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10 Healthy Desserts—and They’re Tasty, Too

A sweet tooth is meant to be satisfied—yes, even if you’re watching your weight. Dessert, after all, is one of life’s pleasures, and deprivation typically backfires. It doesn’t have to be a high-calorie, high-fat disaster, either: The trick is making smart choices and substitutions. “Take advantage of foods that are naturally sweet and simply delicious,” says registered dietitian Keri Gans, author of The Small Change Diet. Steer clear of fatty ingredients like creamy whipped topping or butter, and stick with fresh fruit and low-fat choices. Here are 10 desserts that are as healthy as they are tasty:

1. Grilled fruit. Try throwing pineapple, banana, apple, or pear slices on the grill. “There’s nothing healthier than sticking with fresh fruit, and on the grill, it becomes even sweeter,” Gans says. Grilling concentrates flavor by reducing water content, while also caramelizing the fruit’s natural sugars. One serving of grilled pineapple usually provides around 80 calories.

2. Dark chocolate “bark”. Melt dark chocolate and spread it on parchment paper. Sprinkle in healthy ingredients like tart cherries or sunflower seeds, suggests registered dietitian Dawn Jackson Blatner, author of The Flexitarian Diet. Refrigerate it for five minutes before breaking it into small pieces. “It’s a healthy option because dark chocolate has less sugar than milk chocolate,” says Jackson Blatner. “And it contains more cocoa, which may make it heart-smart.” One piece of “bark” should come in at less than 100 calories.

3. Ricotta and berries. Blend 1 cup of mixed berries with ¼ cup of low-fat ricotta. “If you’re in the mood for ice cream, this can do the trick,” Gans says. “It’s creamy, sweet, and low in calories.” One serving provides between 150 and 200 calories.

4. Healthy apple “pie.” Bake an apple, cut in half, until soft. Top it with 2 tablespoons of low-fat Greek yogurt, a dash of cinnamon, and crumbs from one crushed graham cracker. Expect to spend about 150 calories.

5. Biscotti. “If you can stick with one, it’s a great low-calorie cookie,” says Gans; the smaller ones should only set you back about 70 calories. Liven things up with, say, an almond-apricot version, or even honey pistachio.

6. Greek yogurt berry brûlée. Spread plain, nonfat Greek yogurt over fresh berries in a small serving bowl. Sprinkle on a teaspoon of sugar, and use a culinary torch to burn the sugar for a minute or two, until it’s golden. Not only is this treat tasty, but the yogurt is packed with protein, and there’s lots of vitamin C and calcium, too. Calories: around 175.

7. Banana “ice cream” with cinnamon and walnuts. Purée frozen banana chunks with a splash of almond milk, creating a treat with a creamy, ice cream-like texture. Sprinkle chopped walnuts and cinnamon on top. (Cinnamon is thought to have anti-inflammatory effects, and may help diabetics manage their blood sugar levels.) This dessert is a “perfect sub” for ice cream, says Jackson Blatner. “It has less calories, no fat, no added sugar, and potassium and fiber from the banana.” Calories should add up to around 200 to 230.

8. Chocolate chia and almond bites. Use a food processor to purée pitted dates and water until a sticky paste forms. Add in cocoa powder, almonds, and chia seeds to create a solid dough. Shape the mixture into tablespoon-balls, and then refrigerate for 30 minutes to an hour. The dates make the dessert sweet, and the almonds and chia seeds provide healthy fats—along with texture and crunch. Calories: 160.

9. Mini ice-cream sandwiches. Put a small scoop of light vanilla ice cream or frozen yogurt between two vanilla wafers. Roll the sandwich in finely chopped dark or bittersweet chocolate so that it sticks to the ice cream. Each sandwich should cost about 200 calories.

10. Dark chocolate-dipped fruit. Microwave a dark chocolate bar until it’s almost melted, and then dip in the fruit of your choice—be it strawberries, mango, papaya, apricot, or banana. “It’s a nourishing and filling option, since fruit is loaded with fiber and water,” says Jackson Blatner. Antioxidants in cocoa are thought to boost the flexibility of blood vessels and lower blood pressure; since dark chocolate has a higher concentration of cocoa than milk chocolate, it contains more of these helpful compounds. Calories in a single chocolate-covered strawberry: around 80.

What are some good meal ideas for someone allergic to glutton and dairy?

Ask:

My family just found out I’m allergic to wheat and dairy, basically, and we have no ideas for meals with our limited food supply. Any ideas?

Answers:

Answer 1:

I just found out that i’m allergic to dairy and gluten about a month ago. I know it’s freakin frustrating to find something to make. I’m a pasta person. I found pasta that’s made from corn flour and is gluten free. It tastes like regular pasta and is really good. Make your own pasta sauce and sprinkle some melt-able soy cheese on top. Make sure it says melt-able or you’ll regret it…lol trust me! I found gluten free wraps and bread for lunches. Gluten free maple cereal (just tried this morning and it was fantastic!) with lactose free milk. I much prefer the lactose free milk to the soy milk….it actually tastes like regular milk. You can actually get lactose free cheesethat tastes exactly like normal cheese and it comes in regular, jalapeno, and herb flavors. Homemade soup is a popular thing in my house. I make a mixed lentil soup that is amazing. Basically you just have to be creative. Do you have a planet organic grocery store? They have everything I mentioned and so much more (I found gluten free cereal bars and gluten free chips). Or if you don’t have a planet organic then look for a health food store and they should have some things. Safeway has the soy cheese and I found the lactose free cheese at walmart. I hope I helped a bit…I know exactly what your going through. Continue reading What are some good meal ideas for someone allergic to glutton and dairy?

How can i make an effective low-carb diet plan?

Ask:

I’ve tried everything,and honestly, i don’t have time to count calories.How does a low-carb diet work? Has anyone tried it? Does anyone know a list of low-carb foods to help me off to a good start?

Answer:

Hi! I started a low/minimal carb diet in October and within 3 months I have dropped 26 lbs. I am not even exercising any more than usual. It’s really a lot easier than you think.

First you need to clean out your pantry or stash of junk or snacks. No carbonated drinks even if they are diet!

Second make a trip to the grocery store. It’s very easy. You can eat eggs, meat like beef, chicken, fish as much as you want. You can have sour cream, most cheese (just check the contents to be sure there is a 0-2 grams of carbs. You can have fresh romaine lettuce as a salad with some olives, sliced onions, avacado, and salad dressing of choice (ranch or a vinegarette as long as the carb content is below 3 grams of carbs. In dinner you can have a large portion of chicken or beef (you can even have real butter with it) and one cup of veggies.

The tricky part is finding a list of veggies that are low in carbs. But you can have ONE CUP OF cabbage, spinach, broccoli, caulflower, turnip greens, collard greens, or okra at dinner. You can also have a fresh salad again in dinner if you are fond of salads. Just remember to count the carbs.

Avoid bread of any kind, rice, anything sweet like ice cream or cake, and also avoid milk or yogurt until you have lost the amount that you want to lose.

The biggest trick for people is remembering that once you have lost the ideal bit of weight you must continue to carefully integrate the higher carb diet very slowly. The fact is that most people eat a lot of bread. In breakfast you have all sorts of cereals and even just having toast includes higher carbs. Also at lunch many people eat sandwiches or some drive through burger and they are just swimming in carbs, salt, sugar, and fat. And at dinner people like to have some sort of rice or pasta stir fry which tastes good and seems healthy enough but in actuality is loaded in carbs. Continue reading How can i make an effective low-carb diet plan?