Of all the things that make this such a wonderful time of year, delicious desserts take the cake. Impress your family and friends this holiday season by preparing some tasty treats of your own. Any of these four health-conscious holiday delights are sure to be the talk of any party—and later, when everyone asks for the recipes, they’ll be pleasantly surprised by your healthy kitchen secrets.
Low-carb fruit tartlets
This recipe includes delicious fruit low in carbohydrates. We recommend berries, kiwi or peaches. And if you want to get creative, try using all three!
For the crust, you’ll need:
- 1 cup almond flour
- ¼ cup golden ground flax
- ¼ cup melted butter
- ¼ teaspoon sea salt
Put all ingredients into a food processor and pulse until a moist, crumbly consistency is reached. Press into cylinder molds (a muffin pan can also be used), and bake at 350 degrees for 25 minutes, or until slightly golden.
To prepare the filling, you’ll need:
- 1 small package of sugar-free instant pudding (cheesecake or vanilla flavor)
- 2 cups skim milk
- 2 teaspoons amaretto
- 1 pint fresh fruit, sliced if necessary
Make pudding per directions, spoon into molds, then chill. Garnish as desired with fresh fruit and serve.
Peppermint fudge truffles
Peppermint is an iconic flavor synonymous with the holiday season, so it is only fitting that one of our most delicious healthy holiday snacks incorporates this ingredient.
To prepare, you’ll need:
- 9 ounces heavy cream
- 4 ounces unsweetened baking chocolate
- ½ teaspoon sugar-free peppermint coffee flavoring syrup
In a saucepan, combine chocolate and cream over low heat. While cooking, whisk constantly until the chocolate melts and the mixture is velvety and thick. Add sugar-free syrup. While mixture is cooling, line a cookie sheet with parchment paper. Use a small cookie scoop to portion truffle mix onto parchment and let truffles sit at room temperature until set. Refrigerate after cooling. Sprinkle with ground nuts if desired.
Primal low-carb cheesecake by Grass Fed Girl
Once you try this silky new holiday dessert, traditional cheesecake will quickly become a thing of the past.
For the crust, you’ll need:
- 1 cup blanched almond flour
- ¼ cup golden ground flax
- ¼ cup melted butter
- ¼ teaspoon sea salt
Put all ingredients into a food processor and pulse until a moist, crumbly consistency is reached. Press into bottom of muffin pan and bake at 350 degrees for 5 minutes, or until slightly golden.
For the filling, you’ll need:
- 2 eggs
- 16 ounces room temperature cream cheese
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- ¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg
Combine all ingredients into a blender and blend on high until smooth. Pour mixture into prebaked crusts and bake at 325 degrees for 20 minutes, or until the filling is set. Be careful not to overbake. Cool and serve with a muddled raspberry garnish if desired.
Pumpkin mousse
This light and velvety custard packs an unforgettable explosion of rich, creamy flavor.
To prepare, you’ll need:
- ½ cup heavy cream
- 1 small package of sugar-free vanilla pudding mix
- 1 cup pumpkin puree
- 1 cup skim milk
- 1 ½ teaspoons pumpkin pie spice
In a deep bowl, whip the heavy cream until stiff, then set aside. In another bowl, mix together remaining ingredients until smooth and thick. Fold in the whipped cream, cover loosely with plastic wrap and chill before serving.
Serve any one of these healthy holiday treats at your next party and be sure to have recipe cards ready for all of your friends. The gift of good health is made in the kitchen and by sharing health conscious recipes like these with your loved ones, you are giving them the greatest gift of all.
(Original tartlet, truffle and mousse recipes by Mellissa W.)
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