Recipes / Turning Your Favorite Classic Desserts Healthy | 3 Easy Recipes

Turning Your Favorite Classic Desserts Healthy | 3 Easy Recipes

August 13, 2024 Dr Livingood

There’s nothing quite like the nostalgic comfort of grandma’s signature desserts. From gooey rhubarb cake to perfect strawberry pie to campfire s’mores, those indulgent treats are woven into our happiest childhood memories.

But traditional recipes are often loaded with refined sugar, artificial ingredients and unhealthy fats.

The good news? You can recreate those beloved flavors using better-for-you, whole food ingredients. With some clever substitutions, grandma’s classics get a delicious, nutritious makeover you can feel good about enjoying.

Here are 3 of your favorite classic desserts remixed to savor familiar flavors in a healthier way.

Guilt-Free Rhubarb Cake

A classic favorite, rhubarb cake is a staple of family get-togethers throughout the ages. Here’s how you can enjoy one, guilt-free!

Ingredients:

3 cups diced fresh rhubarb
1 (3 oz) package sugar-free strawberry gelatin
1 cup water
1⁄4 cup dried strawberry powder (optional)
1⁄4 cup berry greens powder (optional)
3 large eggs
1⁄2 cup butter, melted
1⁄2 cup monk fruit or erythritol sweetener
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 1⁄4 cups almond flour
1⁄4 cup coconut flour
1⁄4 cup cassava flour
1 tsp baking powder
1⁄2 tsp salt
1 cup vegan marshmallows

Instructions:

Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease a 9×13 baking dish.
Spread diced rhubarb in an even layer in prepared baking dish.
In a saucepan, whisk together gelatin and water over medium heat until dissolved. Pour evenly over rhubarb.
If using, sprinkle dried strawberry and berry greens powders evenly over gelatin layer.
In a large bowl, whisk together eggs, melted butter, sweetener and vanilla.
In another bowl, stir together almond flour, coconut flour, cassava flour, baking powder and salt.
Fold dry ingredients into wet ingredients until just combined.
Spread batter evenly over the rhubarb layer in the baking dish. Top with marshmallows.
Bake for 35–40 minutes until set and lightly golden on top.
Allow to cool completely before slicing.

With just a few of these simple swaps, you remove most of the problematic ingredients from the cake. Natural, dye-free jello is both lower calorie and artificial-flavor-free.

The Berry Greens Powder provides a boost to fiber, antioxidants, and micronutrients.

And the keto almond flour prevents the insulin spike from heavy carbs!

Fresh Strawberry Pie

Strawberry pie is a timeless summer dessert. Sitting poolside, drinking lemonade in the sun- nothing goes better than a slice! With just a few simple swaps, you can make it healthier too.

Here’s what we’ll be swapping:

Almond Flour Crust: We’ll be using a mixture of almond flour, butter and monk fruit sweetener instead of regular wheat flour and sugar.

Fresh Strawberry Filling The filling consisted solely of fresh strawberries, a thickener like xanthan gum, water, and a touch of monk fruit sweetener to reduce sugar spikes.

Ingredients

Crust:

1 1⁄2 cups almond flour
1⁄3 cup butter or coconut oil, softened
2 tbsp monk fruit or erythritol sweetener
1⁄4 tsp salt

Filling:

1 lb fresh strawberries, sliced
1⁄3 cup water
1⁄4 cup monk fruit or erythritol sweetener
2 tbsp arrowroot or xanthan gum
1 tsp lemon juice

Instructions

Preheat oven to 350°F.
For the crust, stir together almond flour, butter, sweetener and salt until a dough forms.
Press dough evenly into a 9-inch pie plate. Prick all over with a fork.
Bake for 12–15 minutes until lightly golden. Allow to cool completely.
For the filling, place 1 cup of the sliced strawberries in a saucepan with the water, sweetener and thickener.
Bring to a simmer and cook for 5 minutes, stirring frequently, until thickened.
Remove from heat and stir in lemon juice and remaining sliced strawberries.
Pour filling into pre-baked pie crust and refrigerate for at least 2 hours before slicing.

Serve a-la-mode with a scoop of keto ice cream, and enjoy!

Campfire S’mores, but Better!

Most of my best memories were beside the campfire, toasting s’mores with my friends late into the night. Who can resist the gooey mixture of toasted marshmallows and decadent chocolate?

Now you can get all the flavor, without the toxic additives!

Here are the simple swaps we’ll be making:

Organic Graham Crackers: Look for organic whole grain graham crackers made with simple ingredients like whole wheat flour, sugar, oil, and molasses.
Dark Chocolate (70% Cacao or Higher): The higher the cacao percentage, the more antioxidants and less sugar. Look for minimal ingredients like cacao beans, cane sugar and cacao butter. Dairy-free varieties are best.
Vegan Marshmallows Traditional marshmallows are loaded with sugar and artificial ingredients. Look for vegan options instead, which tend to have fewer ingredients, calories, and better flavor overall.

Ingredients

8 organic graham cracker sheets
4 oz 70% cacao dark chocolate bar
1 package vegan marshmallows

Instructions

Break graham cracker sheets along perforated lines to make 16 squares.
Break chocolate bar into 16 segments.
Prepare campfire or indoor s’mores maker/oven.
Place 8 graham cracker squares on a baking sheet or plate. Top each with a chocolate segment.
Roast or broil marshmallows until golden brown.
Place a toasted marshmallow on top of each chocolate-topped graham cracker square.
Top with remaining graham cracker squares to make sandwiches.
Enjoy s’mores immediately while warm and gooey!

Toss a movie on your outdoor projector, gather some friends, and enjoy!

The Takeaway?

With some simple ingredient swaps, you can indulge in nostalgic dessert flavors without the guilt.

Ditch the refined sugar, dyes, and unhealthy fats for whole-food, nutrient-dense substitutes that let the natural flavors shine.

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