The MyPlate Team continues to share “Makeover Monday” recipes each week on the USDA blog and the MyPlate Facebook page through January 6th.
I was first introduced to banana pudding, a traditional southern dessert, during the holidays when I moved to Virginia from North Dakota. It tasted great, but I remember leaving the dinner table with an uncomfortable, heavy feeling in my stomach. I decided to try and make the pudding lighter so that I could still enjoy it, but without the overstuffed feeling.
I must admit, I was skeptical about swapping all of the full fat ingredients for either reduced or nonfat versions. I was afraid that the taste would suffer and not resemble my favorite banana pudding recipe. Boy, was I wrong! I was surprised how good the “makeover” pudding tasted.
In addition to using reduced fat or nonfat ingredients, one of the biggest changes that I made was replacing the sweetened condensed milk with low-fat vanilla yogurt. The end result was a creamy tasting banana pudding. Adding ginger snaps and a touch of cinnamon give the pudding a holiday flavor.
My banana pudding parfait now has about a third of the calories, less saturated fat, and half the sodium compared to a portion of the traditional recipe.
I will always have fond memories of eating my first banana pudding. However, this updated version has found a new place in my heart and in my recipe box. Jean’s Banana Pudding Parfait is proof that you can “lighten up” dessert without giving up on taste!
Be sure to check out the rest of our MyPlate Holiday Makeover Series and visit www.ChooseMyPlate.gov for more ideas, nutrition advice, and recipes.
