ORANGE-CHOCOLATE COOKIES

Use this dessert recipe to indulge without the guilt

That’s right, it’s time for some dessert. Being healthier, after all, isn’t about painful deprivation as much as it is about better choices. So if you are moving your body regularly, you shouldn’t feel guilty about occasionally giving in to your sweet tooth. But if you are being calorie-conscious, this can be a bit more agonizing unless you know how to indulge without going overboard. That’s where PrayFit contributing nutritionist Dana Angelo White, MS, RD, comes in.

“My mother-in-law discovered this recipe last year in a magazine, and these cookies became an instant family favorite,” she says. “The combination of orange and chocolate makes for a light but decadent cookie. At 90 calories each, you can have one (or two) and not feel guilty about dessert.”

Orange-Chocolate Cookies

Makes 4 dozen

1 cup butter, softened
1 cup granulated sugar
1 egg yolk
2 teaspoons finely shredded orange peel
2 cups all-purpose flour
1/4 cup orange marmalade
6 ounces bittersweet chocolate
1 tablespoon shortening

In a large mixing bowl, beat butter with electric mixer on medium to high speed for 30 seconds. Add sugar. Beat until combined, scraping sides of the bowl occasionally. Beat in egg yolk and orange peel. Beat in as much flour as you can with the mixer. Stir in any remaining flour.

On a lightly floured surface, roll dough to 1/2 inch thickness. Using a 1 1/2-inch round cookie cutter, cut into rounds. Press your thumb into center and fill with 1/4 teaspoon orange marmalade.

Bake on parchment-lined baking sheets in a 375-degree oven for about 12 minutes or until edges are lightly browned. Transfer to a wire rack and let cool. In a small saucepan, melt chocolate and shortening over low heat. Dip half of each cookie in chocolate mixture. Place cookies on rack to set.

Calories: 89
Fat: 5.5 grams
Saturated Fat: 2.5 grams
Protein: 1 gram
Carbohydrate: 11 grams
Sodium: 2 milligrams
Cholesterol: 15 milligrams
Fiber: 0 grams

Dana Angelo White, MS, RD, ATC is a registered dietitian and is currently a nutrition expert for the Food Network, and has worked as a media spokesperson for Cooking Light Magazine. She has appeared on Good Day Street Talk, Food Network.com, Access Hollywood and GMA Health. Visit her at Dana White Nutrition. You can also visit her blog for more recipes at http://blog.foodnetwork.com/healthyeats/.