Top 10 Healthy Desserts to Try this Summer

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Sweltering heat, sticky sweat, the never-ending thirst that yearns to be quenched by the radiance of fireflies and summer nights. It’s summer time. And among those gracious outdoor activities and the crushing pressure to make productive those long days and short nights is the need to gratify an unrelenting sweet tooth. For what is cooler and as satisfying than ice cream, iced treats and other frozen – or even fresh – desserts?

Though while we all hunger to pounce on those sweet treats, we know – and have even experienced – the calories and how quickly they stack up. Needless to say, the guilt quickly sets in after your emotional binge. So what solution is there to satiate the cool sweet tooth? We managed to find a happy balance between staying healthy and getting that sugary relief you oh, so crave. Check out these healthy desserts that won’t bust your summer figure but elate your taste buds.

  • Orange Angel Food Cake with Fruit Compote: Light and fruity, this is a classic summer dish that is satisfying but not to the point of granting a food coma. With a whopping 0 grams of fat, this dessert is a great source of beta-carotene and fiber, both of which are major cancer fighters. This treat is a guiltless summer dessert that satisfies the sweet tooth in all of us. Click the link to get the recipe from Fitness Magazine.
  • Bittersweet Fudge Brownies: I know, I know, this hardly sounds like the healthy summer treat you were expecting. Fudge? Brownies? Healthy? That may very well be the definition of oxymoron. Add in non-fat yogurt and whole wheat flour, however, you’ve suddenly got a tasty dessert that it satisfies both the dieting and the chocoholics. These brownies have 3 grams of fiber and 4 grams of protein – which is graciously nutritious. Same as with the orange angel food cake, Fitness Magazine graciously provided this recipe.
  • Green Tomato and Fig CupcakesWhen each cupcake is less than 250 calories (icing included!), it’s almost a tease to not try it. This green tomato and fig cupcake is a refreshing, fruity summer treat. If you want to make this treat healthier you can substitute canola oil with olive oil and powdered sugar with stevia. MyRecipes is on to something great with this unique flavor combination.
  • Cherry-Raspberry Buckle: Pie? Cake? Crumble? Bridge the rivalry between these pastry desserts and check out this cherry-raspberry buckle. High in fiber (5 grams), low in both cholesterol (24 mg) and sodium (211 mg), and meeting your fruit requirement serving with three cups of fruit, this pie-cake-crumble combination is sure to be a guilty pleasure to savor with minimal regret. For an added bonus, this dessert contains 20% of your daily value of iron in each serving. Try this  summer treat and taste the satisfying combination of sweet and tart by Eating Well.
  • Berry-Citrus Trifle:  An elegant dessert-turned-smoothie, the berry-citrus trifle is an excellent dessert to sip or spoon into. This sweet treat meshes orange and berry flavors to create a refreshing, spongy dessert. According to Epicurious, this dessert only has 215 calories, 4 grams of fat, 1 gram of saturated fat and 39 grams of carbohydrate, but still yields 3 grams fiber and 7 grams of protein per serving.
  • Peppermint Meringues: Nine calories. Your eyes do not deceive you. You read that right. In fact, read it again. Nine calories. The last thing you may have eaten less than 10 calories were some scallions or a block of cauliflower, and let’s face it, if you’re looking for something with a low-calorie count but still mildly delicious, eating only vegetables isn’t going to hold you long. Light, fluffy, fat-free, and refreshing: this is the ultimate nibble. Though these do take longer than most treats to bake, they are a fun pop of flavor that transports easily. So take these with you everywhere and refresh with the taste of peppermint.
  • Muffin-Tin Strawberry Shortcakes: Take a trip down memory lane this summer with strawberry shortcake. This dessert is one of the summer classics we all remember growing up. A healthier take on a traditional dish, this shortcake has only 227 calories, 5 g of protein, and a low cholesterol level at 32 mg.
  • Berry Tart with Lemon Cookie Crust: Despite the buttery crust, this dessert is still low-fat, low-cal, and pretty healthy with two cups of fresh berries, fresh mint, lemon peel and fat-free Greek yogurt. Thus summery tart is both satisfying and refreshing: the perfect way to end a summer’s day.
  • Raspberry Sorbet: Sweet, fresh, and light: raspberry sorbet is a decadent summer treat that keeps your calorie bank safe with only 110 calories per serving and no fat. This classic is both tasty as well as a healthier alternative to ice cream while still satisfying the crave for a frozen snack.
  • Skinny Chocolate Chip Fro-Yo Sandwiches: What says summer better than an ice-cream sandwich? This healthy spin on a traditional summer guilty pleasure is made with healthy ingredients such as applesauce, fat-free frozen yogurt, egg whites, and whole wheat flour, not to mention it only has 169 calories.

Hungry for more? Check out more of our nutrition tips!

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