Low-Fat Healthy Cranberry and Pistachio Biscottis


As humans start to grow old, many of our organs can't seem to keep up with the stress of age, but unfortunately, our taste buds never get old. They are always craving for something tasty, be it sweet, spicy or savoury, and often it becomes a challenge to cook food that is healthy and tasty. But I think my Low-Fat Cranberry-Pistachio Biscottis are a perfect way to enjoy some sweet with your tea or coffee, without feeling guilty about all that fat!

Ingredients
1 roll of parchment paper (or butter paper)
2 egg whites
1/2 cup sugar (or sweeteners if you are diabetic)
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 cup wheat flour
2 tsp baking powder
1 tbsp olive oil
4 tbsp milk
1/3 cup shelled pistachios - sliced
a fistful of dried cranberries (or chocolate chips for a variation)
1/2 tspn vanilla essence

Note: This is a healthy version of the recipe, so you might have to compromise on the softness a bit. If you are looking for a cake-like richness in the biscottis, use whole eggs(with the yolk) and instead of olive oil, add 1/4th cup butter.

Method
Preheat oven to 350°F and line a baking tray with parchment paper.

In a large bowl beat egg whites with a pinch of salt until they just hold stiff peaks. Gradually beat in the sugar while constantly mixing it.

Sift both the flours and baking powder. Add this to the egg white mixture and whisk.

Blend in the olive oil, milk, nuts and cranberries and beat till stiff peaks are formed and mixture holds its shape. Finally fold in the vanilla gently.

Transfer the mixture into loaf pan baking sheet forming a log-shaped bar with the dough. Smooth the top with hands and a flat butcher's knife and bake in middle rack of the oven until golden, about 25 to 30 minutes.

Now allow the baked loaf to cool down for 10 mins. Then slice it into biscotti-sized thick bars. Reduce temperature to 300°F.

Place the biscotti, cut side down, on the baking sheet. Bake 10 minutes, then turn the slices over, and bake for another 10 minutes or until golden brown. Remove from oven and let cool. Store in an airtight container.

These biscottis are low in fats, and even the fat it contains is good for the heart, coming from olive oil. This recipe does not use any butter or margarine, and also eliminates the high-fat content found in egg yolks. The egg whites provide necessary protein, milk and olive oil impart softness, while nuts and cranberries provide healthy anti-oxidants, proteins and omega-3 fatty acids which all aid in keeping your heart healthy. So enjoy these healthy cranberry biscotti without any guilt!!

Similar Recipes:
Cranberry-Soy Milk & Green Tea Smoothie
Healthy Cranberry-Walnut Scones


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16 comments :

Aditi said...

Hi,

Wow they look great, was looking for a cranberry recipe...but any replacement for the eggs ? Thanks..

musical said...

Cool recipe to enjoy cranberries!

FH said...

Beautiful! I love Biscottis!:))

Kribha said...

This looks super good. My hubby loves biscottis. We usually get it in starbucks. But it is expensive for us , so we don't buy it frequently. Your recipe sounds so good. I have to try it soon. Already having your pineapple upside cake topping my list. Thanks for sharing everything.

Pravs said...

love biscottis...and you made it !! I will try this recipe. Looks so yummy !!

Mansi said...

adt, you can use butter or margarine and milk powder instead of egg whites. But I tried to make a low-fat version hence did not want to use butter.

You can see my eggless almond cookies recipe, it's similar to this biscotti, but without eggs

-Mansi

Laavanya said...

Mansi.. we love biscottis.. your look very good. I made one with cranberry and almonds but similar to your recipe.. but couldn't get such perfect slices!

Mansi said...

Laavanya, I used my friend's bread loaf pan. it gives a nice shape and form to the dough, and easier to form slices. Also, add more butter or egg as that would help make them more pliable.

Anonymous said...

wow Mansi, these are really healthy! my dad has high cholesterol, and he'd be happy to have these as he doesn't care about the compromise anymore, as long as his doctor approves what he's eating! thanks for sharing:)

-Jen

Swaruchy said...

wow...what crunchy healthy biscuits.......:-) want to have one.....:-)

Joanna said...

Mmmm ... thanks Mansi for this lovely recipe ... pistachios are my husband's favourite nut, so I shall definitely be making these :)

Joanna

zlamushka said...

double-baked Cantuccine! Girl, you know exactly what you re talking about. I love these, sometimes use halved hazelnuts if I run out of almonds...

zlamushka said...

Wow, I just read the comments. You can use marg and milk powder? Wow, I ve never heard of that. I ll definitely try that, thanx a lot for the TIP!

zlamushka said...

Hey Mansi, Thanx for the lovely biscotti. These can really last forever, perfect under the Christmas Tree :-)

Lisa Johnson said...

This biscotti looks so good!!

Unknown said...

These biscotti sound delicious! I love biscotti because they are always a great compliment to a cup of coffee or a quick snack. Low Fat Recipes like this make me feel even better about indulging in one of these great treats. I work with Better Recipes and I love finding new recipes that I can easily make for my family. When I am reviewing recipes and find good I like to set them aside for my family. Can't wait to try this one.