5 delicious desserts you can make with fruits and nuts

Craving for something sweet but don't want to add to the calorie count? Here are 5 healthy desserts you can prepare with fruits and nuts.

Sweet cravings are common and while we try to curb them, there are cheat days when we go overboard on sugary delights. Depriving yourself is not going to help you in long term. Instead of refined sugar, one can switch to healthy and natural ingredients like fruits, dates, and nuts which will not only provide you satiety but also help your body get nourishment. Apples, dates, raisins, bananas, almonds, walnuts, cinnamon, chia seeds, honey are some of the healthy ingredients that can be used to create healthy desserts.

Weekend is round the corner and it's the perfect time to shop for all these things so that you can create health and delicious desserts for the entire week. However, eating too much of even healthy things can be dangerous. Moderation is the key.

Preety Tyagi, Health Coach, Founder of MY22BMI, shares recipes of 5 nutritious and tasty desserts that can be made quickly:

1. Apple oats crumble

A simple, yet very healthy dessert recipe, it is nourishing and healthy enough for breakfast, and delicious enough for dessert. Made with oats and just a touch of brown sugar and scented with beautiful warming spices, it is loaded with fibre and tastes amazing.

Ingredients

For the crumble topping:

  • 100g (1 cup) rolled oats, divided
  • 30g (2 tbsp.) brown sugar or coconut sugar
  • ½ tsp. ground cinnamon
  • ¼ tsp. ground nutmeg
  • ¼ tsp. salt
  • 40 g butter, cubed and cold
  • 60 g walnuts or almonds, roughly chopped

For the apples:

  • 600g apples, peeled, cored and cut into a roughly 3cm dice (I used pink lady, but any tart cooking variety will work) *
  • Juice of ½ a large lemon
  • 2 tbsp. water
  • 30g (2 tbsp.) brown sugar or coconut sugar (honey would work too)
  • ½ tsp. ground cinnamon
  • ¼ tsp. ground nutmeg

Method

  • Preheat oven to 180 C (350F).
  • In a food processor or blender, blend half the oats into flour. Place the oat flour with the rest of the oats in a bowl, along with the sugar, spices, and salt. Whisk to combine. Add the cold cubed butter and using the tips of your fingers, rub the butter into the mixture until it is well dispersed, and the mixture is crumbly with small clumps. Mix through the chopped nuts.
  • Cover the bowl and place it in the freezer while you prepare the apples.
  • Butter a baking dish or pie dish and set aside.
  • Peel and chop your apples, place them in a bowl. Add the lemon juice, sugar/honey, water, and spices and mix well. Pour this mixture into your prepared baking dish and spread it out evenly.
  • Take the crumble mixture out of the freezer and spread it evenly onto the apple mixture. Bake the apple crumble for 45-60 minutes until the top is golden brown and the apples are sizzling and bubbling. Serve warm with some frozen Greek yogurt

2. Healthy chocolate cake

A healthy makeover to the delicious chocolate cake, this version does not contain refined flour and added sugar, therefore it is really a healthy dessert. Packed with dates, cocoa powder, whole wheat flour instead of all-purpose or refined flour makes it super healthy and chunks of walnuts give it a nice dense texture. This is a perfect guilt-free chocolate treat to satisfy your sugar cravings, and easy to make too. You can even make them vegan by using coconut or almond milk instead of regular cow milk.

Ingredients

  • 20-25 dates (seeds removed)
  • ¼ cup water
  • 1 and ¼ cup milk
  • 1 cup whole wheat flour
  • 1/2 cup coconut oil (or any other oil)
  • 2 tbsp. cocoa powder
  • 1 tsp. coffee powder
  • 1 tsp baking soda
  • 1/2 tsp baking powder
  • 2 tbsp. walnuts
  • 1 tbsp. dark chocolate chips (optional)

Method

  • Blend the dates and water using a blender until smooth.
  • Mix the melted coconut oil, milk, dates puree and keep aside.
  • Now mix the whole wheat flour, baking soda, baking powder, cocoa powder, and coffee powder and sieve them 2-3 times.
  • Now slowly mix the wet ingredients into the dry flour mix one tablespoon at a time. Make sure no lumps are formed.
  • Add chopped walnuts, chocolate chips, and mix.
  • Preheat the oven at 350F. Bake the cake in a greased oven dish for 35-40 minutes.
  • Once done, remove from the pan and let it cool on a cooling rack.

3. Dark chocolate peanut butter banana bites

Dark chocolate peanut butter banana bites are quick, easy, and define as healthy dessert recipes that can be made ahead of time. Dark chocolate is believed to protect your cardiovascular system. The reasoning being that the cocoa bean is rich in a class of plant nutrients called flavonoids. Flavonoids are antioxidants which are related to all the dark chocolate associated health benefits. The use of bananas and peanut butter enhances the nutritional quality by providing a good amount of potassium and protein making it a really healthy dessert. It can also be taken as a snack to munch on in between meals.

Ingredients

  • 2 medium ripe bananas
  • 1/4 cup creamy nut butter of your choice
  • 3/4 cup baking chocolate
  • 1 1/2 tablespoons coconut oil

Method

  • Cover a baking sheet with parchment paper. Slice each banana into thin slices and arrange half the pieces on the baking sheet.
  • Spread peanut butter onto each banana slice, then cover each slice with another slice. place in the freezer for about 30 minutes or until frozen.
  • Place the coconut oil in a microwave-safe bowl and microwave until melted. Stir in the chocolate and continue to microwave until smooth. Use a fork or spoon to cover each banana bite in chocolate, then place back on the sheet. Freeze for one hour and enjoy!

4. Strawberry frozen yogurt

This fruit yoghurt gets its creaminess from low-fat Greek yogurt, which is packed with good proteins that will keep you feeling full and satisfied. Strawberries are loaded up with antioxidants and provide a great flavour too.

Ingredients

  • 2 cups strawberries.
  • 2 tablespoons honey or agave nectar
  • ¼ cup low-fat Greek yogurt
  • 1/2 tablespoon fresh lemon juice

Method

  • Put the strawberries in the freezer overnight or for 3 hours for a better flavour.
  • Add the frozen strawberries, honey (or agave nectar), yogurt, and lemon juice into a food processor.
  • Process until creamy, about 2-3 minutes. Scrape down the side of the bowl to make sure there are no lumps left.
  • Transfer it to an airtight freezable container and freeze for a minimum 6 hours but preferably overnight.

5. Chia seed pudding

Ingredients

  • 3- 4 tbsp chia seeds
  • ½ cup skimmed milk or non-dairy milk such as coconut/almond/cashew milk
  • Some sugar substitute such as agave nectar or stevia
  • Choice of nuts and berries to be used as a topping

Method

  • Sweeten the milk you are using, with sweetener you want to use and stir very well.
  • Soak the chia seeds in your choice of milk, and leave it to soak for 5-6 hours, or overnight.
  • Once the chia seeds are soaked really well, top it with some nuts of your choice such as pecans, walnuts, and some berries or raisins.
  • Enjoy this super healthy, protein rich, guilt free dessert anytime, preferably for breakfast or as a healthy snack.
Disclaimer: This Article is auto-generated from the HT news service.