“Healthy dessert” probably isn’t a term that you think of because most desserts aren’t healthy. They’re full of sugar, saturated fats, and refined carbohydrates. In fact, when most people choose a healthy dessert option, they choose fruit since it’s naturally sweet. However, there are ways to make your favorite dessert dishes healthy, and there are also many dessert dishes that provide nutritional value.
Here are seven healthy dessert ideas, and the kitchen tools you’ll need to make them.
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#1: Avocado Brownies
Avocados are a common additive to a variety of dishes, and brownies are one of them. Using avocados in brownies not only makes them richer but adds the health benefits associated with eating avocados:
- Improved cholesterol levels
- Hair growth
- Possible cancer prevention
- Weight loss
To make this delicious and healthy dessert, you’re going to want to have an avocado peeler handy. This handy tool allows you to peel and slice/dice an avocado. Many people find that this is much more effective than a simple knife.
#2: Banana Nut Bread
Banana nut bread is a classic dessert and is one of the healthiest because of the bananas it’s made with. Bananas are a great source of potassium, fiber, vitamin B6, and antioxidants. Not only are the bananas full of nutrients, but the walnuts (which are usually used to make banana nut bread) are also full of nutrients, such as:
- Omega-3 fatty acids
- Omega-6 fatty acids
- Copper
- Vitamin B9
- Phosphorus
- Vitamin E
To make banana nut bread, you’re going to need a loaf pan— which is also useful for making types of dessertloaves of bread. These pans are usually either 9 by 5 inches or 8.5 by 4.5 inches.
#3: Chocolate-Covered Strawberries
Chocolate-covered strawberries have to be one of the easiest desserts to make. This simple, yet delicious, treat is also full of nutritional benefits thanks to its main ingredient: strawberries. Nutrition facts about strawberries include:
- Made up of 91% water
- Great source of fiber
- High in vitamins C and B9
- High in potassium and manganese
For added health benefits, make them with dark chocolate instead of milk or white chocolate. To dip the strawberries in the chocolate of your choice, all you need is a toothpick.
#4: Mocha Mug Cakes
While this dessert may not provide much nutrition, it does provide a portion size that ensures you’re not overeating. It’s also a very quick and easy dessert to make. The key piece of equipment you’re going to need here is a mug where you’ll place all of your ingredients (they may differ depending on your recipe), such as flour, cocoa powder, espresso powder, baking powder, milk, sugar, etc.
#5: Oat Whipped Cream
Whipped cream is a topping that can complete any dessert or sweet drink, but many people can’t enjoy it because it is a dairy product. The good news is that you can make your own whipped cream using oat milk. Although it isn’t as nutritious as eating whole oats, oat milk still contains:
- Two grams of fiber (per serving)
- Vitamin B12
- Riboflavin
- Calcium
- Vitamin D
- Phosphorus
- Vitamin A
- Potassium
You can also use almond, coconut, or soy milk. To make your own whipped cream, you’ll need a whipped cream charger, and you can find one at https://exoticwhip.com/.
#6: Pumpkin Bread
Pumpkin anything is a fall (autumn) favorite for a lot of people, and your favorite pumpkin treats can also be healthy. Pumpkin itself is something healthy to incorporate into your diet, as it is an excellent source of:
- Vitamin A
- Vitamin K
- Copper
- Vitamin E
- Iron
- Magnesium
Healthy spices such as cinnamon, nutmeg, and ginger can also be added to pumpkin bread to make it healthier. To make this dessert, you’re going to need a giant whisk to ensure that you can mix all of the ingredients properly, especially with there being pumpkin purée in the mixture.
#7: Zucchini Bread
If you’ve never had zucchini bread, you’re probably wondering how this could be considered a dessert— and yes, it actually contains zucchini. This is a rich and healthy dessert to make, especially since zucchini is full of these nutrients:
- Vitamin A
- Manganese
- Vitamin C
- Potassium
- Vitamin K
To get all of the goodness that zucchini has to offer, you’re going to need a box grater (using the largest holes) to slice the zucchini. Peeling the skin isn’t necessary when making zucchini bread, as it won’t be noticeable once baked.
You can go a step further when making your desserts by choosing healthier ingredient alternatives. For example, you can use coconut sugar instead of regular table sugar, almond flour instead of all-purpose flour, and oat milk instead of dairy milk. This way, you’ll be able to cut down on the amount of sugar, refined carbs, and saturated fat in your desserts.