It’s a new year, and the same old us which means even though we’re over here trying to eat right, we still crave sweets. We know we can’t be alone in this, so we put together a few of our favorite recipes that are guaranteed to satisfy our sweet tooth, but still keep us on track with our goals. Mostly we know that if we deprive ourselves of sweets altogether for too long, we will absolutely cave after exactly one minor inconvenience and before we know it we’ll be elbow deep in a bag of peanut butter M&M’s. Let’s get started!
Protein Pudding
(image via: cookies and cups)
We’re starting off super simple with protein pudding. How simple, you may be wondering? Well, all you do is follow the directions on any box of instant pudding, then just add a scoop of protein powder, let it set in the fridge and you’re done! We have yet to taste a flavor we don’t love, but we do have a couple of tips! For instance, if you’re a chocaholic, you may want to make a “trifle” by layering chocolate protein pudding and sugar-free whipped cream in a small dish for a light and fluffy dessert; or if you’re a big fan of cheesecakes, nab a box or two of instant cheesecake pudding and add some granola to the top for a little extra crunch!
Frozen Banana Boats
(image via: the 36th avenue)
Another simple dessert, only this one hits all of our main dessert cravings including chocolate and peanut butter. All you have to do to make frozen banana boats is cut your banana in half, spread peanut butter on half, top off with a few dark chocolate chips, then place it in the freezer until frozen. The end result is comparable to ice cream and we can get all the way behind that.
Apple Pie Cookies
If you’re craving apple pie or oatmeal cookies, we have the perfect solution for you – apple pie oatmeal cookies that combine all of those flavors to create a moist, chewy cookie. Fruit, warm spices, oatmeal, less fuss than baking pie, and the cookies bake much faster! We call this an all-around win. And we couldn’t tell anybody if you ate one fresh out of the oven with a cold scoop of Halo Top ice cream plopped on top. Get the recipe here!
Healthy Edible Cookie Dough
Because some days are hard and you’re trying to be a better you than the you that would typically just go buy a roll of cookie dough and eat it. This recipe incorporates coconut oil, almond butter, maple syrup, almond flour, and chocolate chips to create a healthier version of the dessert we all know and love. (Yes, only five whole ingredients!) Get the recipe here.