These Guilt-Free Desserts Will Help You Satisfy Your Sweet Cravings

Even the most health conscious among us can occasionally get tempted and reach for a box of butter cookies or mithai. The next few hours are then spent wallowing in guilt.

Spare yourself that self-loathing and try these homemade treats that come with the health benefits of nuts, fruits and spices. Here are three recipes to get you started. 

Nutty Delight

This dry fruit-rich bar is the super healthy version of the famous mewa bite. Sans the overload of sugar and packed with healthy fats, fibre, protein and vitamins, this nutty delight makes for the perfect mid-meal snack or post-meal sweet craving. It’s great for children too who are fussy about eating nuts.

How to: Add 1 tbsp of ghee or coconut oil in a pan and lightly toast 1/2 cup of partially ground coconut. To this, add 1 cup almond flour or finely ground almonds and 3/4th cup of finely ground pistachios. Gently roast for a few minutes on low heat.

Add 2 tablespoonful of ground brown sugar or jaggery powder (or as per taste). Stir for a few minutes, then add about 200 ml of coconut milk and 2 teaspoons of cardamom powder. Add two tablespoons of mixed sesame and flax seeds—they add that extra bite and take up the nutrition quotient a few notches up. Stir the mixture well till it becomes a thick paste.

Spread this evenly on a butter paper using a rolling pin. Refrigerate until it becomes solid. Cut it into desired shapes and serve it garnished with crushed pistachios.

Spiced Date Cake

Rich in antioxidants, dates can be had when you crave for something sweet. You can use dates for your cake too—they add sweetness and a host of health benefits to an otherwise unhealthy treat. Dates are a rich source of iron, essential vitamins, minerals and fibre. Add whole wheat flour and nuts, and this cake is healthy as it is delicious.

How to: In a food processor, take 1/2 cup of pitted dates, 3/4 cup of jaggery or brown sugar and 3/4 cup of milk. Blend well till it becomes a smooth paste. 

In a bowl, take the blended mix, slowly add 1/4 cup of olive oil and mix it using a hand blender. Add 3/4 cup of whole wheat flour slowly—keep blending the mix. Add 1 teaspoon of baking powder or baking soda and 1 and 1/2 teaspoons of cinnamon powder and mix well. Add ¼ cup of chopped almonds and walnuts and mix well.

Pour the mixture in a well-oiled baking dish. Set it in the oven for 30-40 minutes at 160 degrees Celsius. Insert a fork to check if the cake is done. Serve warm, garnished with chopped nuts.

Orange Milk Pudding

This is the season to enjoy citrus fruits and increase your vitamin C intake. Sweet and tangy, oranges are full of vitamin C.

You can use oranges in your kheer as well. Using milk instead of condensed milk and jaggery instead of sugar gives your dessert a healthy spin.

How to: Heat 1 litre of milk and allow it to simmer; stir it constantly till it reduces to half and becomes thick. Now, add 2 tablespoons of jaggery powder or brown sugar, ½ cup of crushed cashews, almonds and walnuts and 2 teaspoons of cardamom powder. Mix it well and let it cool down. Peel and de-seed 8 oranges and chop them finely. Add them to the milk and mix them well. Refrigerate and serve cold, garnished with nuts.