Recipe: Strawberry Pretzel Squares

This delicious fresh fruit dessert has 30% less sugar and half the calories and fat of the traditional version.

Ingredients

• 2 cups finely crushed pretzels
• 1/3 cup butter, melted
• 1/3 cup unsweetened applesauce
• 1/2 cup sugar, evenly divided
• 1 1/2 8-ounce packages of reduced-fat cream cheese
• 2 tablespoons skim (fat-free) milk
• 1 cup “lite” whipped topping, thawed
• 2 cups boiling water
• One 6-ounce package strawberry gelatin
• 1 1/2 cups cold water
• 4 cups sliced fresh strawberries

Directions

1. Heat oven to 350 F.
2. Mix crushed pretzels, butter, applesauce and 1/4 cup sugar. Press onto bottom of 13- x 9-inch pan. Bake 10 minutes. Cool.
3. Beat cream cheese, milk and remaining sugar until blended. Stir in whipped topping and spread over crust. Refrigerate.
4. Add boiling water to gelatin mix in a large bowl. Stir 2 minutes until completely dissolved. Stir in cold water. Refrigerate for about 1 1/2 hours or until thickened.
5. Stir in strawberries; spoon over layer of cream cheese. Refrigerate for three hours or until firm.

Nutrition information (per serving)

Makes 20 servings
Serving size: 1 square

Calories: 116
Protein: 2 g
Total fat: 6 g
Saturated fat: 4 g
Cholesterol: 16 mg
Total carbohydrate: 14 g
Sugar: 10 g
Dietary fiber: 1 g
Sodium: 178 mg
Potassium: 56 mg