Imagine desserts without the guilt or sugar overload; homemade treats that are as tempting as they are good for you, a feast of nature’s most sumptuous ingredients.
Dream no more. The big trend in healthy desserts means you can easily and creatively turn real food into cake, bliss balls, tarts, slices, ice-cream, snack bars, and anything else you can think of. It’s a way of eating that Sally O’Neil passionately recommends to her thousands of readers on The Fit Foodie, and for good reason.
“Whole foods are those eaten as close to their natural form as possible; eating these foods limits exposure to additives, preservatives, chemicals, sodium and sugar,” Sally tells us. “They provide more nutrients than packaged or processed foods and should ideally makeup at least 75 per cent of a healthy diet. Whole foods include unprocessed fruit and vegetables, beans and legumes, nuts and seeds, meat and fish, eggs and whole grains.”
The nasty ingredients commonly found in sweets from supermarkets are put there for a long shelf life and a healthier profit margin. “They’re simply addictive foods designed to keep us going back for more,” she explains.
Making dessert from scratch is a whole next level of fun. Discovering new flavours and textures, plus the immense satisfaction of seeing, tasting and sharing your creation will leave you feeling better than any packaged or processed treat. And think of the boost to your energy, healthier hair and nails, glowing skin, weight loss and a general feeling of wellbeing.
Just go easy, says Sally, “Whole food desserts and snacks are not exactly low in kilojoules. They’re the best choice by far, but should be enjoyed as a treat, rather than a staple.”
Are you ready to get sweet in the kitchen? Here are five recipes to start your healthy dessert obsession.
Kitchen Farmacy’s top picks
1. Salted caramel chocolate bars
2. Lime, coconut and mint balls
3. Caramelised stone fruit with crunchy nut crumble and raspberry yoghurt
4. Blueberry and coconut paddle pops
5. Raw nectarine tart
Kitchen Farmacy Editor Kris Franken
Source: Benito Martin
Source: Benito Martin
There are other ways to get your recommended serving of fruit. Source: Benito Martin
Source: Benito Martin
Source: Benito Martin
Kitchen Farmacy is our food lover's blog where good health and great taste come together. Each fortnight we'll feature a health and wellbeing foodie blog, with recipes to nourish the soul and body. Here's to eating well (and satisfying all kinds of cravings). View previous Kitchen Farmacy blog entries.
