Putting a Healthy Spin on 3 Mouth-Watering Guilty Pleasures

Frequently recognized as a Readers’ Choice pick for Best Spa for Weight Loss, we knew there was no better place to turn to get healthy-alternative recipes for our favorite guilty pleasures than Hilton Head Heath! Sure enough Chef Karla Williams did not disappoint! Check out healthy recipes for our three favorite guilty pleasures: Chocolate Brownies, Mac & Cheese, and Apple Pie!

Guilty Pleasure: Chocolate Brownie
Healthy Spin:  H3 Fudgy Brownie
Serves 16

¾ cup Flour
1/3 cup Cocoa Powder, unsweetened
½ tsp. Baking Powder
¼ tsp. Salt
¼ cup Semi-sweet Mini Baking Morsels
2 Tbsp. Butter, unsalted
2 Tbsp. Cottage Cheese, 1%, pureed
1 cup Sugar
1 Tbsp. Lite Chocolate Syrup (Hershey’s)
2 tsp. Pure Vanilla Extract
1 each Egg

1. Preheat oven to 350˚F.
2. In a medium bowl combine dry ingredients: flour, salt, sugar, baking powder, and cocoa powder.
3. In a sauce pan melt butter and then add chocolate syrup.
4. In a separate bowl mix wet ingredients: egg, vanilla, pureed cottage cheese, and butter with chocolate syrup mix.
5. Mix the wet ingredients into the dry.  Mix will be very stiff.
6. Pour mix in bottom of lightly greased pan.
7. Top brownie mix with chocolate chip morsels.
8. Bake for about 15 – 20 minutes or just until the brownie slightly puffs up and a toothpick inserted comes out sticky.

NUTRITION: 90 Calories | 2.5g fat

Guilty Pleasure: Mac & Cheese
Healthy Spin: Butternut Squash Macaroni and Cheese
Serves 26

3 cups Butternut Squash, peeled & 1” cubed
1¼ cups Chicken Stock
1½ cups Skim Milk
2 Tbsp. Garlic, minced
2 tsp. Salt
1 tsp. Black Pepper, ground
2 Tbsp. Fat-free Cream Cheese
1¼ cups Gruyere, shredded
1½ cups Sharp Cheddar, 2% reduced fat, shredded
¼ cup + 2 Tbsp. Parmesan, shredded
1 lbs. Whole Wheat Macaroni, uncooked
1 tsp. Olive Oil
½ cup Panko Breadcrumbs
4½ cups Broccoli Florets, cut small

1. Preheat oven to 375˚ F.
2. Combine squash, broth, milk, and garlic in a medium saucepan; bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Reduce to medium and simmer until squash is fork tender, approx. 25 minutes – remove from heat.
3. Place hot squash mixture into a blender and add salt, pepper and cream cheese – blend until smooth. Place into a bowl and stir in gruyere, parmesan and sharp cheddar cheese. Stir until combined.
4. Cook pasta in boiling water for about 7 minutes or until al dente.
5. Cook broccoli in boiling water until it turns bright green, 2 – 3 minutes.
6. Add cooked pasta and broccoli to squash mixture, stir until combined.
7. Spread evenly in a 13 x 9” greased baking dish. Heat oil in a medium skillet over medium heat. Add panko and cook for 2 minutes or until golden brown. Remove from heat, stir in remaining 2 Tbsp. of Parmesan – sprinkle evenly over hot pasta mixture.
8. Bake for 25 minutes or until bubbly. Serve immediately.

NUTRITION: 130 Calories | 4g fat

Guilty Pleasure: Apple Pie
Healthy Spin: Apple Crisp
Serves 18

6 each Granny Smith Apples, peeled, cored
1 cup Oats, rolled
½ cup Brown Sugar
½ cup Flour, all purpose
¼ cup Butter, unsalted, softened
3/4 cup Granulated sugar
1 tsp Cinnamon
2 Tbsp. Apple Sauce, unsweetened (if needed)

1. Preheat oven to 350˚F
2. In a small bowl mix oats, brown sugar, flour, butter, and applesauce (if needed).
3. Mix until butter is evenly distributed.
4. In a large bowl mix the apple slices with granulated sugar and cinnamon.
5. Add 1 Tbsp of flour to apples and mix together, this helps gel the apples.
6. In a small Pyrex pan or small baking pan, place the apples in the bottom of the pan.
7. Then sprinkle or press oatmeal mixture over the top of the apples.
8. Place in oven and bake covered with aluminum foil for 15-20 minutes.
9. Take pan out of oven remove aluminum foil.
10. Place pan back in the oven and bake until oats are nice and crisp. For approximately 10 minutes.

**Chef’s note: You could use this same recipe for strawberry or rhubarb crisp. Simply convert apples to 6 cups of strawberries or rhubarb.

NUTRITION: 124 Calories | 2g fat