32 No Sugar Added Desserts

Move over fat, there’s a new culprit in town. Sugar is now the ingredient to avoid.

Do you know how much added sugar you consume in one day?

I didn’t.

My “healthy” dessert habit got out of control. I was obsessed with the one minute mug cakes, homemade magic shell, and single servings of chocolate chip cookies. After almost every meal I’d make myself a little treat. I used maple syrup or honey as the sweetener and I tricked my brain into thinking they were “nutritious” sugar.

Well ALL sweeteners, even the “pure” ones are sugar. And sugar impairs the immune system by suppressing white blood cells. Just one teaspoon impairs the immune system for up to four hours. Then there’s the blood sugar spikes and extra calories negatively impacting your body too.

What are the options?

Option A: Shun dessert and never eat ice cream again.

Option B: Make healthier desserts with absolutely no added sugars. 

Option B!!! A dessert-less life is not for me and I think we all need options.

I’ve gathered up the BEST no sugar added treats from super talented recipe creators. Cookies, cakes, bars, puddings, ice cream and popsicles can all be made with whole food ingredients. Most are sweetened with whole fruit or dried fruit. You’ll see many bananas and dates used for their naturally occurring sugar. 

Enjoy!

 

1. PEANUT BUTTER COOKIES by Pure Ella Peanut-Butter-Cookies-from-Cut-the-Sugar-on-Pure-Ella-by-Ella-Leche-1

2. HARVEST BREAKFAST COOKIES by Detoxinista

 

3. FLOURLESS THUMBPRINT BREAKFAST COOKIES by Oh She Glows

 

4. TWO INGREDIENT COOKIES by Pure Ella

Pure-Ella-two-ingredient-cookies1 

5. (NO SUGAR!) COOKIE DOUGH DIP by Chocolate Covered Katie

 

6. BLONDIE FIG FUDGE SQUARES by Nutrition Stripped
blondie-fig-fudge-squares5

7. BANANA OAT BARS by Happy Healthy Mama

 

8. 3 INGREDIENT PEANUT BUTTER GRANOLA BARS by Minimalist Baker

 

9. MINI BANANA BUNDT CAKES by The Picky Eater Blog
Easy, Healthy, Mini Banana Bundt Cakes

10. CRAZY FRUITY CAROB PUDDING CAKE by Unconventional Baker

 

11. PUMPKIN CAKE IN A MUG WITH CHOCOLATE WHIP by PaleOMG  Pumpkin Cake in a Mug from Paleomg.com

12. BANANA SNACK CAKE by Detoxinista

 

13. 2 INGREDIENT HEALTHY PANCAKES by Top with Cinnamon

 

14. BANANA ICE CREAM by Skinny Taste

 

15. SUGAR-FREE COCONUT VANILLA ICE CREAM by In Sonnet’s Kitchen

 

16. NO CHURN DAIRY-FREE CREAMY ALMOND BUTTER ICE CREAM by Unconventional Baker

 

17. 7 POPSICLE RECIPES WITH NO ADDED SUGAR by Ditch the Wheat

 

18. MANGO CHIA PUDDING by Sparkle Kitchen
Mango Chia Pudding (No Sugar Added Dessert

19. HEALTHY CHOCOLATE RASPBERRY PUDDING by Texanerin Baking healthy-chocolate-raspberry-pudding-2

20. SLOW COOKER APPLE BUTTER by Foraged Dish

 

21. HEALTHY PINA COLADA CHIA PARFAIT by Pure Ella

Pure-Ella-Pina-Colada-Chia-Parfait-5 

22. CHERRY MOCHA SMOOTHIE by Hummusapien CHERRY MOCHA SMOOTHIE

23. CHOCOLATE COVERED BERRIES BOWL by Coconuts and Kettlebells

Chocolate-Covered-Berries-and-Cream-Bowl-Coconuts-Kettlebells-5- 

24. DAIRY FREE WHIPPED CREAM by Sparkle Kitchen

 

25. BAKED APPLES STUFFED WITH CINNAMON DATE PECAN OATMEAL by Oh She Glows

 

26. BANANA BREAD BAKED OATMEAL by Southern in Law

Banana Bread Baked Oatmeal Recipe 

27. ORANGE PECAN TRUFFLES by Vanilla Verte

 

28. NOT “JELL-O” GELATIN SNACK by The Curious Coconut

 

29. TROPICAL FRUIT BITES by Every Last Bite

 

30. CINNAMON SWEET POTATO TRUFFLES by Nutrition Stripped
CINNAMON SWEET POTATO TRUFFLES

31. CHOCOLATE CHIA PEANUT BUTTER BITES by Hummusapien

CHOCOLATE CHIA PEANUT BUTTER BITES 

32. SIMPLE BAKED APPLES by Happy Healthy Mama

 

 

7 Fruit-Free Smoothies

I dream of smoothies in yoga class.

The room is 105F degrees with 60% humidity and pools of sweats are making an island out of my yoga mat. I love every minute of the intensity. And after working that hard I want a reward.

On the really tough days, visualizing myself sipping down a cool, refreshing smoothie is the only thing that gets me through class. I also wouldn’t hate one poured right over my head.

There is an issue with smoothies though. Loads of sugar from the fruit. It is naturally occurring sugar but I still have to watch it. I can down 24 ounces in under five minutes. In real food that can equal one whole banana, ten strawberries, half a mango and a cup of coconut milk. That’s almost 400 calories and 37 grams of sugar. I wrote an article on the pros and cons of smoothies here.

So how about fruit-free smoothies! Less natural sugar, a focus on vegetables and more micronutrients. The first two recipes are ones I created and then I rounded up another five from incredibly talented recipe creators I admire.

Enjoy!

 

 SWEET POTATO GINGER SMOOTHIE by Sparkle Kitchen

Sweet Potato Ginger Smoothie

Sweet Potato Ginger Smoothie
Serves 1
No sugar, sweet potato pie smoothie with a kick of fresh ginger.
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Cook Time
2 min
Total Time
2 min
Cook Time
2 min
Total Time
2 min
Ingredients
  1. ½ cup cooked sweet potato, cold
  2. ¼ cup full-fat canned coconut milk
  3. 2 tbsp water
  4. 3 tsp fresh ginger - grated
  5. ¼ tsp ground cinnamon
  6. ¼ tsp vanilla
  7. ¼ tsp lemon
Instructions
  1. Place all ingredients into a blender. Blend on high for 2 minutes until well incorporated.
  2. Serve immediately or store in the fridge up to 3 days.
Sparkle Kitchen https://sparklekitchen.com/

 GREEN SUPER SMOOTHIE by Sparkle Kitchen

Fruit-Free Smoothies

CHOCOLATE AVOCADO “GREEN” SMOOTHIE by The Artisan Life

Fruit-Free Smoothies

FRUIT-FREE GREEN SMOOTHIE by In Sonnet’s Kitchen

Fruit-Free Smoothies

BUTTERNUT SQUASH SMOOTHIE by Whole Heartedly Healthy

Fruit-Free Smoothies

PUMPKIN SPICE SMOOTHIE by Elana’s Pantry

Fruit-Free Smoothies

HOLIDAY SPICE VEGGIE SMOOTHIE by Dig Primal

Fruit-Free Smoothies

 

Juicing vs Smoothies: Which is Better?

To juice or to smoothie? Both are exceedingly popular and both have their pros and cons.

Let’s first become clear on one thing, juices and smoothies are not meals. All the weeklong juice cleanses touting health benefits are a nutritional disaster. Our bodies were designed with teeth for a reason. Biological needs are met when food is chewed. Yes, it’s true there is a lot of nutrition packed into one cup, yet the human body cannot run on a liquid diet.

The act of chewing food actually begins the process of digestion. It starts in the mouth. When food it chewed it is mixed with amylase enzymes found in the saliva, which helps break down the food. This prepares it for the entire digestive system.

The idea around juicing and smoothies is this, “let’s cram as many vegetables, fruits, powders, nut-butters and fancy superfoods into one cup and call it a meal.” While it may sound like a recipe for optimal nutrition, it’s easy to go over the top.

Think of juices and smoothies as a supplement.

 

JUICING

CONS:
1. Juicing a fruit or vegetable strips away the fiber, leaving only sugar behind. The liquid form absorbs quickly in the body and causes spiked insulin levels. Plants in their whole form are naturally rich in fiber and this fiber helps to slow down the body’s absorption. For those with insulin regulation issues its best to stay away from juices.

2. If enjoying juice with a meal, the water content competes with and interferes with the hydrochloric acid in the stomach, causing inference with digestion and absorption of nutrients from the other food.

PROS:
1. Juice can be used as a tool for detoxing for those in good health. For example pomegranate juice increases the body’s glutathione levels and can be incorporated for this benefit.

2. When struggling to get the necessary nutrients needed for proper body functioning, juicing is a good way to get more nutrients into the body. If you have a less than stellar diet, a green juice can help with some nutritional deficit, you just need to make sure to get the best easy clean juicer, this way you get the best juicing quality. 

 

SMOOTHIES

CONS:
1. Many smoothies from restaurants and popular chains can be categorized as dessert. And there’s nothing wrong with that if you’re treating it as such. Throwing some kale into a mango, coconut, pineapple smoothie does not make it just as nutrient dense as a salad.

2. Smoothies pack in the sugar and calories per serving. Think about how many strawberries, mangos, blueberries and pineapple are in one glass? That’s quite a bit of fruit. Pureed fruit goes down quicker than if you were to devour a large fruit bowl. Now if you’re mixing vegetables into your smoothies the amount of sugar will greatly decrease.

3. Raw vegetables are not always best for nutrient absorption. Each vegetables is different like each person’s body is different. Some are absorbed more easily when cooked down. Kale is known to be difficult on digestion. And be cautious when starting out on a whole foods diet. The body needs time to adjust to eating large quantities of fiber-rich vegetables, so go gradually.

PROS:
1. Smoothies contain the whole food, fiber and juice for full nutritional benefit.

2. A blend of fruits, vegetables and protein make an ideal post work-out meal.

3. Adding smoothies to kids diets is a good option for those strongly resistant to all vegetables. By blending up greens with mango, the fruit masks the vegetables enough to avoid a battle.

4. For those trying to gain weight, smoothies are a good option. Make one with protein, either grass-fed whey powder or a nut-butter. Then add some fat like avocado, coconut cream, or full-fat dairy. The fat allows for the nutrients in the plants to be more absorbable and it will keep you full longer.

 

Juices and smoothies definitely have their place at the nutrition table. Look at them as a supplement to enhance your regular three meals a day. Now I’m going to enjoy my green super smoothie, as dessert.