Do you have a sweet tooth? Many people do. In fact, people across the world love treating themselves to delicious desserts. Despite this, many sweet treats are unhealthy. As you may already know, sugar is incredibly bad for your teeth.
Sugary foods are high in calories but add little value to your diet. Having too much sugar in your diet can lead to you gaining weight or developing diabetes. Consequently, it can be difficult to make desserts that are both delectable and healthy.
Fortunately, there are a few options for you to try. To make things easier, we have created a list of the 16 top healthy desserts that are super easy to make. You will be able to indulge in these desserts regularly since they are healthier than other alternatives.
Rice Pudding
Rice puddings are straightforward to make and can be super tasty when flavored correctly. Though it is not particularly healthy, rice pudding does contain some nutritional value, such as being high in calcium, iron, and protein.
To make this recipe, wash a large amount of pudding rice. Drain and put the pudding rice in a saucepan. Add some milk and a little vanilla paste to season. Other recipes say to add sugar at this stage, but this will make the dish less healthy. Turn the saucepan on low heat and begin stirring.
Once the ingredients are more combined, leave the saucepan to simmer for an hour. You should check it and stir the saucepan every now and then to prevent the rice from sticking. Serve your delicious rice pudding. If you want, add some berries to the side.
Lemon Panna Cotta
This Italian dessert is traditionally made using cream. However, this can make it a somewhat unhealthy dessert. To make the dessert healthier, swap the cream for yogurt. This is an excellent substitute, as you can still get the same taste and smooth texture.
To make lemon panna cotta, you will also need lemon juice, gelatin, milk, and a little sugar. You can use a sweet alternative to sugar if you want, such as honey. This zesty dessert will only take between 30 to 60 minutes to make. It will, however, need a few hours to set in the fridge.
Baked Pear
Compared to other desserts, baked pear is quite healthy. Pears are fruits that are packed with nutrients, including vitamin C and potassium. As a dessert, baked pears can be versatile. This is because they can be seasoned differently depending on your preference. However, cinnamon is probably the most popular seasoning because it complements this fruit really well.
In order to bake a pear, you must first cut it in half and remove the core. Sprinkle your pear with seasoning and add a little butter so that it does not dry out. Roast for approximately 30 minutes. Serve with a little bit of honey or ice cream, though use this sparingly if you do not want to detract from the healthiness of the dish.
Frozen Yogurt Bark
Yogurt bark is a great recipe because it is packed with healthy berries and ridiculously easy to make. To make this delicious dessert, simply mix some honey and vanilla into your yogurt. Next, spread this mixture onto a baking tray that has been lined. Otherwise, your dessert may stick to the tray.
Cut a variety of berries, nuts, or fruits up. These can include strawberries, blueberries, raspberries, blackberries, coconuts, or hazelnuts. You can use whichever toppings you want. Spread these toppings evenly onto the yogurt mixture. Put the tray in your freezer. It can take a few hours for the yogurt mixture to harden. Once it has, serve your tasty treat.
Oatmeal Cookies
When you think of cookies, chocolate chip cookies will probably be high on your list of the best cookies. Though these cookies are mouth-watering, they are also high in sugar and fats. To make a healthier version of a chocolate chip cookie, you can instead make an oatmeal cookie.
For oatmeal cookies, you will need quick-cooking oats, whole wheat flour, baking powder, and cinnamon. In terms of fillings, you can use chocolate chips if you are feeling naughty. To make a less unhealthy version, substitute the chocolate chips for raisins, nuts, or dried cranberries.
Apple Crumble
Apple crumble is a popular dessert for good reason. Its taste and smell are really appetizing. Plus, it has a warm and homely vibe to it. Though it is healthier than other desserts, it is still not overly nutritional. To improve the nutritional value of apple crumbles, you can replace the traditional crumble topping with an oat version.
To make this, simply prepare the cooking apples. This will involve peeling and cutting them. Next, season with nutmeg and add any other fillings of your choice. Spread in an ovenproof dish and top with an oaty topping. Add nuts if you wish to. Then cook in your oven for approximately 1 hour.
No-bake Fruit Cheesecake Bites
Snack-sized desserts not only look great, but they can also be healthier than their larger equivalents. For the crust, you can use nuts, biscuits, or oats. Then, cover with a no-bake cheesecake mixture made out of greek yogurt or cream cheese. Top with the fruit of your choice. You can make these mini cheesecakes in cupcake tins.
Fruit Salad
Fruit salad is a recipe that is really easy to customize. You can use whichever fruits you prefer or those that are in season. For example, you can use grapes, strawberries, melon, mango, pineapple, blackberries, apples, and bananas, to name a few. Simply season your fruits with orange juice, lemon juice, or some form of syrup. This is also a wonderful choice for saving time.
Pumpkin Muffins
Perfect for Halloween, pumpkin muffins are healthier than their chocolate, caramel, or vanilla counterparts. Add oats to your recipe for extra benefit. These muffins will be ideal for autumn and winter, containing spices such as cinnamon and nutmeg. They should only take about 20 minutes to make and 15 minutes to bake in the oven.
Chocolate-covered Strawberries
Succulent strawberries are the favorite strawberries of many people across the world. If you are looking to transform this berry into a dessert, perhaps the easiest way is through chocolate-covered strawberries. This dessert is effortless to make and will only take a few minutes.
To make chocolate-covered strawberries, wash your strawberries. Cover a baking tray with baking parchment to stop the chocolate from sticking. Melt the chocolate of your choice. You can either do milk, white, or dark chocolate. Dark chocolate is believed to be the healthiest, though it is somewhat an acquired taste.
To melt your chocolate, you can either leave it to simmer in a bowl above a saucepan of boiling water or you can microwave it. Either way, you should stir it regularly to stop the chocolate from burning.
Next, dip the strawberries into the chocolate. If you want to add any toppings, such as nuts, do so now. Leave the chocolate strawberries to dry on the baking paper.
Baked Apples
From this list, you may have noticed that apples are commonly used in healthy baking. You may also have observed that cinnamon is a popular spice. Put the two ingredients together and bake them in your oven to create a delicious yet low-fat treat.
To make them, you will need to stuff your apples with a mixture of cinnamon, ginger, sugar, and butter. Keep the sugar to a minimum if you are on a diet. Bake in your oven for approximately 40 minutes.
Avocado Chocolate Pudding
Avocados have become increasingly popular over the last few years. They have a distinct taste and lots of benefits to your health, such as being high in vitamins E and B6.
Though you may not have thought it, avocados can also be used in baking. Simply mix avocado with cocoa powder, milk, a little sugar, and honey to make a scrumptious sweet treat.
Chia Pudding
If you are something of a foodie, you may already know that chia seeds are high in several key nutrients. These include omega-3 fatty acids, antioxidants, and fiber. You can use these healthy seeds to make chia pudding.
You will only need a handful of ingredients, primarily chia seeds, a milk of your choice, and honey. You can also add a little cocoa powder if you are a chocolate lover. Furthermore, you can top your chia pudding with fruits or nuts.
Strawberry Frozen Yogurt
With fewer calories than ice cream, frozen yogurt can be a good dessert alternative. Strawberries taste delicious in frozen yogurt, though you can use other fruits for flavor. To make frozen yogurt, chop and blend the strawberries. Add this to greek yogurt and combine.
You can also add any seasoning here, such as honey. Additionally, you can add a little bit of condensed milk. Once your mixture is combined, freeze for several hours.
Chocolate-covered Banana Lollies
In small amounts, chocolate will not be too bad for you. Bananas are very healthy, being rich in potassium, fiber, and antioxidants. Chocolate-covered banana lollies will be excellent for children, though they can also be enjoyed by adults.
To make these lollies, chop and insert a lolly stick into them. Freeze your bananas in a lined tray for around an hour. If you cut them into large chunks, you should freeze them for longer. Now, melt your chocolate. Dark chocolate will be healthier for you because it contains lots of antioxidants.
Dip your banana lollies into this melted chocolate. Leave them to set.
Black Bean Brownies
Lastly, brownies are incredibly well-liked as desserts. Black beans are great for adding to a brownie mixture, as they do not detract from the taste. Despite this, they also add a lot of nutrition. The reason for this is that black beans are rich in protein, fiber, and phosphorus.
By adding black beans to your brownie recipe, you can still get your fix of chocolate while still being healthy.
Frequently Asked Questions
If you are on a diet, it is best to keep the desserts you eat to a minimum. However, all of the desserts on this list will be good options, since they are lower in sugar and/or fat than loads of other desserts. To help motivate yourself while on a diet, you can allow yourself to have a dessert at the end of the week.
People frequently crave sugar. If you do not have the time to make the desserts above, there are a few things that you can eat to satisfy your cravings without being too unhealthy. These include eating fruit, dark chocolate, nuts, chia seeds, berries, or yogurts. These foods will be healthier than having a sugar-loaded dessert.
Conclusion
You might think that it is impossible to make a healthy dessert. As this list has proven, there are actually 16 different recipes for making healthy desserts. They can involve a variety of tastes, textures, and ingredients. These recipes are all relatively simple to make and can be absolutely delectable.