Fluffy Orange Fruit Dip

It seems that my husband and I are always on a quest to help our family eat healthier.  Over the years we've made a lot of improvements, including switching over to brown rice, substituting at least part whole wheat flour in almost every recipe, eating more fruits and veggies, and fewer processed and snack foods.   For the most part, these changes have been relatively painless and are now just how we eat.  I couldn't help but feel a twinge of pride recently, when one of my kids was served white rice at a restaurant and they actually asked us what was wrong with the rice that it didn't have any color.  :)   Despite our progress, though,  the one bad habit that we're having a hard time shaking is our sweet teeth.  We've cut down eating desserts to only once a week, which has made a big difference, but still we find that  sometimes  my kids (and even us adults) miss out on the fun desserts we used to have on a regular basis.  That's where recipes like this one I found in my  Our Best Bites cookbook   come into play.  It is sweet enough, without being overwhelmingly sweet,  to satisfy everyone's sweet tooth,  AND it gets us all to fill up on healthy fresh fruit, like  apples, pineapple, and strawberries.  We figure it's perfect for an occasional day when we're either looking for a healthier alternative to an after-dinner sugar fix or when we have a lot of fresh fruit we need to eat quickly.  

The mild orange flavor and the creamy texture complements the crisp fresh fruit just perfectly.  Don't you just want to reach in and grab some for yourself?  :)

Click here for printable recipe.

The ingredients:

1 package (8-ounces) cream cheese (low fat or fat-free is fine)
2 tsp. orange zest
3 Tbs. fresh orange juice (from the orange you just zested)
1/4 tsp. vanilla
pinch of salt
1 jar (7-ounces) marshmallow cream

Directions:  Beat cream cheese, orange zest, orange juice, vanilla, and salt until smooth and creamy. 

Add marshmallow cream and beat until combined.  Makes about 2 cups.  Serve with any chopped fresh fruit--we like it with apples, pineapple, and strawberries.

Enjoy! 


*****************

Don't miss a single recipe, sign up on the right to become an email subscriber. 


*****************