Light Life: No Pudge Brownies

While trying out light recipes is fun for those who love to bake, not to mention a satisfying way to know that you're not going to over-do the indulgences because the desserts are lighter/healthier than "normal" recipes, sometimes a boxed mix is convenient. For example, if you are at the home of a friend who owns no baking ingredients whatsoever, a mix with all the flour, sugar, leaveners and flavorings you need can come in handy. Mixes are also reliable, and even if you have a fool-proof favorite chocolate cake recipe, sometimes it's just easy to have a backup on hand.

The final reason to use a mix is that some of them taste good. And this is especially good to keep in mind when the good-tasting ones turn out to be fat free.

No Pudge Brownies are a brand of all-natural brownie mixes that bake up into thick, chewy and very chocolaty brownies that are surprisingly delicious, even to people who have no idea that the brownies are fat free. They contain no preservatives, artificial colors or artificial flavorings and to make a batch, all you have to do is add fat free yogurt.

No Pudge brownies have been on the market since 1995, when they started with a very small distribution in New Hampshire. They have been a favorite of mine, despite the fact that I rarely use mixes of any kind, ever since I first discovered them. The mixes come in four flavors - Original, Cappuccino, Mint and Raspberry - but the original is by far the most common flavor.

The mix only requires the addition of nonfat yogurt before baking. I use plain fat free yogurt and add a bit of vanilla extract when I make them, though fat free vanilla yogurt is readily available at the store and works beautifully. If you really have your heart set on flavored brownies, try adding mint or orange extract instead of vanilla. There is also an extensive recipe collection on the No Pudge website, if you're looking for additional ideas.

If you have never made the original, I highly recommend them. As promised by the company, they are chewy and fudgy. Some have described them as cake-like, but the moist No Pudge brownies could only fit that label if you really prefer your brownies to be batter-like when they emerge from the oven. And if you do, you can always cut back the baking time to achieve the correct consistency. Speaking of baking times, the only complaint - and it's a minor one because everyone prefers their brownies to be done differently - is that I have never baked my brownies as long as the box recommends. The instructions indicate 30-35 minutes, and I generally bake for about 25 minutes to produce brownies that are halfway between fudgy and cakey.

In short, these mixes are fantastic if you're looking for an easy, decadent-tasting but guilt-free treat. They're also nice have in the back of the pantry, just in case you change your mind about making another batch of the rich and fudgy, full-fat perfect brownie recipe in your repertoire and want something lighter.

And by the way, the No Pudge brownies freeze well and make great mix-ins for ice cream and frozen yogurt.