Anytime you can devour a delicious dessert for under 150 calories is a win. Here are 5 recipes that seem too healthy to be tasty, but they will blow your mind!
Frozen Chocolate Banana-Almond Butter Cupsby Melissa King
These Peanut Butter Cup look-a-likes are a lot healthier but still pack a punch of flavor. The almond butter and dark chocolate chips are the secret swap in this recipe.
Makes 6 servings, 155 calories
- 1 ripe banana
- 1/4 cup almond butter (or creamy peanut butter)
- 1/2 tsp ground vanilla bean (or vanilla extract)
- 1/2 cup dark chocolate chips (or 3 oz dark chocolate)
- 1/4 cup unsweetened almond milk ( or skim, unsweetened soy or coconut milk)
In a small bowl, mix the banana, vanilla and almond butter. Mash it together and set aside. Place 6 liners in a muffin tin and spray liberally with oil spray. Silicone muffin liners work best as it’s easier to remove the chocolate when it’s time to eat. Set aside and prepare chocolate.
In a saucepan, melt the chocolate and milk on medium heat, stirring constantly. Once you get a smooth chocolate, add a generous tablespoon to the bottom of each muffin liner. Once you have placed chocolate at the bottom on each cup, stick it in the freezer to firm up (about 10 minutes).
Once the chocolate is firm, distribute the banana filling evenly onto each cup and spread out evenly with fingers. Then split remaining chocolate among each, using your fingers to spread each layer evenly. Place tin back in the freezer for at least 4 hours or overnight. Pop each “cup” out of the liners and serve immediately!
Sweet Mango Lime Ice
This low calorie sweet treat provides Vitamins A and C while delivering a burst of citrus flavor.
Ingredients
- 3 cups coarsely chopped peeled ripe mango (about 4 mangos)
- 1 1/2 cups water
- 1/2 cup fresh lime juice (about 6 limes)
- 1 cup sugar
- 2 teaspoons grated orange rind
Preparation
- Combine all the ingredients in a blender or food processor, and process until smooth (the ingredients may need to be processed in 2 batches).
- Press mango mixture through a fine sieve over a bowl; discard solids. Pour mixture into an 8-inch square baking dish; cover and freeze 4 hours or until firm. Place mixture in a food processor, and process until slushy. Freeze for 3 hours. Soften slightly in the refrigerator for 30 minutes before serving.
Black bottom cupcakesBy Susan Walter
These cupcakes seem too good too be true! The reduced fat cream cheese and fat free Greek yogurt are the secret to success for this low-cal recipe.
Makes 18 cupcakes, 140 calories each
- 8 ounces reduced fat cream cheese at room temperature
- 1/3 cup granulated white sugar
- 1 egg, at room temperature
- 1/4 cup (1 oz.) ounce mini chocolate chips (or chopped semisweet chocolate)
- 1/3 cup fat free plain Greek yogurt
- 12 prunes
- 1 cup water
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 and 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
- 5 tablespoons natural unsweetened cocoa powder
- 2/3 cup dark brown sugar, packed
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 2 egg whites
Heat oven to 350 degrees. Arrange muffin cups/liners in 2 muffin tins.
To make filling: In a small bowl or large Pyrex measuring cup, mix together the reduced fat cream cheese, sugar and egg until smooth. Stir in mini chocolate chips.
To make cupcakes: In a food processor, pulse together yogurt and prunes. Combine yogurt/prune mixture with water and vanilla. In a large bowl, whisk together flour, cocoa powder, brown sugar, baking soda and salt. Add wet ingredients to dry ingredients, stirring until just combined.
In another small bowl, beat the 2 egg whites until stiff peaks form. Stir a little of the beaten egg whites into the chocolate batter to lighten. Then, using a spatula, fold in the rest of the egg whites.
Divide the batter among the muffin cups. (Cupcakes will look about 1/2-full.) Spoon about a tablespoon of the filling into the center of each cupcake. Then bake for about 25 minutes or until a test toothpick comes out clean.
Gluten-free Black Bean BrowniesBy Amanda Rantz
Don’t let the title throw you; you can’t even taste the black beans in these brownies, it’s like magic! And they’re gluten free!
Makes 12 brownies, 140 calories
1 16.5 oz can of black beans (rinsed & drained)3 eggs3 tbsp vegetable oil1 tsp of vanilla extract1/4 cup of Special Dark Hershey’s Cocoa Powder1 pinch of salt3/4 cup of granulated sugar 1 tsp of coffee grounds (espresso roast, finely ground)1/2 cup of Hershey’s Dark Chocolate Chips
Preheat your oven to 350 degrees. Lightly mist an 8×8 baking dish with oil spray. Combine all ingredients (except chocolate chips) into a high powered blender (black beans, oil, eggs and vanilla on bottom with cocoa powder, salt, sugar and coffee on top). Blend until smooth. Pour the mixture into the prepped baking dish. Sprinkle the dark chocolate chips on top of the mixture.
Place in the preheated oven and bake for approximately 25-30 minutes (until edges start of pull away from the pan). Once done, place on cooling rack and allow to cool for approximately 20 minutes. Once cool, cut and serve. You can store in air tight container and in the refrigerator for about 4-5 days (if you would like to store longer, wrap in plastic wrap, store in air tight container, and place in freezer).
Butterscotch Bars
These butterscotch bars incorporate oats and walnuts for added protein.
Ingredients
- 1 cup packed brown sugar
- 5 tablespoons butter, melted
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 large egg, lightly beaten
- 9 ounces all-purpose flour (about 2 cups)
- 2 1/2 cups quick-cooking oats
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- Cooking spray
- 3/4 cup fat-free sweetened condensed milk
- 1 1/4 cups butterscotch morsels (about 8 ounces)
- 1/8 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 cup finely chopped walnuts, toasted
Preparation
- 1. Preheat oven to 350°.
- 2. Combine sugar and butter in a large bowl. Stir in vanilla and egg. Weigh or lightly spoon flour into dry measuring cups; level with a knife. Combine flour, oats, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and baking soda in a bowl. Add oat mixture to sugar mixture; stir with a fork until combined (mixture will be crumbly). Place 3 cups oat mixture into the bottom of a 13 x 9-inch baking pan coated with cooking spray; press into bottom of pan. Set aside.
- 3. Place sweetened condensed milk, butterscotch morsels, and 1/8 teaspoon salt in a microwave-safe bowl; microwave at HIGH 1 minute or until butterscotch morsels melt, stirring every 20 seconds. Stir in walnuts. Scrape mixture into pan, spreading evenly over crust. Sprinkle evenly with remaining oat mixture, gently pressing into butterscotch mixture. Bake at 350° for 30 minutes or until the topping is golden brown. Place pan on a cooling rack; run a knife around outside edge. Cool completely.