Low-carb, gluten-free, vegan, Paleo – these aren’t the typical words I use to describe the desserts I feature on this blog.
But today is different! Today we’re going to talk about some healthy desserts. January is filled with a lot of dieting and healthy eating resolutions, but while I stand by my belief that it’s best to start the year with something sweet and buttery, I’m also a big advocate of balance.
To me, balance means that on some days, I eat something cake-like for breakfast, but on most days I eat Greek yogurt or eggs. It means that on some nights, I eat a rib eye steak with a side of broccoli, and on other nights I eat mostly broccoli with a side of tofu. It means having a glass of red wine in one hand, and a glass of white wine in the other.
Did I just ruin the moment?
But seriously guys, sometimes we just have to push the Salted Caramel Crunch Brownies aside (to store in the freezer for future consumption) and eat a healthy dessert. And I’m not talking about fresh fruit. I’m talking about healthy desserts that taste like TREATS. Sweet, delicious, and good-for-you.
Here’s five of my favorites:
Coconut Chia Pudding (pictured on top) – this is so darn healthy, it’s almost annoying. Chia seeds – a great source of protein and omega-3s – are soaked in vanilla almond milk and light coconut milk, and it plumps up to a slightly weird looking but delicious pudding. I mix in a little shredded coconut and turbinado sugar, and top with fresh blueberries, but it’s easy to customize to your liking. A little cup makes for a nice light dessert or snack.
Chocolate Peanut Butter Banana Ice Cream – this soft serve is a dairy-free, egg-free, gluten-free, vegan dessert. It’s cold, creamy, chocolate peanut butter and banana flavored ice cream, studded with dark chocolate chips and walnuts. Freeze it a little longer and it will mimic the texture of regular ice cream, but I prefer this softer version.
Pumpkin Quinoa Yogurt Parfait – I admit that just saying the word quinoa (pronounced keen-wah) makes me feel all healthy and wholesome. I go through phases where I eat it a lot of it, get tired of it for a few months, then re-ignite my appreciation for it. I’m in a phase now where I just want to eat quinoa salads. But this isn’t a salad, it’s a parfait. Quinoa is mixed with pumpkin puree, then layered with Greek yogurt mixed with peanut butter, and cut with bananas and pecans for added flavor and texture.
Chocolate Cherry Smoothie – I call this my Cherry Garcia smoothie because it has all the flavors of my favorite Ben & Jerry’s ice cream. Low-fat, vegan, gluten-free, and filled with fiber and protein. Taste like Cherry Garcia, but it’s much more nutritious. And you don’t have to be a Deadhead to like it.
Chocolate Coconut Avocado Pudding – I just made this a few weeks ago and really, really loved it. It’s the healthiest and most chocolatey recipe that I have made that actually DO NOT taste light nor healthy. This chocolate pudding tastes rich and velvety and decadent. Thick and creamy dreamy goodness with a sweet coconut crunch. It’s so ridiculously good.
These desserts aren’t all low-calorie or low-fat, but they are packed with heart-healthy fats. I’ve categorized almost all of these as breakfast food, too, because I’ve eaten all of them for breakfast. Just not all at the same time. Balance, remember?
Hi! I’m Bianca Garcia. I love food, running, yoga, sangria, and my job. I'm an advertising professional, social media enthusiast, blogger, freelance writer, and obsessive list-maker. I think about dessert constantly. 
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