Today I wanted a treat, perhaps some cream and berries, but no one wants the calories or the guilt afterwards. I could get a “diet” dessert, but they are either full of horrible ingredients or taste gross. So I made a healthy, delicious cream without any nasty products.

I’m not usually one to try to make diet versions of normal products. I’d rather a big bowl of fruit than cardboard flavoured “diet” cookies, but sometimes a healthy alternative is really an exciting new food!

Don’t expect healthy alternatives to taste just like the original, vegetarian burger patties shouldn’t taste like beef, but they can be just as delicious in their own way. This cream isn’t identical to real cream, but it’s darn good and at a fraction of the calories I’ll go for a second serving!

One of the not nasty tricks used in diet foods is agar agar. It is a seaweed extract that has similar properties to gelatin. It is great to make your own flavors of vegetarian jelly and when made with milk it can be blended into a delicious cream.


Rosewater Cream
makes 500mls, 5 minutes prep plus cooling time

2 cups of milk (use almond, soy or rice milk for vegan)
2 level tsp agar agar powder
2 tbs water
1/8 tsp salt
2 tbs sugar/agar/honey
1/2 tsp to 1 tsp rosewater (rosewater is strong, a few drops goes a long way)

Heat your milk and agar agar in a saucepan stirring until gently boiling. Remove from heat.

Transfer the milk mixture to a container to refridgerate for a few hours until cooled. I refridgerate overnight to eat cream for breakfast!

Break the jelly milk into pieces and add the remaining ingredients. Use a blender or a stick blender to turn your low fat jelly into heavenly cream. Add extra milk for a thinner cream.

Serve with fruit, oatmeal, cake, brownies or however you would usually eat cream but without the guilt!