Desserts - GUILT FREE

Hi Siwicki Fit Fam, Juliann here! If you didn’t know this about me, let me tell you something - I am a DESSERT queen. No, seriously. When I go out to restaurants the first thing I look at is the dessert menu. I was raised on the idea that dinner is not complete without dessert. Jacob and I have made it a priority to maintain a healthy diet. Jacob is a Type 1 Diabetic, we are raising two small humans and I am a working mom that needs to be fueled by food not drained by it. With that said, I still love me some dessert!

Over the last couple of years I have experimented with healthier options and I have found some recipes that I truly love. I have learned what ingredients to use to make dessert healthier that have become staple items in my house (almond flour, dates, maple syrup, coconut sugar & oil, etc.). I promise you, these desserts are delicious. I included my favorite recipes below. Let me know if you decide to try them in the comments - I cannot wait to hear from my fellow DESSERT LOVERS! LET’S GO!

P.S. - If you live in the DC Metro area, Alli Camps (a dessert loving mama) has turned her love of everything sweet into a business by creating upgraded versions of pretty much any dessert you know and love. She will work with you to create a custom cookie box, cake or candy to meet your dietary needs. Follow her on instagram @EatTheDamnDessert or contact her at allisoncamps2@gmail.com to place your order. We included one of her recipes (Dark Chocolate Almond Butter Cups) below!

Juliann’s FAV Chocolate Chip Cookies

Ingredients:

• 1 tsp baking soda

• 1 tsp salt

• 1 tsp organic pure vanilla extract

• 1 1/2 cup Enjoy Life Semi-sweet Chocolate Mini Chips (<—these have no dairy, no gluten, no soy. However, any semi-sweet chocolate chips will do.)

• 1/2 cup organic coconut oil

• 1/2 cup maple syrup

• 2 whole eggs

• 3 cups blanched almond flour (almond meal works but the texture will be different!)

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

2. In a medium sized mixing bowl, combine dry ingredients and mix together.

3. In a small sized mixing bowl, beat together the eggs, maple syrup, and vanilla extract with a hand mixer.

4. Pour wet ingredients into dry, and then beat together with a hand mixer until well combined.

5. Melt coconut oil, pour into batter, and continue to blend until combined.

6. Stir in chocolate chips

7. On a parchment lined sheet (or a baking sheet sprayed with nonstick spray), drop balls of cookie dough, about a tablespoon in size.

8. Bake for 10-12 minutes.

9. Transfer to cooling rack and let cool.

10. Eat. 🙂

Gluten Free Lemon Bars

Ingredients:

Crust

• 1.5 cups almond flour

• 1/4 cup coconut flour

• 1/4 cup maple syrup

• 1/3 cup coconut oil

• 1 tsp vanilla 1/4 tsp salt

Filling

• 3 eggs + 1 egg yolk

• 3/4 cup fresh squeezed lemon juice (about 4 large lemons)

• 1/2 cup maple syrup

• 1 tsp lemon zest

• 1 tbsp coconut flour, sifted

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350F and line an 8×8 baking dish with parchment paper or nonstick spray.

2. In a bowl, mix together all of your crust ingredients until well combined.

3. Press into the bottom of the 8×8 baking dish and bake for 15 minutes.

4. While crust is baking, whisk together all filling ingredients, adding sifted coconut flour last. Whisk until all clumps are gone.

5. Once crust comes out of the oven, pour filling immediately on top.

6. Lower oven temp to 325F and bake for 20-22 minutes or until filling is set. A little jiggle is ok!

7. Let cool at room temperature for 30 minutes then transfer to fridge for at least 3 hours.

8. Add powdered sugar (not paleo, but delicious) and cut and serve!

Banana Cake with Chocolate Frosting

Ingredients:

For the cake:

• 2 large ripe and spotty bananas (if bananas are small, use 3)

• 3 large eggs

• 1/4 cup pure maple syrup

• 2 tsp vanilla extract

• 2 + 1/2 cups almond flour

• 1/2 cup tapioca flour/starch

• 1 tsp baking soda

• 1/2 tsp baking powder

• 1/4 tsp sea salt

For the Frosting:

• 3/4 cup full fat coconut milk (thick creamy part only)

• 1/4 cup coconut sugar

• 2 tbsp cacao or cocoa powder

• 1/4 tsp vanilla extract

• Pinch of sea salt

• Chopped dairy free chocolate, for sprinkling

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350°F and line an 8×8 or 9×9 square baking sheet with parchment paper (or generously grease the baking dish).

2. In a large bowl, mash your bananas. Whisk your eggs, maple syrup, and vanilla in with the bananas until smooth.

3. Stir in your almond flour, tapioca flour, baking soda, baking powder, and sea salt until a smooth batter forms.

4. Pour batter into your lined or greased baking dish, then bake for 30-35 minutes until a toothpick comes out clean.

5. Meanwhile, open your can of coconut milk. If the thick white part is not separated from the watery part, stick the can in the refrigerator while cake is baking/cooling and be sure not to shake the can. To make your frosting, whisk together the coconut milk (again, be sure none of the watery part gets in), coconut sugar, cocoa powder, vanilla, and salt until as smooth as possible. Set in the refrigerator to chill until cake is completely cooled.

6. Important: allow cake to COMPLETELY cool before frosting, sprinkling with chopped chocolate, slicing, and enjoying!

Healthy Chocolate Chia Seed Pudding

Ingredients:

• 1/4 cup chia seeds

• 1/4 cup cocoa

• pinch salt

• 1 cup almond milk (or other non-dairy milk)

• 2 tbsp maple syrup

• 1/2 tsp vanilla

Directions:

1. In a bowl, mix together chia seeds, cocoa powder and salt.

2. With a whisk, stir in almond milk, maple syrup and vanilla. Whisk until well combined.

3. Place in refrigerator for one hour, then stir. Then let sit at least two hours or overnight.

4. When ready to eat, add a splash of almond milk and stir.

5. Add any toppings that you desire! We like banana and peanut butter.

No Bake Salted Tahini Cookie Dough Fudge

Ingredients:

• 1 cup tahini

• ¼ cup melted coconut oil

• 2 tablespoons pure maple syrup

• ½ tablespoon good-quality vanilla extract

• ¼ teaspoon salt

• ¼ cup dark chocolate chips, plus 2 tablespoons for sprinkling on top

• Maldon or fancy sea salt, for sprinkling on top

Directions:

1. Line a 8x4 inch loaf pan with parchment paper.

2. In a medium bowl, mix together the tahini, coconut oil, maple syrup, vanilla and salt until smooth. Fold in ¼ cup chocolate chips. Pour the fudge into the pan.

3. Freeze for 5-10 minutes, then sprinkle 2 tablespoons of chocolate chips on top on the fudge and press them in a bit if necessary.

4. Freeze until firm about 30 minutes.

5. Sprinkle with a little sea salt.

6. Cut into 15 squares.

7. Store fudge in freezer safe container in the freezer for up to 3 months.

Avocado Chocolate Mousse Parfaits

Ingredients:

• 3 avocados

• 4 Tbsp. cocoa powder

• 3 Tbsp. honey

• 1/2 tsp. vanilla

• Pinch of salt

• 1 scoop Vital Proteins Collagen Peptides

• 1 can full fat coconut milk chilled overnight in refrigerator

• 1/2 C. pecan pieces

• 1 banana sliced

• Optional ingredients: Cacao nibs shredded coconut, strawberries

Directions:

1. In a high powered blender or food processor, add avocados and blend until smooth

2. Add cocoa powder, 2 Tbsp. honey, vanilla, salt and collagen peptides and blend until combined

3. Once mousse is made, add to an airtight container and place in refrigerator to chill at least 2 hours

4. To make the coconut whipped cream, scoop out the hardened milk fats from the can and add into a chilled metal mixing bowl (I like to use my Kitchen Aid) with 1 Tbsp. honey

5. Using a whisk attachment, whisk until smooth and fluffy

6. In a glass parfait dish or bowl layer banana slices, chocolate mousse, pecan pieces and whipped coconut cream

7. Top with optional ingredients if desired

Slow Cooker Pumpkin Brownies (Grain-Free)

Ingredients:

• 1½ cups pumpkin puree or sweet potato puree

• 3 large Organic Valley eggs, whisked

• ⅓ cup organic maple syrup (or honey)

• 3 Tbsp. Organic Valley ghee, melted (may sub coconut oil or butter)

• 1 tsp. pure vanilla extract

• ⅓ cup coconut flour

• ⅔ cup baking cocoa powder

• 1½ tsp. baking soda

• ¼ tsp. salt

• ¼ tsp. ground nutmeg

• ¼ tsp. ground cinnamon

• ⅓ cup chocolate chips or chunks + additional for the top

• ⅓ cup walnuts*, chopped + additional for the top

Directions:

1. In a bowl, combine all of the ingredients and mix.

2. Line a 6-qt. slow cooker with parchment paper.

3. Transfer batter to the slow cooker and spread out evenly.

4. Top with chocolate chips and walnuts.

5. Cook on high for 2 hours or low for 4 hours.

6. Carefully remove the brownies from the slow cooker to a wire rack. Cool just slightly for 10 minutes before serving. Serve warm.

7. Top with a scoop of your favorite ice cream and a drizzle of melted chocolate if you wish.

Oven Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 °F. Grease a 9×9 square dish.

2. In a bowl, combine all of the ingredients and mix.

3. Transfer batter to 9×9 square dish and spread out evenly. Top with mini-chocolate chips and walnuts.

4. Bake in the oven for 25-30 minutes or until a toothpick inserted comes out clean. Remove

5. from oven and let cool for about 5 minutes.

6. Cut into 12 squares.

Nilla Wafers

Ingredients:

• 2 egg yolks

• 1/2 cup honey

• 1/4 cup melted ghee

• 1 teaspoon vanilla

• 2 cups almond flour

• 1/2 teaspoon salt

• 1/2 teaspoon baking powder

Directions:

1. In a large bowl, combine yolks, honey, ghee, and vanilla. Stir very well until mixture is completely smooth.

2. Add in almond flour, salt, and baking powder. Mix well until no lumps remain.

3. Cover and chill in the fridge for at least one hour or up to over night.

4. When ready to bake, preheat oven to 325° and line two cookie sheets with parchment paper.

5. Make balls, 1 teaspoon big, and place on the cookie sheets. 16 cookies per sheet.

6. Bake, one sheet at a time, for 14 minutes. Remove from the oven and slightly press each cookie down. Bake for 4-6 more minutes, until edges are slightly brown.

Almond Coconut Fudge Bars (Sugar-Free + Vegan)

Ingredients:

Chocolate layer:

• 3/4 cup coconut oil

• 1 cup raw cacao powder

• 2 tablespoons full-fat canned coconut milk

Top layer:

• 1 cup creamy almond butter (or any nut butter)

• 1/3 cup coconut oil

• 2 tablespoons full-fat canned coconut milk

• 1/2 teaspoon sea salt

Directions:

1. Line a bread pan with parchment paper (this will help when removing the bars to eat! you can also use an 8×8 baking dish but they will be thinner bars)

2. In a small sauce pan, mix together the coconut oil, cacao powder and coconut milk over medium/low heat and stir until melted

3. Pour into the lined bread pan and shake a little so the chocolate is evenly distributed

4. Add to freezer and begin making the top layer

5. In a medium bowl, whisk together nut butter, coconut oil and coconut milk until creamy and well combined

6. Pour on top of chocolate layer, sprinkle sea salt and add to freezer to set for about an hour

7. Remove the bars by lifting up parchment paper from bread pan and slice into pieces

8. Store in freezer for up to a month or so!

Dark Chocolate Almond Butter Cups

***recipe created by Alli Camps from @eatthedamndessert

Ingredients:

• 12 oz. high quality dark chocolate

• 1 tablespoon refined coconut oil

• 1 cup all natural almond butter (look for a brand that is simply almonds and salt... no added sugar) *Can replace with pure peanut butter or cashew butter

• 4 tablespoons maple syrup

• 2 teaspoon vanilla extract

• Flaky sea salt for topping

Directions:

1. Line a mini muffins tray with 24 mini cupcake liners

2. In a small mixing bowl, mix the almond butter, maple syrup and vanilla extract together until well combined.

3. Spoon around 1 tablespoon of the almond butter mixture into the bottom of each muffin cup.

4. Place the muffin tray in the freezer while you melt the chocolate mixture.

5. In a microwave safe bowl, melt the dark chocolate and the coconut oil in 30 second intervals. Mix between each interval until the chocolate is fully melted. (Typically takes around 90 seconds)

6. Take the tray out of the freezer and pour chocolate over the almond butter until it is completely covered. Sprinkle each cup with a little sea salt.

7. Place the tray back in the freezer until hardened.

8. Store in the freezer or refrigerator.

What is your favorite health-ish dessert? Comment below and let us know!