I used to not care much about desserts. I really love appetizers, the main course, and those yummy side dishes, so I'm usually not hungry when it's time for dessert. Now Amy, on the other hand, has always loved desserts! Since we have been on this diet, I have found I also love to have something sweet in the evening, and it's possible to have a nice dessert and not hurt the diet efforts. For Amy's birthday, we wanted to do something fun. That's when we came up with the idea of changing the Cherries Jubilee to a more diet-friendly dessert.

Dessert on a diet for Birthdays, Valentine's Day, or even "Get Fancy" for your next Party

The traditional recipe for Cherries Jubilee requires a lot of sugar, butter, sweet liqueur, and ice cream. Nevertheless, we decided to keep the bourbon in our recipe. We have discovered that the "no sugar added" or light Edy's Slow Churn and Bryers ice creams are just as good as, if not better than, full-fat ice cream. Moreover, you save 30 calories per ½ a cup. Although 30 calories may not sound like much, they can add up quickly.

This dessert is NOT for kids!!!

Amy and I have never made Cherries Jubilee before. We assumed that the French dessert would be a complex dish to prepare, but to our surprise, it's actually quite easy and enjoyable. However, it's not a dessert suitable for kids, and this isn't a traditional dessert. You don't need to add all the butter and sugar that most recipes call for. We couldn't find the dark sweet cherries at the grocery store, so we used "pie filling" cherries, which were great and eliminated the need for sugar or butter. The best part is that you don't have to cook anything! We discovered that a recipe is not really necessary, as there is no cooking time involved. It's a great dessert to impress your friends and requires no clean-up!

If you have a special Valentine, I suggest making this dish. Watch our video also to see what not to do. This is a fun dessert/drink, and it is so yummy! Plus, the only clean-up involved is the Martini glass you use as the serving dish.

Check out the Cherries Jubilee video!

We suggest practicing making one (or two) before your big reveal of this dessert. Not only did I spill bourbon on the table, but my hand was also on fire!!! It didn't hurt, But we laughed so hard it was worth spilling the Bourbon.

Oh, and this Cherries Jubilee dessert will give you a little buzz!!!

National Cherries Jubilee Day is September 24th. So it just goes to show you don't have to wait for Valentine's Day or a Birthday to make Cherries Jubilee.

Here are some other easy recipes and posts you might like:

Homemade Cherry Tomato Sauce - Cherry tomato sauce is easy to make and comes out sweet and tangy. Fresh cherry tomatoes, herbs, and garlic combine for a taste of summer.
Ravioli tossed in homemade tomato sauce - Ravioli with Cherry Tomato Sauce. This is what summer is all about.
Banana Blueberry Cake - This is a tart lower in fat. Banana Blueberry Cake uses applesauce instead of oil for an easy, guilt-free dessert.
Cheese Sausage Pizza - Fresh Mozzarella cheese and spicy sausage are topped with hot cherry peppers and gorgonzola cheese crumbles.
Diet and well-being - Outdoor activities, delicious recipes, and a few treats made healthy dieting achievable this summer for us.