Diet dessert ideas
Are you tired of living without dessert because you are on a diet or trying to maintain your weight? You are not alone, my friend.
Since we tend to think of dessert as only the high fat, high calorie treats, many of us just abstain when we're trying to live a healthier lifestyle.
Fortunately, it really doesn't have to be that way at all. Let's take a look at what dessert really means and I'll show you how to add the joy of dessert back into your life and into your diet.
Merriam-Webster's Online Dictionary defines dessert as “a usually sweet course or dish (as of pastry or ice cream) usually served at the end of a meal”. Note the word “usually” in the definition? That has been added into the definition over time as it became customary to have a sweet dish at the end of the meal. Technically, dessert is simply the last course in meal – that could be anything! Many cultures serve nuts, fruits or even cheese as the last course.
Even if you want to stick with the sweet part of the definition, sweet does not have to equal gobs of fat and calories. There are many things you can serve that satisfy the sweet cravings while still remaining perfectly healthy. Not only are there choices that aren't fattening in the first place, there are also ways to make traditional dessert dishes that are much more healthy for your and won't hurt your diet.
Low fat dessert ideas.
Some low fat dessert ideas for your diet :
Idea 1 : fruits.
The most logical dessert choice would be to serve some sort of fresh fruit. Naturally sweet while low in calories, fruit can satisfy your dessert cravings while adding vital nutrients and healthy fiber to your daily diet.
If you want something a bit more dressed up, there are literally infinite ways to prepare fruit. Baked apples is a good example – simply core the apples, sprinkle with a bit of cinnamon and nutmeg and bake in the oven until soft. Yummy and not a speck of fat!
Idea 2 : Gelatin.
Sugar-free gelatin packets make great dessert builders. They come in a wide variety of flavors to satisfy the palate right from the box but they can also be used as a base for more elaborate offerings. Try this easy variation on the traditional fruited gelatin for a dessert sure to please the whole family: prepare gelatin as usual and pour half into goblets; after it's partially set, put in a few pieces of the fruit of your choice and add two tablespoons of fat-free sour cream; spoon in remaining gelatin and top with a few more pieces of fruit. The sour cream will taste like whipped cream, I promise!
Idea 3 : Low fat cakes.
Once in a while, it doesn't hurt a healthy lifestyle to have more traditional desserts either. Cakes and pies, even cheesecake, can all be prepared with much lower fat and calories than you would think.
To really cut the fat in a cake, substitute unsweetened applesauce for the oil in the recipe – you may even like it better as it makes the cake moister. There are lower fat versions of almost every ingredient in this modern age so it really is easy to make a dessert that you don't have to feel guilty about.
As you can see, dessert no longer has to be a dirty word. Banning desserts could actually sabotage your weight loss efforts as you will end up feeling deprived before too long. The key thing to remember is to use moderation in all things. Don't eat two pieces of cake because you made it with half the calories as that would defeat the purpose. Serve healthier desserts and you can still end your meals on a happy note.
