Day 19: Switch up dessert with something healthy

[Leanna]

We’ll be posting a new challenge every day leading up to summer! Follow along here, on the blog, or using this calendar.

Dessert can be a pain point for anyone with a sweet tooth who’s also trying to cut back on the calories. But it doesn’t have to be. Which brings us to today’s challenge: Switch up dessert with something healthy.

To help you along with this challenge, here are two great adaptable recipe from Chef Jessica Albertson, who previously provided us with our Day 9 healthy recipe.

Honey and Tahini Yogurt with Fruit

• 2 Cups or 1 -17oz container Low-fat Greek Yogurt
• 2 TBS Tahini
• 2TBS + 1 TSP Honey
• Zest from ½ Lemon or 2 TSP lemon Juice
• Strawberries, Blueberries, Melon, Mango…

In a medium bowl whisk all ingredients, except berries, together until smooth.

Whisk for an extra minute to lighten the mixture.

Adjust sweetness to your taste.

Serve over preferred berries or fruit.

Adaptations:

• Add 2 TBS fresh chopped mint, basil, cilantro
• Use a flavored yogurt and simply omit the honey
• Sub a nut butter like almond or cashew for the Tahini
• Serve over a lemon or vanilla pound cake for guests
• Whip 2 cups Cool Whip into yogurt mixture (that’s right, Cool Whip) , pour into a Graham Cracker crust, freeze over night.. TaDa! Yogurt Pie with berries on top.

Lemon Yogurt Cake

•  1 ½ Cups All Purpose Flour
• 2 TSP Baking Powder
• ½ TSP Salt
• 1 Cup Plain whole milk yogurt
• 1 Cup Sugar
• 3 Large eggs
• Zest from 2 Lemons
• ½ TSP Vanilla exract
• ¼ C Vegetable Oil
• ¼ C Olive Oil

Pre- heat the over to 350 degrees. Grease a 8 ½ x 4 ¼ x 2 ½ loaf pan with olive oil and then dust with flour.

Sift together the flour, baking powder, and salt into 1 bowl.

In another bowl, whisk together the yogurt, sugar, the eggs, lemon zest, and vanilla.

Slowly whisk the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients. Do not over mix, this will make the cake tough.

With a rubber spatula, fold the vegetable and olive oils into the batter, until it is incorporated.

Pour the batter into the prepared pan and bake for about 50-60 minutes, or until a toothpick placed in the center of the loaf comes out clean.

Let the loaf cool then remove from pan, using a knife to loosen it from the sides if necessary.

Adaptations:

• Serve for breakfast with fruit.
• Serve for dessert with powdered sugar or with a dallop of Honey Tahini Yogurt
• Perfect accompaniment for afternoon tea or coffee.

 What healthy tip do you have for times you want something sweet? Share it with us in the comments or by using #30DaystoSummerStrongFit!

Jessica Albertson trained at The Institute of Culinary Education in New York City, and has worked in NYC restaurants Aquavit, The James Beard House, Public Restaurant, and Braeburn Restaurant. In 2011, she began working with the non-profit company Wellness In The Schools, teaching children’s nutrition education and cooking classes, and working with the NY School Food System to bring fresh foods and scratch-cooking into public schools.

This was originally posted in the Fitbit blog.

[franzipan]

Hi Leanna both recip[es sound delicious any idea of callories???

thanks