Most of us have something of a sweet tooth, which can end up really getting in the way of maintaining a healthy and nutritious diet. Especially after dinner, there is a tendency for those sugar cravings to kick in, and few of us can resist the temptation of reaching for a tin of biscuits or a bar of chocolate.
But looking to improve your diet doesn’t have to mean cutting out dessert completely. The trick to a healthy lifestyle is all about balance, so don’t go jumping to conclusions and trying to quash your sweet tooth entirely. Instead, focus on making healthy substitutions for your sweet cravings.
If you need help with finding inspiration, why not try one of these fabulously healthy but oh-so-delicious guilt-free dessert ideas:
1. Oatmeal Bars
Oatmeal bars are absolutely delicious, and couldn’t be simpler to make. Simply reach to the cupboard and pull out your bag of old-fashioned rolled oats, mix them up with some honey, and add a good sprinkle of cinnamon to the mix for flavour.
It’s incredible what so few ingredients can add up to, as these oatmeal bars have a wonderfully sticky, chewy texture that will have your mouth watering. And even better, the use of honey cuts out any need for the addition of refined sugars, giving you an all-natural satisfaction to your sweet tooth.
Add in any other ingredients of your choosing to taste - such as peanut butter, chopped nuts, dried fruits, or even drizzle with some melted dark chocolate. When it comes to chewy oatmeal bars, the sky’s the limit.
2. Healthy Chocolate Pudding
Chocolate is a delicacy few among us have the willpower to resist. And while most of the store-bought stuff is packed full of sugar and saturated fat, the core ingredients of chocolate themselves are by themselves actually rather healthy.
That’s why you can still enjoy a chocolatey kick without a drop of guilt, by whipping up a deliciously healthy chocolate pudding at home. Simply combine a cup of greek yoghurt with some dark cacao powder and maple syrup for a wonderfully sweet chocolate pudding that comes without all the sugar and added calories of cake or a chocolate bar. Try it, and thank me later!
3. Healthy Chocolate Chip Cookies
With healthy chocolate cookies, you can have one of everybody’s favourite childhood treats without feeling like you’ve messed up your nutritional macros. By swapping out all the butter and sugar of regular chocolate chip cookies for more nutritionally enriching ingredients, this dessert can actually be a part of your fitness regime.
The first trick to making your chocolate chip cookie recipe more health-conscious is swapping out traditional flour for oat flour. You can make oat flour at home by simply throwing rolled oats into a food processor until they reach that familiar flour-like consistency.
Use coconut oil instead of butter to bind your ingredients and add that creamy taste, all without the heavy fats that come with butter. An egg, a dash of brown sugar for sweetness, and some salt, cinnamon, and of course the dark chocolate chips, are all you need to produce a batch of tasty chocolate chip cookies that are as healthy as they are delicious.
4. Nice Cream
Ice cream is a classic go-to dessert, yet typically packed with sugar, heavy cream, flavourings, and additives - not great for someone looking to improve their diet. Fortunately, there is an all-too-easy substitute for ice cream that comes in the form of so-called “nice cream.” Nice cream is vegan, low-calorie, and naturally delicious.
The key to making nice cream is simple. Simply take some bananas, alongside any of your other favourite fruits, freeze them, and toss them in a blender. The blended frozen bananas produce a consistency that is remarkably similar to ice cream. With the inclusion of strong-flavoured additions like blueberries and raspberries, you can whip up a dessert that is 100% fruit-based, yet provides all the sweet satisfaction of a bowl of creamy ice cream.
5. Strawberry Yoghurt Popsicles
Similar to nice cream, these popsicles are a perfectly refreshing treat that can be enjoyed as an afternoon snack or a post-dinner dessert. All you need is a popsicle form. Simply take some plain yoghurt, a heaping of frozen strawberries, a bit of lime juice, and a few tablespoons of honey.
Stir the yoghurt and honey together, checking for lumps. Then, in a blender, combine the frozen strawberries, lime juice, a dash of honey, and a sprinkling of water and blend until you have a smooth consistency. Add alternating layers of yoghurt and strawberry mix into your popsicle forms, and pop in the freezer. After a couple of hours you have a delicious and healthy dessert that’s just like strawberries and cream!
These 5 recipes are just the beginning when it comes to making healthy substitutes to your diet! Give them a try, and start indulging your sweet tooth, guilt-free.
