6 Healthier Mini Desserts
If you often find yourself craving a sweet treat, consider these healthier mini alternatives for your next post-dinner indulgence.
Sweet treats can be a part of a balanced diet. Many of these desserts include fruits and vegetables, and some are high in fiber and protein.
These mini desserts include crumbles, cookies, truffles, and even a latte. They make for the perfect little treat for after lunch or dinner, or for hosting friends.
Warm pears with chia walnut crumble
Ready in 15 minutes, this recipe is a healthier alternative to cobbler. The crumble is made by blending walnuts, chia seeds, cinnamon, and salt in a food processor. The pears and crumble can be served with Greek yogurt if desired.
This snack is high in fiber and protein while being low in saturated fat, which will help keep you satiated.
The chia seeds, walnuts, and pears contribute to the high fiber content. Pears are rich in dietary fiber and vitamin C. They may also help protect against osteoporosis.
Similar to a cobbler, this dish is just over 200 calories and contains 3 g of fiber per serving. The apples are cooked in coconut oil, coconut milk, and cinnamon. The apple mixture is then topped with chopped pecans and maple syrup.
This dish is also high in fiber. Apples, along with other fruits and vegetables, may help support weight loss. They may also help lower cholesterol.
These vegan, high fiber carrot cake bites are ready in just 10 minutes and require no baking. They are made by combining shredded carrots, cinnamon, almond flour, pitted dates, and shredded coconut in a blender or food processor.
Coconut oil is added a little at a time, but you may not need it for the dough to hold together. The dough is formed into balls and rolled in more shredded coconut.
Although you may have it first thing in the morning, coffee can make a delicious dessert.
This latte is made with espresso, pumpkin puree, maple syrup, cinnamon, nutmeg, vanilla extract, and milk. Everything is cooked in a saucepan and then blended together.
Pumpkin is rich in carotenoids, which can help protect against cardiovascular diseases, type 2 diabetes, and certain types of cancer.
Double chocolate almond cookies
Cookies can be part of a balanced diet. These cookies have both cocoa powder and chocolate chips in the batter. They are high in protein and fiber, with over 7 g of protein and 4 g of fiber per serving.
This recipe calls for coconut sugar. If you do not have any, you can use white sugar or a sugar alternative or substitute instead. Keep in mind that using a different type of sugar may change the nutritional values for this recipe.
Dark chocolate truffles
These truffles are made with just four ingredients: dark chocolate, heavy cream, vanilla, and cocoa powder.
The heavy cream and dark chocolate are combined in a pan over medium-low heat before being cooled in the refrigerator for a couple of hours. They are then scooped into balls and rolled in cocoa powder before being chilled again.
Takeaway
If you crave a little treat most nights, these recipes can be a healthier alternative to options that are high in added sugar. They can be packed and taken along in lunches or prepped in advance for after dinner on weeknights.
Sources:
Bohn T, et al. (2021). Mechanistic aspects of carotenoid health benefits – where are we now? https://www.cambridge.org/core/journals/nutrition-research-reviews/article/mechanistic-aspects-of-carotenoid-health-benefits-where-are-we-now/DE62B24117119CDDAA2EE0E67519B5FE
Dreher ML, et al. (2020). A comprehensive critical assessment of increased fruit and vegetable intake on weight loss in women. https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC7399879/
Hussain A, et al. (2022). A Comprehensive review of functional ingredients, especially bioactive compounds present in pumpkin peel, flesh and seeds, and their health benefits. https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2772753X22000557
Koutsos A, et al. (2020). Two apples a day lower serum cholesterol and improve cardiometabolic biomarkers in mildly hypercholesterolemic adults: a randomized, controlled, crossover trial. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/31840162/
Nazir N, et al. (2020). Pear. Antioxidants in Fruits: Properties and Health Benefits. https://link.springer.com/chapter/10.1007/978-981-15-7285-2_22
Pagliari S, et al. (2023). Antioxidant and anti-inflammatory effect of cinnamon (Cinnamomum verum J. Presl) bark extract after in vitro digestion simulation. https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC9914695/
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