These tofu dessert recipes and information were featured in FIRST for Women Magazine, July 13, 2009 issue. When my 11 year-old daughter saw these recipes she was so delighted—she loves healthy desserts. We haven’t made any  of these recipes yet. Hope we can try these tofu dessert recipes very soon.

If you want to lose weight here’s the magazine excerpts on tofu:
Because mild-tasting tofu takes on the flavor of the ingredients it’s paired with, so all you’ll taste is rich, velvety goodness — with 85%  fewer calories and an amazing 92% less fat than heavy cream. The 9 grams of soy protein that tofu packs per serving — makes even more impressive!

Like all protein, soy protein triggers the release of the appetite-satisfying hormones glucagon and cholecystokinin. It also contains peptides that activate lipolysis (the burning of fat for energy), which researchers at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign say can jump-start weight loss in as little as 3 days. Soy’s branched-chain amino acids stimulate metabolism-boosting mitochondria to shrink fat cells, resulting in a 36% decrease in body fat in just eight weeks. So these creamy summer sweets won’t make you gain.

Tofu is a staple of Asian diets for centuries. Tofu is made by coagulating naturally low-fat soymilk, then pressing the resulting curds into blocks. For making desserts choose silken tofu (like Mori-Nu) for maximum creaminess. Its custard-like texture blends smoothly into dessert recipes.

Silken Tofu: Silky Chocolate Mousse

In small microwave-safe bowl, microwave for 20 second:
1 bar (4 oz.) bittersweet chocolate, like Ghirardelli, melted;
1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder, like Hershey’s;
1/3 cup granulated sugar
1/4 cup water
Stir until smooth.

In food processor or blender, puree:
1 box (12.3 oz.) silken tofu, like Mori-Nu, 1 minute or until smooth.
Add chocolate mixture.
Puree 1 minute, scraping down sides of bowl with rubber spatula.

Transfer tofu-chocolate mixture to large bowl; fold in:
1 1/2 cups frozen fat-free whipped topping, like Cool Whip, thawed.

Chill 1 hour.
Spoon or pipe mousse into serving dishes.

Makes 4 servings

Tofu Dessert: Caramel-Banana Tartlets

Heat oven to 350°F.

In bowl, combine:
25 chocolate wafers, like Nabisco Famous, ground;
3 Tbs. vegetable spread, like Country Crock
2 Tbs. sugar
Press into 4″ tart pans
Bake 9 minutes, let cool.

In skillet, cook in 3 minutes, stirring occasionally:
2 bananas, sliced; and
Caramel topping mixture:
1/4 cup caramel topping
2 Tbs. rum
1 Tbs. vegetable spread

In food processor, puree in 1 minute:
1 box (12.3 oz.) silken tofu

In bowl, combine:
1 box (1 oz.) sugar-free, fat-free instant vanilla pudding mix
1/4 cup fat-free half-and-half
and pureed tofu

Alternate banana and tofu mixtures evenly among crusts.
Chill 2 hours.

Divide:
1 container (8 oz.) fat-free whipped topping among tarts.

Makes 8 servings

Yummy Silken Tofu Dessert: Almond-Kiss Cheesecakes

Heat oven to 325°F.

In small bowl, combine until blended:
1 cup finely ground amaretti cookie crumbs, like Lazzaroni (about 30 small cookies)
3 Tbs. vegetable spread like Country Crock, melted
Divide crumb mixture evenly among wells of greased 12-well muffin pan;
Press into bottom of wells.

In food processor, puree:
1 box (12.3 oz.) silken tofu, like Mori-Nu, 1 minute;
Add, and puree 1 minute:
6 oz. Neufchatel cream cheese, at room temperature;
2/3 cup sugar
1 egg
1 tsp. grated orange zest.

Divide batter among crusts.

Bake 25 minutes.
Let cool slightly.
Carefully run knife around edge of each cheesecake.
Chill in pan 1 hour. Remove from pan.

Makes 12 servings.

Source: FIRST for Women Magazine, July 13, 2009, pp. 62 ,  63.

Other Healthy Desserts “to lose weight”:

• 10 Flat Belly Diet Smoothies Recipes