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The Honolulu Advertiser
Posted on: Wednesday, April 4, 2007

LIGHT & LOCAL
Something sweet for Easter that's heart healthy

By Carol Devenot

 •  Kokua Market means fresh

Spring is in the air, and the Easter Bunny has arrived. I don't know who worse to bring to the grocery store this time of year — children or a sweet- toothed man. While shopping for my next project, it was a struggle to get my boyfriend away from the candy section. He was salivating over the cream-filled eggs, jelly beans and Easter bunnies. It is hard to compete with stuff that's loaded with sugar and fat. One way to calm him down is to make a sweet and delicious — but healthy — dessert.

Fortunately, a month ago I attended Kapi'olani Community College cooking classes where vegetarian chef Alyssa Moreau taught me how to make Soy Chocolate Fantasy.

I attended two Moreau classes — Eating Heart Healthy and The Joy of Soy. The class packet included the latest information on controlling cholesterol, healthy oils, acai and pomegranate juices, coconut milk and genetically modified foods.

As long as Moreau can remember, she has been around food, working in restaurants and teaching people to eat more healthily. She also has worked as a consultant for naturopath (and Advertiser columnist) Laurie Steelsmith.

Moreau is now a personal chef who cooks for four or five families who have health concerns. Each week, she goes to their homes to cook several different dishes. Her rule of thumb for any recipe is: It should be nutritious, tasty, and most of all, "Would I eat it?"

SOY CHOCOLATE FANTASY

  • 1 box Mori-Nu silken tofu (firm or extra firm)

  • 2 tablespoons reduced-fat peanut butter

  • 1/4 cup honey

  • 1 teaspoon vanilla

  • 1 (5-inch) frozen banana (peeled, cut into chunks)

  • 1/4 cup chocolate chips

  • 2 tablespoons toasted sliced almonds

    Blend the tofu, peanut butter, honey and vanilla until smooth. Fold in the banana and chocolate chips and top with sliced almonds. Cover and refrigerate for one hour.

    Serve as is, with oatmeal cookies, or double the recipe and place the chocolate fantasy in a graham cracker crust.

    Serves 2-4.

  • Per servings (4 servings): 300 calories, 12 g fat, 3.5 g saturated fat, no cholesterol, 100 mg sodium, 40 g carbohydrate, 3 g fiber, 32 g sugar, 11 g protein

    Want a local recipe lightened up? Write Light & Local, Taste Section, The Advertiser, P.O. Box 3110, Honolulu, HI 96802; or taste@honoluluadvertiser.com. Carol Devenot is a Kaimuki-raised kama'aina, teacher and recipe consultant, and author of "Island Light Cuisine" (Blue Sea Publishing, paper, 2003). Learn more at www.islandlightcuisine.com.