Holiday Healthy Cookie Countdown with Fitness Elements!

Coconut Meringues Anyone?

They've got just 25 calories apiece, so you can get more kick out of your calorie count with these light-as-air treats. Not your average meringues, these get a kick of flavor from flaked sweetened coconut, coconut extract, and unsweetened cocoa. Plus, they're easy and fun to make.


Toasting the coconut enhances its flavor. For information about making meringues in advance and storing them for a party, see the recipe for Chocolate, Coconut, and Almond Snowdrops.

Yield: 31 meringues (serving size: 1 meringue)
Ingredients

* 1/4 teaspoon cream of tartar
* Dash of salt
* 3 large egg whites
* 1/2 cup sugar
* 1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract
* 1/8 teaspoon coconut extract
* 1/2 cup flaked sweetened coconut, toasted
* 1 tablespoon unsweetened cocoa

Preparation

Preheat oven to 250°.

Combine cream of tartar, salt, and egg whites in a large bowl; beat with a mixer at medium speed until soft peaks form. Add sugar, 1 tablespoon at a time, beating at high speed until stiff peaks form. Add extracts; beat just until blended (do not overbeat). Gently fold in coconut. Drop by rounded tablespoons, 2 inches apart, onto 2 baking sheets covered with parchment paper. Bake at 250° for 1 hour until very lightly browned and almost crisp, switching baking sheets and rotating front to back halfway through baking time. Remove from oven. Cool for 25 minutes (meringues will crisp as they cool). Sprinkle evenly with 1 tablespoon cocoa.
Nutritional Information

Calories:
25 (14% from fat)
Fat:
0.4g (sat 0.4g,mono 0.0g,poly 0.0g)
Protein:
0.4g
Carbohydrate:
4.1g
Fiber:
0.1g
Cholesterol:
0.0mg
Iron:
0.1mg
Sodium:
13mg
Calcium:
1mg

19 Days Until Christmas be on the Lookout for Your Daily Cookie Countdown Recipe Recommendations from Your Nutrition Expert Natalie Pyles CEO of Fitness Elements Express!