Key lime pie parfait is a healthier take on key lime pie

Most summer vacations with my family involve a trip to Florida. And one of our favorite 
splurges while we're there is key lime pie. Like wine snobs, I think we've become key 
lime pie snobs. 

In the interest of moderation, we order one piece of pie and three forks. The crust is 
evaluated, the tartness and creaminess of the filling is assessed, and the texture and 
sweetness of the whipped topping is critiqued. At the end of trip, restaurants are ranked 
based on their key lime pie. Those at the top of the list are visited first the following 
year.

More:Healthy Table: Wheat berries boost nutritional value of salads, soups

We stumbled into a new place this summer and they had an interesting spin on our 
favorite dessert: key lime pie in a mason jar. A buttery, graham cracker crust was 
crumbled and layered between silky, sweet and slightly tart cream filling topped with 
delicious whipped cream.

I thought about this dessert for a while, and how I could create a healthier version. After 
four attempts, my family gave a thumbs-up to today's recipe. 

More:Detroit's Sister Pie owner shares her recipes in new cookbook

I have no doubt that the restaurant version relied on heavy cream for the base of the 
filling. As I mentioned a few weeks ago, from a calorie and saturated fat perspective, 
heavy cream doesn't fit well in Healthy Table recipes. So I turned to a mixture of 
reduced-fat cream cheese and fat-free whipped topping. The reduced-fat cream cheese 
provided a silky, smooth richness and the fat-free whipped topping was sweet and 
creamy. I'm not a fan of most fat-free foods, however the whipped topping was actually 
OK.

My version of the crust provides more savings in calories and saturated fat. Plain graham cracker crumbs were used instead of a crumbled buttery crust. To keep the crumbs crisp, don't assemble this dessert until you're ready to serve it.

One final note about today's recipe, I must admit I used bottled key lime juice. In the 
interest of time, it was the best option. If you're using fresh-squeezed lime juice from 
Persian limes, those typically found in grocery store, you'll need 2 to 3 good-sized limes 
to yield a 1/3 cup. If you're using real key limes, because they are small, you'll need about 12.

Darlene Zimmerman is a registered dietitian in Henry Ford Hospital's Heart & Vascular 
Institute. For questions about today's recipe, call 313-972-1920.

Key Lime Pie Parfaits

Serves: 7 / Prep time: 20 minutes / Total time: 30 minutes (plus chilling time)

4 ounces reduced-fat cream cheese
¾ cup powdered sugar
1 teaspoon lime zest
⅓ cup key lime juice
8 ounces fat-free whipped topping
14 tablespoons (⅞ cup) graham cracker crumbs
7 lime wedge slices

In a large bowl, whip together cream cheese, sugar and lime zest until creamy. 
Drizzle in lime juice and continue to whip. Add whipped topping and using a 
large spoon or spatula, gently fold into lime mixture until combined. Refrigerate 
at least one hour before assembling parfaits. To assemble and serve, place 1 
tablespoon graham crackers crumbs in the bottom of a parfait glass. Top crumbs 
with ¼ cup key lime cream, top cream with 2 teaspoons graham cracker crumbs, 
top crumbs with another ¼ cup key lime cream, and sprinkle with 1 teaspoon 
graham cracker crumbs. Add a lime wedge slice for a garnish.

Created and tested by Darlene Zimmerman, MS, RD for Heart Smart and tested by Susan Selasky for the Free Press Test Kitchen.

197 calories (23% from fat), 5 grams fat (2 gram sat. fat, 0 grams trans fat), 34 grams carbohydrates, 2 grams protein, 122 mg sodium, 12 mg cholesterol, 23 mg calcium, 1 gram fiber. Food exchanges: 2 starch, 1 fat.