Dessert

Banana, Oat and Blueberry Biscuits

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Banana, Oat and Blueberry Biscuits

These have just come out of the oven and are such a delicious afternoon treat – perfect with a cuppa!  I’ve adapted a recipe from the new WW Bakes book in order to make them free on No Count.  If following WW Freestyle, they would be 1 point each if you made 12.

Ingredients (makes 10):

  • 4 bananas, mashed
  • 125g oats
  • 100g blueberries

Method:

  • Preheat the oven to 180C.
  • Mix the bananas and oats together in a bowl.
  • Add the blueberries and stir in carefully.
  • Use a spoon to place the mixture on a non-stick baking tray. I made 10 biscuits.
  • Bake for 15 – 18 minutes.
  • Allow to cool and enjoy!

Red Velvet Brownies

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Red Velvet Brownies

Here’s another amazing recipe created by Mands (@mands5781) and just in time for Easter!  A fantastic chocolate dessert which is very low in points.  I made them yesterday and they are absolutely delicious!

You can have two for 1sp on No Count and they’re 1sp each on WW Freestyle.

Ingredients (makes 9):

  • 2 bananas
  • 3 eggs
  • 50g 0% Greek yoghurt
  • 2 tsp vanilla extract
  • 1 tsp sweetener (I use sukrin gold)
  • 1-2 tsp red food colouring
  • 50g Ready Oats (like Ready Brek)
  • 12g cacao powder
  • 1 tsp baking powder
  • 100g quark
  • 10g vanilla #jello mix (you can use vanilla extract instead if you can’t get this)
  • 12g white chocolate chips

Method:

  1. Preheat oven to 180C.
  2. Line a square brownie pan with greaseproof paper.
  3. Mash banana well, until smooth, and mix with egg yolks, yoghurt, vanilla, sweetener and red food colouring.
  4. Whisk the whites lightly and fold in.
  5. Add the oats, baking powder and cacao and mix well altogether.
  6. Pour this mix into the brownie pan and leave to settle.
  7. In a separate bowl, mix the quark with the vanilla jello powder and you’ll get a stiff set vanilla cream cheese mix. If you don’t have the powder, just use vanilla extract and some sweetener and mix with the quark.
  8. Dollop the cream cheese mix around the brownie pan and swirl into the mix, leaving marbled blobs and not mixing too much.
  9. Finally add the white chocolate drops evenly over the top and bake for 15 – 20mins depending on how squidgy you like your brownies.
  10. Allow to cool (if you can) then slice into 9.
  11. Enjoy!

Egg Custard Tarts

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Egg Custard Tarts

I decided to have a go at making these as they used to be my dad’s favourite dessert and always remind me of him.  One of them is free on No Count but two would be 1sp because of the ground almonds.  If following WW Freestyle, they are 4sp each.

Ingredients (makes 6):

  • 85g oatmeal (I use the Mornflake brand)
  • 80g blitzed oats
  • 2 flat tbsp Splenda/Truvia/Natvia/Canderel
  • a pinch of salt
  • a pinch of bicarbonate of soda
  • 1 tbsp olive oil
  • 1 tbsp lemon juice
  • 12g ground almonds (2g per person is free)
  • 20g plain flour for rolling out the dough (5g per person is free)

Ingredients for the egg custard:

  • 200ml skimmed milk
  • 3 egg yolks
  • 1 tsp Splenda (or other sweetener)
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract
  • nutmeg (to sprinkle on top

Method:

  1. Pre-heat the oven to 200C.
  2. Mix the oatmeal, oats, Splenda, ground almonds, salt and bicarbonate of soda in a bowl.
  3. Stir in the oil, lemon juice and 50ml hot water. Mould into a ball with your hands.
  4. Scatter the 20g plain flour on the kitchen top and roll out the dough. Use a pastry cutter to cut out 6 circles.  (The rolling out can be tricky. If you need to roll out twice, add a touch more water to the remaining mixture.)
  5. Put these into a muffin tray (I use a silicone one) and gently press them down so that they fit into the mould.
  6. Mix the milk, egg yolks, Splenda and vanilla extract together and pour into the pastry cases.
  7. Sprinkle the top of each one with nutmeg.
  8. Bake in the oven for 10 minutes.
  9. Turn the oven down to 180C and bake for a further 5 – 10 mins. (It is hard to get the timing right so that they are not overcooked or undercooked.)
  10. Enjoy!

If you have not already done so, please read the information about blitzed oats here: lovingnocount.com/faq/

Fig and Hazelnut ‘Blondies’

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Fig and Hazelnut ‘Blondies’

Here’s another variation on Mandy’s original ‘Blondies’ recipe.  They are two for 1sp on No Count and if following WW Freestyle, they are 1sp each or 2 for 3sp. A fab snack or great as a dessert with fruit and natural yogurt.

Ingredients (makes 10):

  • 50g ready oats (eg: Asda Ready Oats/Ready Brek)
  • 10g self-raising flour
  • 1 tbsp sugar-free maple syrup (or other sugar-free syrup)
  • 1 tsp nutmeg
  • 1tsp baking powder
  • 1tsp vanilla extract
  • 3 medium eggs
  • 2 ripe bananas
  • 50g low fat natural yoghurt (use fat free on WW Flex)
  • a pinch of salt
  • 20g chopped hazelnuts (2g per person is free)
  • 4 fresh figs, peeled and chopped into small pieces

Method

  1. Mash the bananas and beat well with the egg yolks, sugar-free syrup, vanilla extract and yoghurt.
  2. Lightly whisk the egg white and fold in.
  3. Add the oats, flour, baking powder, nutmeg and salt and mix well.
  4. Stir in the hazelnuts and figs.
  5. Pour into a greaseproof papered brownie tin.
  6. Bake on 180C for 15 – 20 mins.
  7. Allow to cool in the brownie tin and cut into portions.

Enjoy!

Serving suggestion:

This dessert uses two of the ‘blondies’, making it 1sp on No Count or 3sp if following WW Flex: Total 0% Greek yogurt with a squirt of sugar-free maple syrup and strawberries complement the ‘blondies’ perfectly.

Mini Lemon and Ginger Cheesecakes

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Mini Lemon and Ginger Cheesecakes

Cheesecake remains a favourite dessert of mine so I’m always on the lookout for a new recipe to try. I adapted a WW recipe (Raspberry and Ginger Cheesecake) to make these mini cheesecakes which are 1 point each on No Count.  They make a delicious dessert but do take quite a while to make as, with No Count, you have to bake the NC biscuits before you can then use them in a cheesecake.

If following WW Freestyle, they are 4 points each.  You could use a different base to reduce the points – the topping is just 1sp per portion.

Ingredients (makes 6 – 8):

  • 85g Mornflake oatmeal
  • 80g blitzed oats
  • 2 flat tbsp Splenda/Truvia/Natvia/Canderel
  • a pinch of salt
  • a pinch of bicarbonate of soda
  • 1 tbsp olive oil (from daily allowance)
  • the zest and juice of two lemons
  • 1 tsp nutmeg
  • 1 tsp mixed spice
  • 2 or 3 tsp ground ginger (depending on how gingery you like them)
  • 180g Philadelphia lightest (6sp)
  • 300g Skyr natural yogurt or 0% Total yogurt or Yeo Valley 0% crème fraiche
  • 1 tbsp Myprotein sugar-free maple syrup
  • 2 sheets fine leaf gelatine
  • 24g Flora light (4g per person is free)
  • fruit to decorate

Method:

  1. Pre-heat the oven to 180C.
  2. Mix the oatmeal, oats, Splenda, lemon zest from one lemon, salt, nutmeg, mixed spice, ginger and bicarbonate of soda in a bowl.
  3. Stir in the oil, lemon juice from one lemon and 50ml hot water.
  4. Divide the mixture into six pieces and flatten with your hands.  (These shapes will be crumbled once cooked so it doesn’t matter what they look like.)
  5. Bake in the oven for 15 minutes before taking out and allowing to cool.
  6. Once cooled, put the ‘biscuits’ in a bag and crush into crumbs with a rolling pin.
  7. Melt the Flora and mix with the crumbs.  Share the mixture out between 6, 7 or 8 small dishes.  (I used empty Gu dishes that I’d saved.)  Press the mixture firmly down and get it as level as you can.  Chill in the fridge for an hour.
  8. Soak the gelatine in cold water for a few minutes until it has softened.
  9. Meanwhile, mix the yogurt or crème fraiche with the Philadelphia.  Stir in the zest and juice from the remaining lemon and the sugar-free syrup.
  10. Squeeze the excess water from the gelatine and place it in a pan.  Melt over a low heat while stirring continuously.
  11. Remove from the heat and whisk in two tbsps of the soft cheese mixture.  Then pour this back into the remaining soft-cheese mixture and stir it all together.
  12. Spoon this mixture over the biscuit base and chill for a couple of hours, until it is firm.
  13. Decorate with fruit and serve.

NB:  Please see the information about blitzed oats in the FAQ section, if you haven’t already done so.

(The biscuit base is a bit crumbly but it perfectly complements the lemon topping.)

Rocky Road Brownies

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Rocky Road Brownies

This is another variation on @mands5781 ‘Blondies’ but I’ve added a few ingredients to make the lowest point ‘rocky road’-type dessert I could.  They’re perfect with a cuppa!

These are 1sp each on No Count and on WW Freestyle you can have 1 for 2sp or 2 for 3sp.

Ingredients (makes 10):

  • 50g ready oats (eg: Asda Ready Oats/Ready Brek)
  • 10g self-raising flour
  • 1tsp Splenda (or other sweetener)
  • 1/2 tsp mixed spice
  • 1tsp baking powder
  • 24g cacao powder (you can use cocoa powder instead)
  • 3 medium eggs
  • 2 ripe bananas
  • 50g low fat natural yoghurt (use fat free if following WW Flex)
  • 2tsp vanilla extract
  • a pinch of salt
  • 12g white choc chips
  • 14g mini marshmallows
  • 2 Rich Tea biscuits

Method

  1. Mash the bananas and beat well with the egg yolks, vanilla, Splenda and yoghurt.
  2. Lightly whisk the egg white and fold in.
  3. Add the oats, flour, baking powder, mixed spice, cacao powder and salt and mix well.
  4. Break the Rich Tea biscuits into small pieces and stir into the mixture.
  5. Stir in all the marshmallows and half the choc chips – leave a few to decorate the top.
  6. Pour into a greaseproof papered brownie tin and top with the remaining choc chips.
  7. Bake on 180C for 15 mins (insert a knife to check that it’s cooked all the way through).
  8. Allow to cool in the brownie tin and cut into portions.

Enjoy!

Raspberry and Almond Brownies

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Raspberry and Almond Brownies

When I started following No Count, I never dreamed that desserts like this would be achievable: or that it would be possible to eat desserts like this, and still lose or maintain weight.

This recipe is a variation on Mands (@mands5781) Raspberry and White Chocolate Blondies.  You can have two for 1sp on No Count, and they are 1sp each on WW Freestyle.

Ingredients (makes 10):

  • 50g ready oats (eg: Asda Ready Oats/Ready Brek)
  • 10g self-raising flour
  • 1tsp Splenda (or other sweetener)
  • 1/2 tsp cinnamon
  • 1tsp baking powder
  • 32g cocoa powder
  • 3 medium eggs
  • 2 ripe bananas
  • 50g low fat natural yoghurt (use fat free if following WW Freestyle)
  • 2tsp vanilla extract
  • 5g vanilla bean paste
  • a pinch of salt
  • 40g raspberries – pulled into halves gently
  • 13g flaked almonds

Method

  1. Mash the bananas and beat well with the egg yolks, vanilla, Splenda and yoghurt.
  2. Lightly whisk the egg white and fold in.
  3. Add the oats, flour, baking powder, cinnamon, cocoa powder and salt and mix well.
  4. Add half the raspberries and almonds, and stir in.
  5. Pour into a greaseproof papered brownie tin and add the rest of the raspberries and almonds to the top.
  6. Bake on 180C for 15 – 20 mins.
  7. Allow to cool in the brownie tin and cut into portions.

Enjoy!

No Count Fruit and Nut Pudding

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No Count Fruit and Nut Pudding

I’ve been meaning to try this for a while – it’s a larger version of my raspberry puddings that were posted a while ago.  I came across a picture of a similar pudding in the new WW Flex cookbook which gave me the idea of adding the flaked almonds. It was delicious, a really filling pudding, and given the thumbs up by mum and mil!  A quarter of this is free on No Count and a half would be 1sp (because of the almonds).  If following WW Freestyle, a sixth would be 3sp and a quarter would be 4sp.

Ingredients (serves 4 – 6):

  • 100g oats (blitzed in the food processor)
  • 3 eggs
  • 400ml skimmed milk
  • a flat tbsp Splenda (or other sweetener)
  • a tbsp sugar-free maple syrup (I used the Myprotein one, available online)
  • a selection of fruit
  • 8g flaked almonds (or 12g if serving 6 people)

Method:

  1. Pre-heat the oven to 190C.
  2. Mix the oats and Splenda.
  3. Whisk the milk, sugar-free syrup and eggs together and pour into the oat mixture. Whisk this together.
  4. Pour into a non-stick oven tin – I used one that was 9 inches in diameter.
  5. Place in the oven for 15 minutes.
  6. Remove from the oven and place the fruit in the mixture – I used raspberries and blackberries but you could use blueberries or cherries as well.
  7. Place back into the oven and cook for a further 35 to 40 mins. (Keep checking it as you need to make sure that the centre is cooked through.)
  8. Remove from the oven and scatter the almonds over the top.
  9. Serve with low fat natural yogurt for no points or you could use a few points on low fat custard.
  10. Enjoy!

NB:  If you haven’t already done so, please read the information about blitzed oats in the FAQ section of the website.

No Count Apple Pie

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No Count Apple Pie

This is another recipe that I’ve adapted from the ‘No Count Jam Tart’ one and the almonds on top really work well with the other ingredients.  I’ve enjoyed them served warm with low fat natural yogurt or with a low fat custard (if I have the points to spare).

If following WW Freestyle, these apple pies are three points each.

Ingredients (makes 6 – 8):

  • 85g Mornflake oatmeal
  • 80g blitzed oats
  • 2 flat tbsp Splenda/Truvia/Natvia/Canderel
  • a pinch of salt
  • a pinch of bicarbonate of soda
  • 1 tbsp olive oil
  • the zest and juice of one lemon
  • 20g plain flour for rolling out the dough (5g per person is free)

Ingredients for the filling:

  • 3 apples
  • 12g flaked almonds (2g per person is free)

Method:

  1. Pre-heat the oven to 180C.
  2. Mix the oatmeal, oats, Splenda, lemon zest, salt and bicarbonate of soda in a bowl.
  3. Stir in the oil, lemon juice and 50ml hot water.
  4. Scatter the 20g plain flour on the kitchen top and roll out the dough. Use a pastry cutter to cut out 6 – 8 circles.  (It depends on how good the rolling out went as it can be tricky.)
  5. Put these into a muffin tray and gently press them down so that they fit into the mould.
  6. Bake in the oven for about 15 minutes.
  7. While they are baking, peel and dice the apples. Put them in a pan with a small amount of water and cook for 5 – 10 minutes, until they are soft.
  8. Drain the water from the apples and carefully mash them.
  9. When the pastry bases are cooked, leave to cool before adding the apple and putting the flaked almonds on top.

They will keep in a fridge for a couple of days and can be reheated in a microwave so you can enjoy them warm.  Enjoy!

Raspberry and White Chocolate Blondies

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Raspberry and White Chocolate Blondies

Many thanks to Mands (@mands5781) for this amazing recipe and photograph!

These delicious Blondies (a twist on their brownie cousins) will help you through any late afternoon sugar lull – perfect with a cuppa! They are just 1sp each on No Count or Freestyle.

Ingredients (makes 9):

  • 32g ready oats (eg: Asda Ready Oats/Ready Brek)
  • 13g ground almonds
  • 15g sweetener of your preference
  • 1/2 tsp cinnamon
  • 1tsp baking powder
  • 3 medium eggs
  • 2 ripe bananas
  • 50g fat free natural yoghurt
  • 2tsp vanilla extract
  • 1/2 tsp vanilla bean paste
  • a pinch of salt
  • 40g raspberries – pulled into halves gently
  • 15g white chocolate chips
  • 10g freeze dried raspberries

Method

  1. Mash the bananas and beat well with the egg yolks, vanilla, sweetener and yoghurt.
  2. Lightly whisk the egg white and fold in.
  3. Add the oats, ground almonds, baking powder, cinnamon and salt and mix well.
  4. Reserve appx 1/3 of the raspberries, freeze dried raspberries and white chocolate chips until the end, and add the other 2/3 into the mix.
  5. Pour into a greaseproof papered brownie tin, and add the rest of the dried and fresh raspberries and white chocolate to the top.
  6. Bake on 180C for 25mins.
  7. Allow to cool in the brownie tin and cut into portions.

Enjoy!