Lime (or Lemon) Fluff Salad (Sugar Free)

This is a quick and easy dish...salad or dessert. 

The recipe came from one I've had for many years - 

HEALTHY EXCHANGES COOKBOOK by Joanna M. Lund.  

Actually, this is probably the very first 'healthier choices' cookbook I owned.  I learned a number of things from this book in my early days of trying to cut back on calories, fat and sugar....at the time my hubby was diagnosed with diabetes, back in the early 90's.  

I learned to use substitutes like...making your own sour cream (this is before Greek yogurt appeared on grocery shelves) by adding nonfat dry milk powder to plain fat free yogurt, or...

Making your own evaporated skim milk by combining nonfat dry milk powder and water.  Or substituting applesauce for oil in baking. 

I also learned that fat free products contain more water and they should never be beaten for long with a mixer...for best results, you should mix them by hand. 

I love that Joanne uses nonfat dry milk powder and water for a lot of simple recipes like this.  It's not only healthy, it's frugal too, and you can't even tell in recipes like this one. 

I used lime jello (sugar free) and it was yummy, but I think I would prefer it with lemon.  Orange or cherry would also be tasty. 

It is best eaten within 24 hours.  I didn't really care for the texture on day 2 or 3....it just tended to get 'loose'.  Just so you know...
(So if you're not planning to eat it all at once, I would suggest adding less water) 

LIME FLUFF SALAD 

1 sm. (4-serv. size) pkg. sugar free instant pudding mix 

1 sm. (4-serv. size) pkg. sugar free lime jello

2/3 c. nonfat dry milk powder

1-1/4 c. water

1 (16 ozs) can (about 2 cups) fruit cocktail, packed in its own juice, 

drained (reserve liquid)

3/4 c. Cool Whip Lite

1/2 c. (1 oz) mini marshmallows

In medium bowl, combine dry pudding mix, dry jello and dry milk powder.  Add water and reserved fruit cocktail liquid to dry pudding mixture.  Mix well using a wire whisk. Blend in Cool Whip Lite, fruit cocktail and mini marshmallows.  Cover and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes. 

Yield: 6 servings = 2/3 c. each

Each serving equals Calories: 120; Fat: 1 gr.; Prot: 4 gr.; Fiber: 0 gr.