Creamy Lemon "Tart"

A few years ago, I followed the South Beach Diet pretty faithfully. The menu was easy to follow, except for those horrid recommended desserts...flavored ricotta, bland custards, popsickles & all that Jello. I don't normally have a sweet tooth--I crave crunchy, salty snacks more--but when I am carb-deprived I want lots of sugar.

I looked for some good SBD-friendly dessert recipes online last week and came across a few on the Kraft Foods website. One was for a "Crustless Tangy Lemon Pie" made with yogurt and Jello. I altered the recipe slightly, and the result was a delicious lemon dessert that is similar in taste to a lemon merengue pie!

It was so good--and guilt-free-- that my friends had more than one piece!

You'll need:

32 oz fat-free, no sugar added vanilla yogurt (I used Dannon Light & Fit)
2 small packages sugar-free lemon Jello
8 oz Cool Whip Free
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger (or gingerbread syrup)
1 tablespoon graham cracker crumbs

Directions:

1. Combine the yogurt & jello is a microwavable bowl. Nuke for 2 1/2 minutes to dissolve the Jello. Stir well.

2. Pour into a 9-inch pie plate that's been sprayed with non-stick cooking spray (don't use butter or olive oil flavored).

3. Refridgerate at least 3 hours.

4. Mix Cool Whip and ginger (or syrup). Spread on top of chilled lemon mixture. Sprinkle on crumbs.

This would, of course, also be good with lime Jello (minus the ginger)...I think it would be like a mock Key Lime Pie. I can only imagine the possibilities with different Jello flavors and toppings!