fat, fewer calories and less guilt this year's wing Special to the Jewish News imago. AK inn S rue cooktxx• Book Fair `wt 01,2 I is the official countdown to Thanksgiving: In just a few fast weeks, Thanksgiving dinner again will be served. A true American holiday, Thanksgiving is cele- brated by most of us, whatever our religion or ethnic background. And the food is a constant, too. Except for vegetarians, the majority of those living in the continen- tal U.S. will eat just about the same thing: turkey, fix- ings and dessert. While it's true that too much turkey will literally put you to sleep, it's the desserts that cause most revelers to lose sleep. Not because Thanksgiving desserts are difficult to prepare, but because eating dessert can use up a whole day's recom- mended calories and a week's worth of fat in one sitting. Consider this: A typical pecan pie can include two cups of pecans — that's 1,500 calories right there. And that's before adding the sugar, corn syrup, butter and flaky, aka fatty, crust. What about a pumpkin cheesecake that calls for two pounds of cream cheese? Don't even go there! After a dinner of turkey, stuffing, sweet potatoes, candied carrots and who knows what else, it would be best to just give the last course the cold shoulder. But everybody wants dessert. It's traditional; it's expected; it's yummy! To the rescue are the following low-fat desserts. The amount of fat in each one is way low — practically fat free. The flavor's all there, though. Pumpkin pie that uses whole evaporated milk gets a makeover to a no-bake, low-fat pumpkin flan. It's like eating the pie without the crust, which is fine since the filling is the best part anyway. Other recipes for pumpkin bread, pumpkin cheesecake, apple muffins and roasted pears get similar makeovers. In all cases, the sugar has been reduced to a minimum without sacrificing flavor and texture. You may ask, why deny yourself one day's worth of fat- tening desserts? It's a holiday after all. So, remember this: Yes, Thanksgiving is one day only, but on Friday, Nov. 29 — the very next evening — it's the first night of Chanukah. And we know what that means for low-fat eating! See the next two issues of the Jewish News for other Thanksgiving recipes — entrees and side dishes. NO-BAKE PUMPKIN FLAN 2 T. apple cider or juice 2 envelopes unflavored gelatin 2 1/4 cups evaporated low-fat milk 2 cups pumpkin puree (canned is fine) 1/2 cup dark brown sugar 1 t. ground cinnamon 1/2 t. allspice 1/4 t. ground nutmeg 1/4 t. ground doves 1 t. vanilla extract 1/2 cup graham cracker crumbs, lightly toasted 2 T. pure maple syrup, optional, garnish Use nonstick cooking spray to spray 8, 6-ounce ramekins or small baking dishes. Alternately, spray a ceramic quiche pan with nonstick cooking spray. Set aside. Place the cider in a medium bowl. Sprinkle the gelatin over the cider and let it sit for about 5 minutes, until the gelatin is softened. Meanwhile, bring 1 cup of evaporated milk to a boil over medium-high heat. Pour the milk over the softened gelatin. Add the remaining 1 1/4 cups of evaporated milk, pumpkin puree, brown sugar, spices and vanilla extract. Stir well until blended. Pour the mixture into the prepared ramekins or quiche pan. Cover with plastic wrap and chill until set, about 2 hours or more. Serve sprinkled with graham cracker crumbs and drizzled with maple syrup if desired Makes 8 servings. PUMPKIN CRANBERRY BREAD 2 cups all-purpose flour 2 t. pumpkin pie spice 1 t. baking powder 1/2 t. baking soda 1/2 t. salt 1 cup pumpkin puree (canned is fine) 1 cup brown sugar 1/2 cup orange juice 6 large egg whites 2 T. vegetable oil 1 t. vanilla extract 1 T. grated orange peel or zest 1/2 cup sweetened dried cranberries, chopped Preheat oven to 350 F. Spray a 9x5-inch loaf pan with nonstick cooking spray. Set aside. Combine the flour, pumpkin pie spice, baking powder, baking soda and salt in a medium bowl. Stir well. Set aside. Place the pumpkin, sugar, juice, elt whites, vegetable oil, vanilla extract and grated peel in a large bowl. Beat well with 11/1 2002 109 •