Lemon Ricotta Cream

I've promised to bring you healthy yet delicious snacks and desserts, and this is the first of those recipes. Shannon, my nutritionist, shared a recipe with me for ricotta cream desserts, with three variations. Tonight I made lemon ricotta cream, a simple and sweet swirl of ricotta cheese (I used part-skim), freshly grated lemon rind, lemon and vanilla extracts, and a little bit of sweetener. The texture is a little bit rustic, so don't expect the creaminess of a pudding. For those of us working hard to eat well, this is a delicious and satisfying snack or dessert. It could be easily packed for lunches-to-go, as well, mixed right in the container.

Let me know what you think (and I'm trying out a fancy new photo trick!).

LEMON RICOTTA CREAM
(1 serving)

1/2 cup ricotta cheese
1/4 tsp. freshly grated lemon rind
1/4 tsp. lemon extract
1/4 tsp. vanilla extract
1 packet sweetener (I used Domino's sugar/half stevia blend, 5 calories per packet)

In small mixing bowl, thoroughly blend all ingredients.  If you want to make it fancy, pipe through a pastry bag.

Grate a little extra lemon rind over the ricotta cream for a pretty finishing touch.  Serve chilled.

Nutritional information:  100 calories, 4 g carbohydrates, 3 g sugars, 7 grams fat, 7 g protein

Variations:

Vanilla Ricotta Cream:  use 1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract

Almond Ricotta Cream:  use 1/4 teaspoon almond extract.  Sprinkle with 1 teaspoon of slivered almonds.