Festive Healthy Holiday Dessert

This is an old recipe of my grandmother's, and while she passed away over 15 years ago, she is always with me and my family, whenever we get together. My family has made it for every holiday and family get-together for as long as I remember. It used to be my grandmother making it.  Now, as we've all grown and started our own families, far from one another, we make it for our own gatherings, and text each other photos of how it looks this year!

I brought this to a holiday party the other night, and everyone who was there commented on how delicious it was.  Best of all: LOW CALORIE and HEALTHY, and everyone still loved it. Fruit and Jell-O are the focus of this dessert, making it sweet and light, while Greek yogurt adds a tart creaminess, and packs in a bit of protein!

The recipe calls for Jell-O.  Usually, I don't use this, as it is a packaged processed food. For this recipe I use the sugar-free kind, which is made with sugar substitute.  However, I never eat sugar substitute any other time, but feel free to use full-sugar jello (this will increase the calorie count), the recipe doesn't change. Otherwise, there are just 6 ingredients!

INGREDIENTS

2 large boxes .60 oz of red Jell-O (I use a box of raspberry and black cherry, my grandmother used raspberry only)
2.5 Cups of boiling water
1 one pound bag of frozen mixed berries (strawberries, blueberries and raspberries)
1  17.6 oz container of plain 2% or full fat Greek yogurt
2-3 mashed bananas
1  8oz. can of crushed pineapple in its own juice (no sugar added)
1 non-stick bundt cake pan or other type of round pan with a whole in the middle

1. Boil water.
2. Open packets of Jell-O and place powder in large bowl.
3. Pour 2.5 Cups of boiling water over the Jell-O powder.

4. Stir until all Jell-O is dissolved.5.  Add frozen berries, mashed bananas and pineapple (with the juice) to the liquid Jell-O and stir.
6. Ladle 1/3 of the Jello/fruit mixture into the bundt pan.

7. Place pan in the refrigerator for at least half an hour to let Jell-O mixture set.
8. While this is setting, keep the bowl with the other 2/3 mixture in it over a burner on the lowest heat setting, so that it does not set, but stays liquid.
9. When a half hour or more is over, spoon yogurt over the set Jell-O in the bundt pan, and spread evenly, making sure it touches the outer and inner edges.
10. Slowly ladle the rest of the mixture over the yogurt.
11. Let set for at least 2-3 hours.
12. To remove from pan, fill kitchen sink about 1/3 full with hot water.
13. Place pan in the water (jello side facing up).
14. While the pan is in the water, run a knife around the inner and outer edges.
15. Take a plate larger in circumference than the pan.
16. Take pan out of the water, and place plate on top of pan.
17. Quickly flip pan and plate over, keeping them together, in one swift motion.
18.  Jell-O mold should slide out of the pan.
19. Decorate on the sides and middle with fresh berries if desired.

NOTE:  If making in advance, keep Jell-O in bundt pan until at least an hour or less before serving.

Here is a copy of my grandmother's handwritten recipe, well used!

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