightly golden. Cool on a rack. Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 1 month, or freeze for up to 3 months.
Makes 2½ cups (40 tablespoons)
Nutrition at a Glance
Per tablespoon: 65 calories, 6 g fat, 1 g saturated fat, 2 g protein, 2 g carbohydrate, 1 g fiber, 6 mg sodium
Lemon-Thyme Ices
Prep time: 15 minutes • Freezing time: 2 hours
This pretty dessert makes a lovely ending to any meal. Reminiscent of an Italian lemon ice, it is updated here with a hint of fresh thyme. If you prefer a less tart version, add a little more sugar substitute.
3 leafy fresh thyme sprigs plus 4 extra sprigs for garnish
½ cup granular sugar substitute
2 cups boiling water
1 cup fresh lemon juice (from 5 to 6 lemons)
1 tablespoon grated lemon zest
Salt
In a medium metal bowl, combine thyme and sugar substitute. Pour boiling water over them and stir to dissolve sugar substitute. Steep for 3 minutes, then remove and discard thyme.
Place bowl in freezer until mixture is cool, about 10 minutes. Remove from freezer and whisk in lemon juice, zest, and a pinch of salt. Pour into 2 standard ice cube trays, filling each ice cube compartment to just below the top (you will fill 1 tray and half of a second one).
Freeze until mostly frozen through, 1½ to 2 hours. Place cubes in a food processor or blender and pulse very briefly, just until ice becomes granular. (Don’t overprocess, or the dessert will be a liquid.)
Transfer ice to dessert bowls, garnish with tops of extra thyme sprigs, and serve immediately.
Makes 4 (generous ½-cup) servings
Nutrition at a Glance
Per serving: 30 calories, 0 g fat, 0 g saturated fat, 0 g protein, 9 g carbohydrate, 0 g fiber, 0 mg sodium
EASY PHASE 1 SUBSTITUTIONS
Avoid This
Use This Instead
Bread crumbs
Whole or crushed pine nuts (¼ cup/serving)
Cocktail sauce for shrimp
Red bell pepper sauce with horseradish
Crackers or pita crisps
Cucumber or zucchini rounds
“Creamy” white sauce
Evaporated skim milk, nonfat sour cream, or nonfat Greek yogurt
Croutons
Roasted mushroom “croutons”
English muffin
Portobello mushroom caps
Green peas
Edamame or snow peas
Meatloaf bread crumbs
White beans or lentils
Noodles for soup
Spaghetti squash
Pasta
Spaghetti squash, julienned zucchini, or eggplant ribbons (for lasagna)
Pizza crust (individual)
Portobello mushroom caps or zucchini boats
Rice
Bed of lentils or finely chopped cauliflower
Popcorn
Roasted cauliflower florets or roasted kale with popcorn salt
Potato chips
Baked zucchini chips, celery root (celariac chips)
Diced potatoes
Diced artichoke hearts, eggplant, or hearts of palm
French fries
Oven-baked zucchini fries or roasted whole fresh green beans
Hash brown potatoes
Shredded zucchini
Mashed potatoes
Mashed cauliflower or pureed navy beans
Dr. Agatston Answers Your Questions about Phase 1
Here are the answers to some of the questions that our nutritionists and I are most often asked by dieters who are on Phase 1.
The South Beach Diet Super Charged Page 24