I will fully admit that I love all things sweet!  Unfortunately healthy and dessert do not often appear in the same sentence.  That got me thinking.  Could I find healthy dessert recipes or were they just a pipe dream?  More and more the research is saying that sugar in any form is unhealthy. Research shows that sugar has several harmful effects on your body: increased cholesterol, increased Leptin resistance (the hormone that tells you when you are full) and increased incidence of type 2 diabetes and obesity. That makes you never want to eat anything sweet again.  I have tried muscling my way through days and weeks without sugar but I always give up.  Sugar and I love each other too much!  That got me looking for dessert that would satisfy my sweet tooth but wouldn’t jeopardize my waistline or my health.  Check out these recipes for some ideas!  As usual all have been tested on my husband and kids and have gotten the thumbs up!  Happy dessert eating, just remember to do it in moderation!

Cacao Energy Balls

(Courtesy of Mindy Mylrea)

These treats taste like chocolate with none of the guilt.  Keep them in the freezer and they will keep a very long time!

Ingredients

2 cups nuts

2 cups dates

1 tbsp vanilla

3-4 tbsp cacao powder

3 tbsp cacao nibs

 Instructions

1. Grind nuts and dates in a food processor.

2. Add vanilla, cacao powder and cacao nibs

3. Roll into balls and keep in the freezer in an airtight container

Chia Pudding

(Courtesy of Dr. Fuhrman, The End of Heart Disease)

INGREDIENTS

1 cup unsweetened non-dairy milk

1/2 tsp alcohol free vanilla

1/2 tsp ground cardamom

1/2 cup unsweetened coconut

1 cup water

4 Medjool dates or 8 regular dates pitted

1/2 cup chia seeds divided

Optional: Berries

 Instructions

1. Blend milk, coconut, water, dates, cardamom and 1/4 cup chia seeds in a high-powered blender.  Add additional milk if needed.

2. Stir in remaining 1/4 cup chia seeds.

3. Refrigerate for 15 minutes and stir again to distribute chia seeds.

4. Top with berries if desired.

For a parfait you can alternate pudding with berries in a wine glass.  For chocolate chia pudding add 2 tbsp natural cocoa powder.

 Peanut Butter Cookies

( courtesy of The Healthy Family and Home)

Ingredients

1/2 cup organic peanut butter

1/2 cup organic rolled or quick of oats

1/4 cup organic maple syrup

1 flax egg (1 tbsp ground flax plus 3 tbsp water)

1/2 tsp baking powder

pinch of salt

Instructions

1. Add all ingredients to a bowl and mix.

2. Take a spoonful at a time and drop onto a cookie sheet lined with parchment paper.

3. Flatten each cookie using the back of a spoon.

4. Bake at 350 degrees for 12-15 minutes being careful not to burn them.

5. Cool for 5-10 minutes as they will firm as they cool.

Notes: The recipe makes approximately 10 small cookies. You may add a few mini chocolate chips if desired.

 Chocolate Cherry Ice Cream

(Courtesy of Dr. Joel Fuhrman, Eat to Live Cookbook)

Instructions

1/2 cup non-dairy milk

2 tbsp natural cocoa powder

4 pitted dates

1 1/2 cup dark sweet cherries, frozen

1 vanilla bean pod

Ingredients

1. Blend all ingredients in a high-powered blender or food processor until smooth and creamy.

2. Split vanilla bean lengthwise and roll open. Scrape out seeds and paste with a knife and add to the blender.

3. Blend for another minute to incorporate the vanilla.

Try one today!  Happy  healthy dessert eating!