Q: I saw this recipe on www.marthastewart.com for Banana Split Brownies and would like to make them lighter and healthier. I also just want to make a small square pan of them instead of a big pan.

A: There's nothing like fresh-from-the-oven moist brownies and making a smaller pan of them with half the recipe is a great way to make sure they will all be enjoyed while they are fresh.

Elaine Magee (ENLARGE)

Low-fat banana brownies.

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To lighten this half-recipe, instead of using 3 ounces of bittersweet chocolate (which I don't usually have in my kitchen), I used 1/2 cup cocoa, 2 tablespoons Brown Sugar Splenda Blend (or 4 tablespoons regular brown sugar), with 2 tablespoons canola oil. And while the original half-recipe calls for almost a stick of butter, I used 1/3 cup lower-fat margarine plus 1/4 cup mashed bananas. Because there were only 6 tablespoons of white flour called for, I completely switched to whole-wheat flour without anyone noticing because the dark brown batter hides any brown from the whole wheat. I used egg substitute for half the eggs called for and switched to a light cream cheese for the banana-cream cheese swirl.

The calories were cut by 43 percent and the fat grams were cut in half and saturated fat and cholesterol by 67 percent, and the fiber increased from 0.7 gram to 2 grams per brownie.

Better Banana Split Brownies

Makes 16 servings

Hands on: 30 minutes Total time: 1 hour

Original recipe contains 175 calories, 11 grams fat, 6.3 grams saturated fat, 53 milligrams cholesterol and 0.7 gram fiber per brownie.

1 ounce unsweetened (baking) chocolate, chopped

1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa

1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons Brown Sugar Splenda blend (or 10 tablespoons brown sugar), divided

2 tablespoons canola oil

1/3 cup lower-fat margarine (8 grams fat per tablespoon) or whipped butter

1/4 cup plus 1/3 cup mashed ripe banana, divided

1 large egg

3 tablespoons egg substitute, divided

6 tablespoons whole-wheat flour

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/3 cup light cream cheese, at room temperature

3 tablespoons powdered sugar

1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

Optional garnish: whipped topping, chopped nuts and

cherries

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Coat a 9-by-9-inch nonstick round or square cake pan with canola cooking spray. In medium, microwave-safe bowl, place the chopped baking chocolate and microwave on low for 30 seconds or until completely melted. Stir in the cocoa, 2 tablespoons Brown Sugar Splenda blend (or 4 tablespoons brown sugar) and canola oil. Set bowl aside.

Combine margarine, 1/4 cup mashed banana and 1/4 cup Brown Sugar Splenda blend (or 6 tablespoons brown or granulated sugar) in large bowl of electric mixer fitted with a paddle attachment and beat on medium-low speed until fluffy (about 2 minutes). Add 1 egg and 2 tablespoons egg substitute and beat to combine, scraping sides of bowl at least once. Add chocolate mixture and beat until batter is smooth. Pour in the whole-wheat flour and salt and beat on low just until combined.

In a small food processor, process the cream cheese, 1 tablespoon egg substitute, powdered sugar and vanilla extract, until smooth (about 30 seconds). Stir the 1/3 cup mashed banana into the cream cheese batter using a fork or just briefly pulse in processor.

Spread chocolate batter evenly into the prepared baking dish. With a small spoon, make four trenches in the chocolate batter and fill them with the cream-cheese batter. Now run a dinner knife back and forth across the brownie and banana batters to create a marbled look.

Bake about 30 minutes or until the brownies reach your desired doneness. Let cool on wire rack, then serve. Garnish with banana split fixings, if you desire, such as whipped topping, chopped nuts and a cherry.

Per brownie: 99 calories (percent of calories from fat, 54), 2.4 grams protein, 11 grams carbohydrates, 2 grams fiber, 2.5 grams fat (1.9 grams saturated, 2.5 grams monounsaturated, 1.5 grams polyunsaturated), 15 milligrams cholesterol, 119 milligrams sodium, 0.2 gram omega-3 fatty acids, 1.2 grams omega-6 fatty acids, 2 Weight Watchers points.

Elaine Magee is a registered dietitian and author of 25 books on nutrition and healthy cooking. Need us to help make your recipes healthier? E-mail Elaine Magee at betterhealth@ajc.com.