Sugary sweets, containing refined sweeteners, white flower and highly processed hydrogenated oils, are everywhere on the shelves of our supermarkets. Most **commercial desserts ** have very little of essential nutrients and, instead, are loaded with sugar and chemicals that wreak havoc on our health.
However, can sweets be healthy at all? I would say “Yes” - it is quite possible to satisfy our inborn taste for sweets with desserts that are both healthy and nutritious, just like our grandparents used to do. Their desserts usually featured ripen fruit in season, crispy nuts, raw honey, natural maple syrup, or unprocessed date sugar.
Also, most traditional desserts combined fruit or other sweet things with some fat, such as cream, butter, or egg yolks, to accompany them. This practice if very wise, since adequate fats not only slow the absorption of sugar into the bloodstream, but also promote a better assimilation of minerals and vitamins. However, the best recommendation is that even natural sweeteners should be eaten only occasionally, maybe one or twice a week.
Healthy Traditional Dessert Recipes:
Peel and slice 8 oranges. Place the pieces in a bowl and sprinkle on top 1 cup each of chopped dates, coconut meat, and crispy pecans. Chill well and serve.
In a heavy cast iron skillet, saute 6 apples (peeled and cut into chunks) in 4 tbsp butter, until golden. In the meantime, beat with a whisk (an electric beater is OK, too) 2 cups good quality whipping cream. When the cream thickens, add 1 tsp vanilla extract and a pinch of stevia powder. Serve the sauteed apple chunks warm with the whipped cream.
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In a saucepan, mix and bring to boil 1 1/2 cups filtered water with 3 tbsp honey, 1 cinnamon stick, and a pinch of freshly ground nutmeg. Add 4 pieces each of pears and peaches (peeled and quartered) and 2 cups cherries (pitted and halved). Simmer, covered, for about 3 minutes. Remove the fruit with a slotted spoon to serving bowls and reduce the liquid in the saucepan to about one half by rapid boiling. Pour the ready sauce over the fruit and chill well in the refrigerator. In the meanwhile, prepare sweet cheese topping: mix in a food processor 1 cup softened cream cheese with 3 tbsp honey. To serve, decorate each bowl of fruit compote with a generous portion of cheese topping.
Please your sweet tooth and stay healthy! :)
Pictures by by Grandma Tina, by x99elledge, by kutingka