Diabetics don’t have to stop eating sweets altogether to manage their blood sugar levels. You can look for healthy alternatives to your favorite sweet treats that taste just as good and that contain the vitamins and minerals you need. Be cautious of so-called “healthy” processed snacks that claim to be sugar-free or fat-free. Many of these products contain sugar substitutes and other additives that are unhealthy, such as aspartame. Here are delicious and easy alternatives to your favorite sweet treats.
Baked Apples
Preheat your oven to 350 degrees. In a greased baking pan, place four to six cored and halved apples. Top the apples with cinnamon, monkfruit sweetener, and nutmeg. The apples should be with the flesh facing upward. Cover with aluminum foil and bake for 30-45 minutes. Serve with plain yogurt.
Homemade Nut Butters
Nut butters are another cool alternative to your favorite sweet treats. Preheat your oven to 350 degrees. On a lined baking sheet, place three cups of chopped nuts. Put the nuts in the oven and roast for 8-12 minutes. Place the roasted nuts in the food processor and add a teaspoon of salt, a third cup of raw honey, chopped unsweetened dark chocolate pieces, chia seeds, and cinnamon. Mix until well blended. Serve with celery, whole grain crackers, or fresh fruit.
Low-Sugar Fruit Popsicles
Buy a few prepackaged containers of your favorite fruits and chop them into smaller pieces. Some fruit ideas are watermelon, peaches, strawberries, pineapple, and grapes. After you chop up the fruit, add the pieces to the blender along with a third cup of lemon juice and a teaspoon of raw honey. Blend until the mixture is smooth and pour into popsicle molds. Add sticks to the bottom of the molds and freeze for eight hours.
70% Cacao Dark Chocolate Bars
Instead of the usual chocolate bars and candies that have additives and other unhealthy ingredients, substitute 70% cacao dark chocolate bars. Some good dark chocolate bars to try are:
- Amano Artisan Dark Chocolate Dos Rios Chocolate Bar
- K’UL Dark Chocolate Bar
- Theo Dark Chocolate Bar
- Pascha Organic Chocolate Bar (this one has 85% cacao)
- Chocolove chocolate bars
You can pair these bars with roasted nuts, baked fruits, or even add a few pieces to your overnight oats.
Iced Herbal Tea
This is a refreshing tea that you can enjoy on hot summer days while sitting outside on the porch. In a large pitcher, place six to eight herbal tea bags. Pour four cups of hot water into the pitcher and add crushed ginger, crushed mint leaves, a teaspoon of raw honey, and cinnamon. Let the tea bags steep for 20 minutes before removing them from the pitcher. Let the tea cool for 15 minutes, then refrigerate for four to six hours.
Healthy Chocolate-Covered Strawberries
Chop a 70% dark chocolate bar and melt it in a double boiler. Dip the strawberries in the melted chocolate and place them on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Refrigerate for 30 minutes, then serve.
Apple Chips with Cottage Cheese
Preheat your oven to 300 degrees. Peel, core, and slice three apples thinly. Place the apple slices on a large baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Sprinkle the apple slices with cinnamon and monkfruit sweetener. Bake for two to three hours and serve with cottage cheese.
Berry Crumble
Preheat your oven to 350 degrees. In a medium bowl, combine three cups of mixed berries, three teaspoons of lemon juice, a third cup of monk fruit sweetener or squeezed orange juice, cornstarch and water slurry for thickening, cinnamon, and nutmeg. Mix well and top with an almond flour/pecan mixture. Bake in a greased baking dish for 35 minutes and serve with plain yogurt.
Strawberry Mousse
In a medium bowl, mask a cup of chopped strawberries in a bowl and set aside. In another cold bowl, combine a half cup of heavy whipping cream, three tablespoons of monkfruit sweetener, and a teaspoon of vanilla extract. Beat with an electric mixer until stiff peaks form. Fold in the strawberries and serve or refrigerate for later.
Lemon Mug Cake
In a mug, combine a fourth cup of almond flour, one egg, three tablespoons of almond milk, a third cup of lemon juice, four teaspoons of raw honey, and a half teaspoon of baking powder. Microwave for two to three minutes, then serve.
Mocha Cheesecake in Jars
In six mason jars, put a mixture of almond flour, coconut oil, and a half cup of cocoa powder. In a bowl, combine a 4-oz. package of cream cheese, a fourth cup of cold coffee, a teaspoon of cocoa powder, and four teaspoons of monkfruit sweetener. Beat the cream cheese mixture until smooth. Transfer the cream cheese mixture to the crust-lined mason jars and top with mixed berries.
Fruit Salad with Ginger Dressing
In a medium bowl, combine two cups of mixed fruits, a third cup of lemon juice, a half cup of crushed mint leaves, a third cup of plain yogurt, a few teaspoons of raw honey, and three teaspoons of crushed ginger. Mix the fruits in a bowl and serve.
Peach and Raspberry Yogurt Parfait
In four jars, layer a cup of peaches and raspberries with plain yogurt until the layers reach the tops of the jars. Refrigerate or serve immediately.
Chocolate Truffles
In a small pan, heat a half-cup of heavy cream and then stir in a cup of 70% dark chocolate pieces or unsweetened chocolate chips. Stir in two tablespoons of cocoa powder, a teaspoon of vanilla extract, and three teaspoons of monkfruit sweetener. Cover the mixture and chill for two hours. Finally, scoop out balls of the mixture and coat them in additional cocoa powder. Put in an airtight container and refrigerate.
As you can see, reduced sugar desserts and snacks don’t have to be boring. All you need is a few simple and inexpensive ingredients and creativity to satisfy your sweet tooth in healthy and delicious ways.