Fresh Berry Pavlova with Balsamic Glaze
Serves 8 – 70 Calories per serving
Serving Size 1 Pavlova
II saw a recipe in the newspaper, from Melissa D’Arabian; Raspberry Pavlova that cut the sugar in half making a normal 200+ calorie dessert into only 100 calories. By simply substituting plain yogurt for sour cream, I was able to cut the calories by another 30% making it only 70 calories per serving!
A Pavlova (named after the famous ballerina’s fluffy tutu) is a meringue shell baked at low heat that makes the outside golden crisp and the inside a soft billowy cream. Meringues are essentially egg white, which is pure protein, and a little bit of sugar.
The sugar is what makes the egg white into meringue, but it doesn’t take nearly as much sugar as the normal meringue recipe calls for. Of the 70 calories in this recipe, 24 are from the sugar. Each serving contains about 1 ½ teaspoons of sugar.
I promise you, this will make the most avid dessert lover smile. Just don’t tell them it’s actually very healthy!
Ingredients
- 3 egg whites
- ¼ cup sugar
- ½ tsp. white vinegar
- 1 tsp. cornstarch
- 1 tsp. vanilla extract
- ¼ tsp. almond extract
- 1 cup PLAIN yogurt
- 2 tablespoons maple syrup
- 1 cup fresh berries
- 1/3 cup balsamic vinegar
Directions
Preheat oven to 275 degrees. Put whisk attachment on your hand mixer. Beat egg whites on medium about 1 minute, until foamy. Add the sugar and continue to beat on medium- high until stiff peaks form. Add the white vinegar, cornstarch and extracts and beat on low until well mixed.
Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Spoon the meringue into 8 even round piles. Use the back of a large spoon to spread the meringue into circles about ½ inch tall and about 3 inches wide. Make sure they don’t touch! Use the large spoon to create a gentle depression in the center of each one. Bake for 20 minutes.
Keeping the oven door closed, turn off the heat after 20 minutes, but leave the Pavlovas in the oven for another hour. Then remove them and let them cool completely.
Heat the balsamic vinegar over medium heat until it reduces by half. We added a few cloves while it was reducing for holiday flavor.
Stir the yogurt and maple syrup together in a small bowl. Remove each Pavlova gently from the parchment onto a small plate, and spoon 2 tablespoons of the yogurt mixture onto the center of each. Top with berries, drizzle with balsamic reduction and sprinkle liberally with love!
Voila! Magnifique!
From the Isn’t this Interesting? Department Gold, Frankincense and Myrrh in Ancient Medicine
Gold (Aurum)
In homeopathic medicine Aurum (Gold) is an excellent remedy for depression. A patient that benefits from Aurum would often have a deep love of music and feels better with it. They also tend to have a spiritual inclination and desire for meditation.
Frankincense
Frankincense is actually resin from the Boswelia tree. In ancient times it was used in Egypt, China and India to ward off foul odors, which were associated with evil.
At one time it was considered to be as precious as gold. Modern science has isolated the active compounds found to have anti-arthritic properties. Called boswellic acids, these components inhibit the inflammatory process, improve blood supply and help prevent cartilage damage in arthritis.
Myrrh
Myrrh oil comes from a dried resin extracted from the Commiphora myrrha tree. It was very popular among ancient cultures. Both myrrh resin and myrrh oil have a long history of medicinal use, valued for their wound-healing properties. Egyptians used myrrh to treat hay fever and heal herpes. Myrrh oil has also been used as incense and a holy oil in religious rituals and ceremonies for over 5,000 years.
Maintaining healthy skin is one of myrrh oil’s renowned uses, as it slows down the signs of aging and soothes cracked or chapped skin. This is why it’s commonly added to many skin care products today.