Goat Cheese Tartlets with Spiced Apple-Fig Compote

 Ingredients:

• 30 Mini phyllo shell(s)
• 1/3 cup reduced-fat whipped cream cheese spread
• 1/3 cup soft-type goat cheese
• 1 Egg white
• 2 tbsp.honey
• 1 tbsp. whole wheat flour
• 2 medium Granny Smith apples, peeled & coarsely grated
• 1/2 cup fig Jam
• 1/8 tsp. Ground allspice
• 1/4 cup Mint leaves, for garnish

Makes 30 Servings (1 tartlet per serving)

1. Preheat oven to 350°F. Arrange phyllo shells on a cookie sheet.
2. In a medium bowl, using an electric mixer, combine cream cheese, goat cheese, egg white, honey and flour until thick and creamy, about 5 to 6 minutes; spoon 1 teaspoon of filling in each shell. Bake until set, about 15 minutes; remove from oven and let cool.
3. Meanwhile, in a small saucepan, combine apple, jam and allspice; set over medium heat. Cook, stirring frequently, until jam melts and mixture thickens slightly (juice from apples will evaporate); remove from heat and let cool to room temperature. Just before serving, spoon 1 teaspoon apple compote onto each tart; garnish with mint. 

WW POINTS VALUE: 2 pts. 

Note: This recipe appears on www.weightwatchers.com. You can bring the taste of fall to your table with these delicious tarts filled with cream cheese, goat cheese, fig jam, honey, Granny Smith apples, and allspice. Fresh mint makes an excellent garnish for this dessert. These fancy looking tarts are actually a snap to make with store-bought phyllo shells. They're mini in size – perfect for portion-control. They make a beautiful presentation and are great as an appetizer or dessert. The tartlets and compote can both be made one day ahead. Just bring to room temperature before serving.

Sweet Onion, Bacon, and Cheese Tarts

Ingredients:

• 1 tsp. extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 sweet onion, quartered and thinly sliced
• 1/4 tsp. salt
• 1/8 tsp. freshly ground black pepper
• 3 slices Canadian bacon, finely chopped
• 1 egg, mixed well
• 2 tbsp. fat-free half-and-half
• 1 tsp. Dijon mustard
• pinch cayenne 
• 24 frozen mini phyllo tart shells
• 1/3 cup shredded reduced-fat Swiss cheese

Makes 24 tarts (1 tart per serving)

1. Heat the oil in a medium skillet over medium heat. Add onion, salt, and pepper; cook, stirring, until onion is golden brown, about 12 minutes. Transfer to a small bowl.
2. Add bacon to skillet and cook, stirring, until lightly browned, about 2 minutes. Add to onion and mix well. 
3. Preheat oven to 350 F. 
4. Meanwhile, whisk together egg, half-and-half, mustard and cayenne in a small bowl. Arrange tart shells on baking sheet. Spoon onion-bacon mixture evenly into shells. Top each with about 3/4 teaspoon egg mixture. Sprinkle evenly with Swiss cheese; bake until filling is set, about 15 minutes. Serve warm. 

WW POINTS VALUE: 1 pt. 

Note: This recipe appears in the WW Family Meals Cookbook. These tarts are both filling and delicious. These tarts may be little but they pack a lot of flavor. These tarts can be served as appetizers at a fancy party or can be enjoyed as a light snack at home. 

Sweet Onion, Bacon, & Chese Tarts

Ingredients:

• 1 tsp. extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 sweet onion, quartered and finely sliced
• 1/4 tsp. salt
• 1/8 tsp. freshly ground black pepper
• 3 slices, Canadian bacon, finely chopped
• 1/4 cup fat-free egg substitute
• 2 tbsp. fat-free half-and-half
• 1 tsp. Dijon mustard
• pinch cayenne
• 24 frozen mini phyllo tart shells
• 1/3 cup shredded reduced-fat Swiss cheese

Makes 24 Servings (1 tart per serving)

1. Heat oil in medium skillet over medium heat. Add, onion, salt and pepper; cook, stirring, until onion is golden brown, about 12 minutes. Transfer to a small bowl.
2. Add bacon to skillet and cook, stirring, until lightly browned, about 2 minutes. Add onion and mix well.
3. Preheat oven to 350 F.
4. Meanwhile, whisk together egg substitute, half-and-half, mustard, and cayenne in small bowl. Arrange tart shells on baking sheet. Spoon onion-bacon mixture evenly into shells. Top each with about 3/4 teaspoon egg mixture. Sprinkle evenly with Swiss cheese; bake until filling is set, about 15 minutes. Serve warm.

WW POINTS VALUE: 1 pt.

 

Note: This recipe appears in the WW Family Meals Cookbook. These are what I call breakfast treats in a tart. If you love bacon and eggs, these treats are for you. These tarts are filled with flavors of breakfast and they are very delicious. If you don't have egg substitute, use 1 egg mixed and the tarts will still be delicious. I highly recommend adding minced garlic with the onion because garlic always makes everything taste better. If you don't have Swiss cheese, substitute any Italian cheese, Mexican cheese or cheddar cheese and the tarts will still be tasty. 

Dark Chocolate & Sea Salt Tartlets

Ingredients:

• 15 mini phyllo shells, thawed
• 1/4 cup low-fat milk
• 1 tsp. unsalted butter
• 3 1/2 oz. bittersweet chocolate (about 3/4 cup)
• 1/2 tsp. vanilla extract
• 1/8 tsp. coarse sea salt
• 5 tbsp. thawed frozen fat-free whipped topping

Makes 15 tartlets (1 tartlet per serving)

1. Preheat oven to 350 F.
2. Place phyllo shells on baking sheet and bake until lightly crisp, about 5 minutes. Transfer to a wire rack and let cool.
3. Meanwhile, combine milk and butter in small saucepan and set over high heat; cook, stirring occasionally, until milk bubbles around edge and butter is melted. Reduce heat to low; stir in chocolate and vanilla until chocolate is melted and mixture is smooth.
4. Let chocolate mixture cool 2-3 minutes. Spoon evenly into phyllo shells and sprinkle with salt. Refrigerate until filling is set, about 10 minutes. Top each tartlet with 1 teaspoon whipped topping just before serving.

WW POINTS VALUE: 2 pts.

 

Note: This recipe appears in the WW Family Meals Cookbook. These sweet treats will quickly become your new favorite guilty pleasure. They are melt-in-your-mouth-delicious they're that good. The combination of vanilla, chocolate, milk and butter will literally melt in your mouth it is that good. Plus, it's in a small tartlet so it's the perfect portion size.

Mini Vanilla Bean-Pomegranate Cheesecake Tarts

Ingredients:

• 30 mini-phyllo shells, thawed if frozen
• 8 oz. light cream cheese, at room temperature
• 1/4 cup plain fat-free Greek yogurt
• 2 tbsp. granulated sugar
• 1 tsp. vanilla extract
• 1 vanilla bean
• 1/2 cup pomegranate seeds
• 1/4 cup fresh mint leaves

Makes 30 tarts (1 tart per serving)

1. Preheat oven to 350 F.
2. Place phyllo shells on a baking sheet and bake until lightly toasted, about 5 minutes; let cool.
3. Meanwhile, in a medium bowl briskly whisk together softened cream cheese, yogurt, sugar, and vanilla until smooth. Split vanilla bean pod in half and scrape seeds into bowl; gently stir into cream cheese mixture.
4. Evenly divide mixture among shells; top each with pomegranate seeds and a mint leaf. Serve immediately or cover and refrigerate up to 4 hours.

WW POINTS VALUE: 1 pt.

 

Note: This recipe appears in the Weight Watchers Magazine. These desserts are a sweet take on traditional cheesecake. These sweet treats have the flavor and texture of a traditional cheesecake. This filling has a lot less granulated sugar, a little more vanilla and they are topped with pomegranate seeds and mint. These tartlets are very tasty and can be enjoyed during the fall and winter holidays. 

Chocolate Truffle Tartlets

Ingredients:

• 1/3 cup fat-free half-and-half
• 1 tbsp. trans-fate-free margarine
• 4 tbsp. granular sugar substitute
• 1 large egg yolk
• pinch salt
• 2 oz. unsweetened dark baking chocolate, chopped
• 12 frozen mini phyllo shells, thawed
• 2 tbsp. no-sugar-added lite whipped topping

Makes 12 tartlets (3 tartlets per serving)

1. In a small saucepan, combine the half-and-half, margarine, and 2 tablespoons of the sugar substitute. Cook over low heat until the mixture is hot and the margarine is melted, about 1 minute.
2. Meanwhile, in a small bowl, whisk together the remaining 2 tablespoons sugar substitute, egg yolk and salt.
3. Whisk the hot half-and-half mixture into the egg mixture, then whisk back into the saucepan and cook, whisking constantly, for 10 seconds. Remove the pan from the heat, add the chocolate, and cover. Let stand for 5 minutes for the chocolate to melt.
4. Stir the chocolate mixture to recombine. Spoon 2 teaspoons of the chocolate mixture into each tartlet shell and refrigerate for 10 minutes. To serve, top each with 1/2 teaspoon whipped topping.

WW POINTS VALUE: 2 pts.

 

Note: This recipe appears in the South Beach Diet Super Quick Cookbook. These are what I call elegant sweet bites. Any dessert that uses prebaked mini phyllo shells filled with something sweet is an elegant sweet treat. You won't need to bake these shells because they thaw instantly. The filling is absolutely delicious because it tastes like a gourmet fudge that melts in your mouth. I highly recommend refrigerating these tartlets for a few hours or overnight so the flavors enhance. Serve these elegant treats to company and  they will be happy. 

Mini Apple Tarts

Ingredients:

• 1 tbsp. trans-fat-free margarine
• 2 medium red apples, peeled, quartered, cored and thinly sliced
• 3 oz. reduced-fat cream cheese
• 1 tbsp. agave nectar or 2 tsp. granular sugar substitute
• 15 frozen mini phyllo shells, thawed

Makes 15 Mini Tarts (3 per serving)

1. In a large skillet, melt the margarine over medium heat. Add the apples and cook, tossing frequently, until softened and golden brown, 5-7 minutes. Transfer to a plate and cool for 5 minutes.
2. Meanwhile, in a small bowl, stir together the cream cheese and agave nectar.
3. Spoon the cream cheese mixture evenly into the tart shells. Top with the apples and serve.

WW POINTS VALUE: 1 pt.

 

Note: This recipe appears in the South Beach Diet  Super Quick Cookbook. These quick and easy treats can be enjoyed as a snack anytime of the day. Even though the recipe does not call for you to bake the phyllo shells, I highly recommend baking the shells at 325 F for 5-7 minutes for that extra crunch. Agave nectar is a sweetener made from the juice of the Mexican agave cactus and it's available in grocery stores. If you don't have agave nectar, you can use honey and the tarts will still be delicious. I also highly recommend using Granny Smith apples for a more tart taste and adding a touch of cinnamon and nutmeg for a touch of flavor. They may look a little messy but they are delicious.

 

Fresh Blackberry Tartlets

Ingredients:

• 12  frozen mini phyllo tartlet shells, defrosted
• 15 blackberries
• 3/4 cup fat-free or light whipped topping
• 1 tsp. fresh lemon juice
• 1/4 tsp. vanilla extract

Makes 4 (3-piece) Servings

1. Heat the oven to 350 F. Arrange tart shells on a baking sheet and bake until crisp, 3-5 minutes. Allow to cool before filling, about 5 minutes.
2. Set aside 12 blackberries for topping tarts. Place remaining blackberries in a small bowl and mash with a fork. Add whipped topping and stir to combine. Stir in lemon juice and vanilla.
3.  Spoon 1 tablespoon of the whipped topping mixture into each tart shell. Top each tart with a blackberry and serve.

WW POINTS VALUE: 2 pts.

 

Note: This recipe appears in the South Beach Diet Taste of Summer Cookbook. Who doesn't love fresh berries once in a while? This quick and easy dessert looks pretty and tastes nice. It's perfect for that little treat that quickly fills you up. The combination of berries, lemon juice and vanilla is divine. You can make these elegant treats for a party and they will quickly go, I guarantee. You can use any kind of berry and/ or lime juice and they will still be delicious. This treat is a 5-ingredient fix and will certainly impress Claire Robinson.

 

Cannoli Tartlets

Ingredients:

• 2 cups part-skim ricotta cheese
• 1/4 cup granular sugar substitute
• 4 ounces bittersweet chocolate, finely chopped
• Pinch of ground cinnamon
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 2 boxes mini whole-wheat phyllo shells (15 shells each)
• 1/4 cup finely chopped unsalted pistachio nuts

Makes 30 tartlets

1. Stir together ricotta, sugar substitute, chocolate, cinnamon and vanilla in a medium bowl until well combined. Chill, covered, until ready to prepare tartlets.
2. No more than 2 hours before serving, fill mini phyllo shells with about 1 tablespoon ricotta filling. Sprinkle each tartlet evenly with pistachios and refrigerate until ready to serve.

WW POINTS VALUE: 2 pts (per tartlet)

Note: This recipe appears in the South Beach Diet Parties & Holidays Cookbook. A cannoli is a pastry that originated in Sicily and means little tube. Cannoli are very popular in Italian cuisine that is made of tube-shaped shells of fried pastry dough that's filled with a sweet, creamy filling usually containing ricotta cheese. These cannoli from South Beach get a healthy makeover and they taste just as good. The phyllo tarlet shells replace the fried pastry dough. The filling does have the traditional ricotta filling but there's less sugar and more sweet flavors such as chocolate, ground cinnamon, vanilla and nuts to make this sweet treat heavenly delicious. I absolutely loved these sweet treats and I highly recommend serving these treat at your next party or get-together because they are so good and people will be talking about them for days.