I’ve been doing the low-fat thing for almost a year now, so when
 I  Can’t Believe It’s Not Fattening by Devin Alexander floated across  my desk, it got my attention.
     Especially the desserts.
     I am right smack in the middle of a big-time, sweet-yearning jones,  and the Skinny Cows just aren’t cutting it anymore. When I  remembered swim suit season is right around the corner, I got a grip and  realized I am facing a typical dieter’s pitfall (that nearly prompted a  raid on the kids’ candy stash): boredom. What I need is something  sweet, satisfying and new.
     I immediately flipped to the desserts section of 
I Can’t  Believe It’s Not Fattening. I found Strawberry Shortcake to Go and  Icy Mocha Blended. Then I turned to Peppermint Brownie Pizza, a baked  concoction, creamy with whipped topping and crunchy with peppermint  candies. When I am making every calorie count, mouth feel plays a big  role in satiating my cravings.
     In this dessert, Alexander uses No Pudge! Original Fudge Brownie  Mix, but in the headnote she mentions an 88 calorie homemade brownie  from a previous cookbook. This launched me on a frenzied Google search  to find that recipe. You see, I love to bake and embrace whole foods, so  anytime I can bake a low-fat confection, I’m into it.  
     But let’s face it, when you are eating healthy and longing for some  lusciousness sometimes you gotta indulge in a little ”processed  delight” (like a cookies and cream Skinny Cow ice cream sandwich) to  satisfy without sabotaging the diet. For me this has made all the  difference in sticking to my “lifestyle change.” Alexander addresses  this dilemma in the section Natural Versus Artificial Ingredients: The  Perpetual Conflict.
       The book is subtitled Over 150 Ridiculously Easy Recipes for the  Super Busy, so the methods are quick and easy to boot. There are tips to  make weeknight cooking more user-friendly. Alexander suggests cooking  in bulk one night a week, relying on pre-cut, pre-chopped foods and  decreasing cleanup by using parchment or foil.
     Devin Alexander’s resounding mantra is “Twenty minutes in the  kitchen can save you three hours on a treadmill.” In essence she’s  saying low-fat does not equal no flavor; that you can cook healthy,  light and flavorful in your own kitchen. The big payoff here is once  you’ve learned to cook lighter, you are no longer dieting. You’re on the  road to a healthier lifestyle and keeping the weight off for good.
     Here’s a recipe that spoke to me. I make a lot of air-popped  popcorn as a light snack and I am constantly searching for flavorful,  low-fat toppings. In her Buff-Corn recipe, Alexander blends hot sauce (I  used my favorite Chipotle Tabasco) with light butter to make a spicy  and piquant snack. I’m looking forward to trying her Grilled Chicken and  Caramelized Onion Flat Bread with Blue Cheese. I think the Quick Crunch  Potato Chips, made in the microwave, are a novel and interesting idea.  And her Buffalo Shrimp sounds spicy and satisfying. There are  kid-friendly recipes too, like the Chocolate Peanut Butter Breakfast  Banana Split and Chocolate Peanut-Bears.
     Alexander knows how to make healthy recipes taste good. She’s a  culinary-school trained chef and former caterer to the stars who has  worked with 
The Biggest Loser TV show and hosts 
Healthy  Decadence with Devin Alexander on Fit TV. She’s author of the 
New  York Times bestseller, 
The Biggest Loser Cookbook. But  most importantly, she’s a former heavy kid and teen who’s kept over 55  pounds off for nearly 20 years.
     For sure Devin Alexander’s got the culinary cred. And clearly she  knows how to keep the weight off, which is challenging when your work is  food. Even accomplished cooks need guidance and education when cooking  healthier. Devin Alexander is a great teacher. — alyce eyster
Peppermint Brownie “Pizza”
Butter-flavored cooking spray
2/3 cup Fiber One or naturally sweetened fat-free vanilla yogurt
1 box (13.7 ounces) No Pudge! Original Fudge Brownie Mix (look for it in  the baking or natural foods aisle in your grocery store or at Trader  Joe’s)
1 cup fat-free frozen whipped topping, defrosted
2 tablespoons finely crushed peppermint disks or candy canes
1 tablespoon chocolate syrup
Preheat the oven to 350°F. Mist a 10 1/2-inch tart pan with spray (as  a backup, you can use a 10-inch nonstick deep-dish pizza pan, but the  brownie won’t pop out as easily as from a tart pan).
In a medium bowl, stir the yogurt into the brownie mix until well  combined. Pour the mixture into the prepared pan and spread it with a  spatula so it evenly covers the bottom of the pan. Bake for 17 to 19  minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center is no longer wet (a  few crumbs are okay). (continued)
Allow the brownie to cool completely. Spoon the whipped topping into  the center and then, using a spatula, spread it to evenly cover all but  the outer 1/2-inch of the brownie. Sprinkle the crushed candies evenly  over the top. Drizzle the syrup in a fine stream from the edge of a  spoon to create a criss-cross pattern. Cut into 8 equal wedges. Serve  immediately, or refrigerate for up to 2 days.
Makes 8 servings. Each serving made with Fiber One yogurt has: 142  calories, 3 g protein, 30 g carbohydrates, trace fat, 0 g saturated fat,  <1 mg cholester, 2 g fiber, 107 mg sodium
Recipe and photo used with permission from 
I Can’t Believe It’s  Not Fattening: Over 150 Ridiculously Easy Recipes for the Super Busy  by Devin Alexander.