The George Mateljan Foundation, a not-for-profit foundation with no commercial interests or advertising, is a new force for change to help make a healthier you and a healthier world.

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Romantic Healthy Desserts

Q. How can I enjoy desserts if I am trying to not indulge in a lot of sweets?

A. Let's take Valentine's Day-in many people's minds, the day when a romantic dessert should be on the menu. If you try our chocolate mousse, you'll be absolutely convinced that it is indeed possible to enjoy sinfully delicious desserts without compromising your health. And why wait for Valentine's Day? Shouldn't your life feature romance all year long?

Q. What if I can't eat chocolate without having a reaction?

A. I have other dessert recipes that may be more to your liking. For instance our fruit tarts with a date-and-nut crust.

Not only do these desserts have very little sugar in the filling (in fact, they can even be made with no sugar at all and still be very delicious), but I have discovered a wonderful way to make a no-bake crust from just ground dates and walnuts. This healthy dessert crust is free of added sugar and rich in beneficial omega 3 essential fatty acids. Because of the natural sweetness of the dates and fruit you can eliminate any other sweetening if you choose.

These particular tarts are especially appropriate for the winter season. They are all very quick and easy to prepare. It is necessary to have a food processor to grind the dates and walnuts fine enough to press into a tart or pie pan. I use a tart pan because the ring comes off, and I can cut it into pieces without disturbing the shape of the crust.

Feel free to create your own fillings for this healthy dessert crust. Just make sure that whatever you choose to fill it with is not very runny, as it will make the crust soggy. However, when in season, fruits such as fresh apricots, peaches, pears, raspberries, and blueberries would all make a wonderful filling for this crust. Simply follow the recipes given, replacing the fruit with your seasonal choice.