If you asked me when I was obese if there was such a thing as a good low-fat dessert I would have unequivocally said, “NO.” After all, the only thing that would satisfy my sweet tooth was something that was sweet and high in calories. All the better if it were also chocolate, gooey, and frosted. Yes, I was addicted to sweet things.
During the course of my weight loss journey, I realized that my sweet tooth could be suppressed and lessened, but not killed. Not that I didn’t try. I valiantly resisted chocolate cake, pies of all types and plates full of cookies. I avoided buying any desserts that I knew I shouldn’t eat, and stayed away from the dessert table at social functions. Considering how much I loved sweets, I did remarkably well. Making the decision to go cold turkey worked well for me, especially during the first couple of weeks. After I felt had some control over my choices, I recognized that I wanted to be able to enjoy the occasional sweet treat.
Here came the problem. I didn’t like low-fat, healthy desserts. To me, there was no such thing. If it wasn’t oozing chocolate, and full of sugar it wasn’t any good. For a long time I decided I’d rather do without then have a “fake” dessert. Fortunately though, I got brave enough to try some lower fat choices.
I tried making fat free brownies, which were moderately good. I substituted prunes in place of the oil with less than stellar results. I tried the old “substitute with applesauce” for a lower fat alternative, again with limited success. Finally I realized that if I wanted brownies, then I’d rather have a small amount of really fabulous homemade brownies than have ones that were “pretend brownies!”
But that’s just brownies. I found that there are lots and lots of healthier sweet treats that I can serve my children without feeling too much guilt. Here are some that we have:
- Fruit parfaits, made with yogurt or low fat ice cream
- broiled or grilled fruit – I was surprised how much my children liked this
- Baked apples – these are so yummy!
- Frozen yogurt or sorbets
- Angel food cake with fresh strawberries
- Whole grain waffles topped with fruit
- Homemade popscicles
When I was writing yesterday’s post I was focusing on things I avoid eating, but on the other side of the coin, there are things I don’t eat every day, but still enjoy every so often. I used to not serve desserts at all, but then worried that my kids might “go wild” with sweet things when they were on their own because I had never allowed them to experience desserts. So now we have dessert occasionally and I talk to them about eating things in moderation. My children range in age greatly, but I feel that my older ones “get it.” Which I love.
So are there healthier desserts that you feel comfortable serving guests or your family? Or have you just cut out sweets all together?
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I just posted my recipe for reduced calorie, reduced fat trifle in my comments (http://266-twosixtysix.blogspot.com/2010/02/just-trifle-excited.html) the other day! I actually find that most of the healthier dessert options I have tried have been very good! I still limit what is kept in the house though because I worry that I will go overboard even if it is a better option. My husband’s co-workers love it when I bake because the extras all get sent to his work!
266´s last blog ..My, Oh My, What A Wonderful Day
Here we have a rule- Saturday night is Dessert Night, and I try to make it a healthy option ( sometimes I am severely outnumbered and then it is simply an exercise in portion control. Then the bakery is my best friend when i buy a single item for each person) If it is ice cream, single portion servings like bars or ice cream sandwiches work much better ( for our small family) than half gallons. I have tried black bean brownies ( pretty darned good), simple fresh berries with fat free whipped cream, baked apples,warm fruit compote over angel food cake and other such things. It’s important to find healthy options because we are not going to live for the rest of our lives without dessert happening or a sweet tooth coming into play.
Diane´s last blog ..ooop…and WOO HOO !
I do not have much self control over sweets. I will be fine one day and the next…I can eat way too much of a sweet thing! So I try to keep those things out of the house.
I too worried about my kids and how they would react once on their own if I kept such rules for them. What I do is buy them sweets at the gas station or convenience store. Pricey, but I buy one size servings that they eat and then its gone! I too teach moderation even though I am a failure at it. So far I think it is working. I notice that their Valentine’s Day Candy (a box of 6 truffles) is still around in their rooms. Me, it would never had seen the next sunrise!
For now, everything is off limits. Or severely limited. I am taking the more expensive-temporarily-route of single serving sizes when we do have treats. And I don’t bake anymore. Not unless it is a huge traditional thing where I get more homesick and depressed about not having the tradition that it is hard to be moderate. Then I give the rest away.
JourneyBeyondSurvival´s last blog ..Training Wheels
Your questions were interesting because it made me realize that we don’t have family dessert except for special occasions. I have a snack every night. I am pretty happy right now with sugar free chocolate pudding to satisfy my sweet tooth. I love to heat homemade chunky applesauce in the microwave. My kids will eat their own stash of non-diet treats.
Now company is another story. We mostly host family and the dessert eaters actually expect something special. So we serve non-healthy desserts for our guests. Sometimes there is fruit on the side.
So I guess my answer to your question is ‘no.’
WaistingTime´s last blog ..Soup’s On
I guess I am lucky not to have much of a sweet tooth! I do have a small piece of dark chocolate every day with my coffee after lunch. And one of my favorite sweet treats are Medjool dates. But other than that I can pretty much pass up desserts. But don’t get me started on salty snack foods!!
Amy´s last blog ..Training for your first half marathon (or 20 K)!
PS: I saw the show yesterday (thanks to my mom) and I just wanted to tell you, you did great! I thought you were so poised and professional and came across really well on camera – good job, because I imagine it was a bit nerve wracking. You are a natural!
Amy´s last blog ..Training for your first half marathon (or 20 K)!
I’m never been too bothered about desserts (just like Amy, above, I’m a savoury sort of gal), but lovely hubby really, really likes them even though he should avoid them because high sugar content + diabetes = a BIG no-no.
So, for special occasions and when we have folks to dinner, I have become the master of the ‘posh’ fruit salad. I raid our local supermarket for the prettiest, most colourful and eye-catching and fabulous fruits and serve it in a beautiful stemmed glass bowl.
For the bods who would ‘just die’ without a little cream to go on top (including hubby!), I cheat with a low fat ‘crème Chantilly’ made from crème fraîche mixed with lemon zest and sweetened with Canderel. As yet, no-one has called me out on this
Deniz´s last blog ..Hallelujah!
I used to not like sweet things for many years, but in my 30s, I started liking desserts (and it was part of the reason for my weight gain as I was eating a whole bunch of extra calories). When I started to lose the weight, I cut out the sweets completely but soon realized that I couldn’t cut them out forever as feeling deprived would not work… So today, I frequently enjoy a piece or two of dark chocolate. I also make individual low-fat apple crisps, which everyone loves. If I have a higher calorie dessert once in a while, I just make sure to be very mindful, enjoy every bite, and watch my portion.
Andrea@WellnessNotes´s last blog ..Portion Control and Making Healthy Choices
I’m with you – Fat free stuff just doesn’t work for me. I would rather go to a bakery and get a stellar cupcake than eat my way through a dozen fat free/sugar free ones at home because they don’t satisfy the craving.
Lori (Finding Radiance)´s last blog ..Can I rest now, please?
I could never cut out sweets altogether. When I have tried in the past, I end up feeling deprived and then overindulge. I like your suggestion of eating a smaller portion of something good then a serving of a faux dessert. I like your approach to this–almost like it is an adventure to find and try new health and tasty treats for my family. I looked at your recipes and am going to try some.
I’m such an addict I would say eventually I would have to cut out dessert for good.
Lisa´s last blog ..Are you joking???
Yuck to the fat free stuff – I’m with you! Indulge in the more “healthier” desserts as opposed to the sugary ones. I love baked fruit-especially apples! For lent, I give up all desserts, I’ve done it for the past 5 years. It is tough but for 40 days I successfully go with out and I feel great after! Although I must say I do indulge on the 40th day
I have such a sweet tooth that I would never cut out dessert. I just try to have it in moderation and it’s worked okay for me so far!
Lauren @ Eater not a runner´s last blog ..these are a few of my favorite things
I only serve dessert on special occasions now. I wouldn’t eliminate them all together because I think that it would make them too tempting to me kids. We always want what is forbidden, right?
My favorite remodeled version of a dessert is a devils food cake made with 6 egg whites and a can of low sugar cherry pie filling. I sprinkle it with powdered sugar rather than icing. This cake is so moist and tastes delicious. I actually serve it when I’m entertaining too.
karen@fitnessjourney´s last blog ..Too Fat to Fly
I have a moderate sweet tooth but my family has a huge sweet tooth! My DH prowls the kitchen after dinner every night looking for something sweet. I could easily forego all desserts but DH wants something so I try to oblige. I sometimes make cakes and other sweets for my family with egg beaters instead of eggs, applesauce instead of oil and splenda instead of sugar or half splenda and half sugar. They don’t know the difference. And I get to enjoy a sweet treat now and then!
I’m making a carrot cake just that way today for a family celebration tomorrow.
Linda´s last blog ..Spinach-Cheese Frittata
I could never cut out sweets altogether since I have a wicked sweet tooth.
Some of the sweets that I indulge in include Skinny Cow fudge bars and TLC Ripe Strawberry bars.
‘Drea´s last blog ..Dot, Period, The End
I love a good brownie every once in awhile! I have a major sweet tooth but I try to eat those foods in small quantities. I love my fat free pudding, sorbet, frozen yogurt! Those are all great for you. Fruit of course is the best! Thanks for sharing!
Jen
I make stunning desserts, free of sugar, wheat and dairy. They are absolutely delicious. For instance, this one is popular with absolutely everybody –
I also enjoy making ice creams using coconut milk and/or fruit.
Hanlie´s last blog ..My weight in perspective
Oops, sorry! Here’s that link. http://rawepicurean.net/2008/10/18/apple-and-grape-parfait-with-mint-infused-orange-juice/
Hanlie´s last blog ..My weight in perspective
Dessert is my downfall. I could eat an entirely healthy meal then blow it all on some bread pudding. I’ll agree, though, angel food cake is awesome. And while it’s not the same as a molten chocolate cake, fruit parfait is pretty good.
Tracey @ I’m Not Superhuman´s last blog ..5 Good Habits to Make
For me there is no moderation when it comes to brownies, I’ve had one (purchased, so there IS only one) in the last two years. But if I want dessert, I’m partial to fruit – frozen bananas (we peel, wrap in plastic wrap and freeze our bananas when they’re getting too ripe), poached pears (VERY elegant for a dinner party!), bananas foster (melt a little butter, add a little brown sugar, add firm (split in half vertically) bananas and cook gently in a cast iron skillet until soft, served with a small amount of ice milk or frozen yogurt. A little banana liquor can be added if you want but it’s not essential. My standard after-dinner sweet is 3 dried apricot halves, each topped with a whole almond – delicious with a cup of tea. And a demitase cup of sweetened ricotta cheese (with a drop of vanilla)is rich enough that a few tablespoons is plenty!
Shortly after I broke the wine addiction, I developed a love for chocolate. Go figure, after 57 years of not liking chocolate! So, but, I was only 1 month before I started this journey. I quickly discovered the wonderfulness of 45-50 calorie Hershey Nuggets, and our candy dish is now full with them. Being only the two of us…that’s all the sweets we need. 1-2 in the evening, after dinner, for each of us. Kills the chocolate/sweet tooth. Sometimes I replace those in the dish with other mini chocolate based candies for Mr. Sunny (currently Kit Kat mini bars), but those hold no interest for me, so I always have Nuggets tucked away for my nightly treat.
Re family get togethers; everyone is watching their weight, so even if we have dessert, we don’t always manage to get to it. And if I’m hosting, everything is packed away for them to take with them, except for perhaps a small slice or two if Mr. Sunny wants it. I’m rarely tempted. I get enough satisfaction from my 2-3 Nuggets a day total (1 after lunch. LOL)
Sunny´s last blog ..Plushenko = Arss (no, I don’t spoil anything in this post)
I would rather have, and allow my children to have, a small portion of a good dessert. We do keep fresh fruit around for snacks and I do have the occasional “healthy” recipe that the kids love.
I find that I need to have a small bite of what I love instead of settling for a substitute, otherwise I’m not satisfied and I’m still wanting more. It’s not always easy to stop, but I’m getting better at it and I’m finding myself very satisfied and eating less in the process.
Leah´s last blog ..Weigh-In … Keeping My Scale
I make angel food cake a lot for dessert and have fruits with it too. In the summer I make zuchinni brownies often (uses A LOT of zuchinni and apple sauce) or grilled fruit. When we go camping we eat grilled fruits over the fire. Frozen bananas with a little dark chocolate drizzled over it is a fav summer snack too.
Brenda´s last blog ..veggies are the key to happiness
I love dessert…and have something called Quark…only seen it in Germany…
Marcelle´s last blog ..Joy Of Packing
You mean there are other sweets beyond those fav weekend cookie treats I have????
I think you hit it right on the nail… there are some that why not just have a bit of the real thing & there are others that are very healthy & taste great too. The best of both worlds!
Jody – Fit at 52´s last blog ..Make Your Dreams a Reality
we now do angel food cake and strawberries (real, plain) for birthdays. sometimes we put yogurt on it (instead of ice cream) most times just the cake and strawberries.
we eat a lot of fruit and yogurt – my husband and I eat plain yogurt – the kids eat vanilla mixed with plain.
celery with peanutbutter and raisins is treat around here.
also chocolate PB2 and bananas.
fruit smoothies (fruit and protein powder and yogurt)
vickie´s last blog ..Might I be the only mom thinking – don’t feel you have to give up a single thing for Lent – ?
We have dessert every night. I find healthy options and I always look forward to it.
Alissa´s last blog ..WI at Work Day
The ONLY 2 desserts I haven’t modified are turtle brownies and toffee. Those are just loves of mine that require rarely being made and major portion control!
Otherwise, desserts can totally be healthy and delicious! I love chickpea cookies and angel food cake! Mmmm mmm! And fruit or a fresh fruit smoothie as a dessert is wonderful! As I’ve acquired a love for wine over the past few years, I often find my glass of wine to be dessert enough — even though it’s not sweet, it’s very satisfying to me!
Nicole, RD´s last blog ..Really Good News!
I’m finding that less sweet things are sweet. So it’s not that I’m eating dessert like I used to, but I don’t think snackwell’s and all those things are a good substitute….So I’m somewhere in the middle…
Mackattack (Beth)´s last blog ..Standing up for myself?
When I was growing up, we often had fruit for dessert. When we had them, that is. Cantaloupe and watermelon were frequent in summertime, and peaches and pears (in syrup, of course) were colder weather desserts. The only cookies in the house were vanilla wafers, and we had those with peanut butter and banana slices. (Don’t knock it ’til you try it.
) Every month or so, usually around payday, Dad would make a run to the corner store, and we each got to pick our Big Treat.
And then I grew up and got my own paycheck, and something went horribly wrong.
But it’s all better now, and I’m back to the monthly Big Treat. Funny how life circles around like that.
I have really started to prefer healthier desserts to those laden with sugar and calories. I have a major sweet tooth. But I have found that over time, after cutting out a lot of sweets… my sweet tooth isn’t that sweet anymore.
~Kellie
The Chubby Girl Diaries´s last blog ..I love Weight Watchers
anything sweet is my weakness – i try to buy/cook the no sugar, low fat – but it is not the same. so I try to just indulge in the “real” thing very occasionally
lauralei´s last blog ..Keep busy can help you keep the weight off
When I bake or make a dessert I never make it low fat. I don’t do it that often and because it’s a treat it may taste good. Low fat desserts or bakery: I just don’t like it. So I’d rather have 1 dessert a month which contains maybe to many calories than every week a low fat one.
Fran´s last blog ..A day in my life: Saturday February 20th 2010
“I’d rather have a small amount of really fabulous homemade brownies than have ones that were ‘pretend brownies!’”
YES! I ate a lot of crappy desserts for a long time, until I realized I rather eat 200 calories worth of an amazing brownie, than 200 calories of crappy low-fat cheesecake. The only sweet I really crave though is chocolate. When I try to curb my chocolate craving with something like fruit, I just end up eating more to satisfy it. So I’ve learned to just have a little bit when I want it, so I’m not stuck fighting the craving with crappy food all day
Susan´s last blog ..‘F’ is for Balance
I try to go out for dessert in controlled situations (with friends, for coffee, have just one piece of cake) because I really don’t like the fake stuff either. If I bake, I am done for…unless I can find someone to give most of it away to.