Healthy desserts for the win
Published 10:18 pm Friday, March 20, 2015
From tiramisu to whoopee pie, too, desserts in the second annual Healthy Dessert Contest during Suffolk Restaurant Week sound nothing short of delicious.
And the best part is, as the name of the contest indicates, they’re actually healthy.
![Judge Melinda Powers samples the strawberry blueberry sorbet from Al Forno Pizzeria Italian Restaurant during judging for the second annual Suffolk Healthy Dessert Contest.](https://www.suffolknewsherald.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/19/2015/03/IMG_8368.jpg)
Judge Melinda Powers samples the strawberry blueberry sorbet from Al Forno Pizzeria Italian Restaurant during judging for the second annual Suffolk Healthy Dessert Contest.
“Everything has been good,” said Harper Bradshaw, owner of Harper’s Table and winner of last year’s Judge’s Award for his blood orange sorbet with homemade buttermilk, pomegranate seeds and mint.
He and last year’s other two winners are the judges for this year’s contest. That will become a regular rotation, said Jett Johnson of Healthy People Healthy Suffolk.
Jose Perez of Cedar Point Country Club and Melinda Powers of Suffolk BBQ Co. are judging alongside Bradshaw. Perez’s creation last year, a chai tea and chardonnay-spiced poached pear with frozen yogurt, won the presentation award. Powers’ cherry cheesecake parfait won last year’s people’s choice award.
Two of last year’s three desserts outsold other desserts on the menu, and some are still on the menu and continuing to sell well, the chefs said.
The three got together at two different locations this week to judge the contest. Chefs brought their creations to the judges.
“It was a nice surprise to have something warm,” Bradshaw said after trying the berry compote with prosecco cream from Baron’s Pub.
Bradshaw also said he appreciated the creativity the chefs employed. They weren’t just “making a cake with Splenda instead of sugar.”
Perez said the desserts have been “outside of my expectations.”
The desserts must adhere to strict rules: fewer than 250 calories, with less than 30 percent of those calories from fat and less than 60 percent from carbohydrates.
“It’s really nice to have a healthy option,” said Rick Spencer of the Obici Healthcare Foundation, which sponsors the contest along with the Suffolk News-Herald, Stop Diabetes, Suffolk Partnership for a Healthy Community, Suffolk Tourism and Love Local Buy Suffolk.
“Many desserts are good because they’re loaded with sugar and other ingredients that are bad for our health,” Spencer continued. “I commend the chefs.”
“Everyone enjoys eating dessert, but there’s nothing like eating dessert with zero guilt afterwards,” said Diane Nelms of the Obici Healthcare Foundation.
The contest coincides with Restaurant Week, and both end today. Visit www.suffolkvotes.org to vote for your favorite. Winners will be announced in upcoming editions of the Suffolk News-Herald and Suffolk Living magazine.
The desserts on offer include the following:
- Al Forno Pizzeria Italian Restaurant — Strawberry Blueberry Sorbet
- Amici’s — Tiramisu
- Baron’s Pub — Berry Compote Prosecco Cream
- East Coast Taco — Angel Food Cake
- Mosaic — Ginger Agave Panna Cotta
- The Plaid Turnip — Jumbo Cupcake
- River Stone Chophouse — Chocolate Meringue
- Vintage Tavern — Whoopee Pie with Strawberry Sorbet