We all have those days where we need something sweet, however, sometimes even the smallest piece of dessert can send your calorie count through the roof. Not to mention, desserts can be a major source of saturated fat and added sugar in our diets. Consuming too much of those ingredients can negatively impact our health, so it’s helpful to be equipped with necessary tools to seek out the better-for-you desserts. Finding recipes and desserts that won’t make you cringe in fear can take time, patience, and sometimes a little creativity, but that’s what this post is for! Here are some tips to help you start a list of “healthy-approved” desserts that won’t make you regret a single bite.

Using fresh fruit as the main ingredient in your dessert is a great way to add a nutritious option. Fruit is low in both calories and fat and also contains a variety of vitamins and minerals. By focusing on fruit, you can add a small amount of chocolate topping, brown sugar, or syrup.  Adding a minimal amount of topping reduces the amount of added sugar. Try cutting up a banana and spreading peanut butter between two pieces. Stick the “sandwiches” in the freezer and then you will have a delicious dessert that is not filled with sugar and saturated fat. Craving chocolate covered strawberries?  Picking a dark chocolate that is high in cocoa is more beneficial than a milk chocolate. Dark chocolate is less processed than milk or white chocolate, so the root cocoa is stronger. Due to the higher cocoa content, the higher amount of beneficial properties found in it. Cocoa and/or dark chocolate have a dense amount of antioxidants and have been shown to lower LDL cholesterol and blood pressure. Now that spring is here and the weather is starting to warm up, try grilling fruits as another option.  Grilling caramelizes the naturally occurring sugars found in fruits, which enhances their overall sweetness without actually adding more sugar.  Bananas, peaches, pineapple are all examples of fruits that are delicious on the grill!  For an extra treat, add cinnamon or a drizzle of honey.  If you don’t have access to a grill, a saute pan or the broiler in an oven could work – just make sure not to burn it!

When baking on your own, opt for replacing some flour with rolled oats to create a more nutritious cookie that’s also rich in fiber. Swapping out sugar for unsweetened applesauce is another way to create a healthy dessert and a good way to lower the sugar content in many dessert recipes.  Cakes and brownies in mugs are becoming increasingly popular and are great options to make in a dorm room or apartment. There are even ways to improve the nutritional quality of a mug brownie or cookie.  An easy mug brownie recipe is from the blog homemadetoast.com.  This brownie has very few ingredients and only takes minutes to complete (not to mention utilizes ingredients that can be easily found in your apartment or dorm room). Using applesauce or yogurt, honey, cocoa powder, flour, an egg white, chocolate chips, vanilla and some salt will create a perfect brownie. Mixing all the ingredients in a mug then microwaving for 30 seconds will create an effortless brownie that contains only 187 calories. (For exact instructions and recipes, click here)

For those of you who have the option of eating on campus at Penn State, there are plenty of tricks to enjoy a delicious dessert and not feel guilty.  If you see a dessert that you just HAVE to try, ask a friend to split it with you. Moderation is key.  Yogurt is always available on the salad or fruit bar. Instead of the usual ice cream, try topping a bowl of yogurt with chocolate chips instead.  You could also try apple slices with caramel dip or peanut butter, or chocolate syrup and strawberries.

Eating dessert does not have to put your calories or nutrition over the edge. If you are trying to cut back, try saving dessert for special occasions; that way it is truly a treat when you bite into one of these delicious options! Eating dessert and staying healthy sounds like a contradiction, but it does not have to be. With these tips, you can be on your way to create a mouthwatering dessert that can fit into any meal plan.

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Photo adapted from: https://www.flickr.com/photos/roxsm
https://www.flickr.com/photos/38818234@N07/