“A party without cake is just a meeting” -Julia Child
I LOVE dessert! I love to top off a healthy meal with ‘happy ending’ and indulge in a sweet and wonderful treat. I actually don’t go a day without sweets (if I can help it!) and I consider high-quality dark chocolate a food group in and of itself. When I decided to get healthy and lose weight, I knew that the most difficult challenge would be cutting out desserts forever! After realizing that deprivation like that was almost impossible, I decided that I was going to learn to eat dessert in moderation…daily. I’ve always heard people say that it’s fine to treat yourself on “special occasions” but I like to think of every day as a special occasion. I discovered that as long as my portions were nutritious and relatively small, I could still eat a treat (or 2!) every.single.day without gaining a pound. In fact, I could still lose weight! The key? Indulge in the highest quality, most-satisfying treats available and only eat a little bit at a time.
So if you want to lose weight for “Make It Happen May” my tip? EAT DESSERT! …only skip the stale cookies, processed snack-cakes and ice creams with ingredients you can’t even pronounce, and say HELLO to these healthy treats. You can image how excited I was to receive all these different desserts from some of the newest and most wonderful health food companies out there. These are my favorite treats and I hope that you love them as much as I do!
TRU RA Sweet Nibs- These cute little cocoa nibs are cold pressed, certified organic, vegan and loaded with antioxidants and minerals. They are sweetened with organic coconut flower blossom nectar… that even sounds pretty, doesn’t it? Perfect for sprinkling on top of coconut milk ice cream or mixing with almonds and raisins for a tasty little trail-mix, these Nibs are a must when it comes to healthy desserts. These little nibs are raw and boast many health benefits, such as: strengthening your immune system, providing energy, regulating blood sugar levels, and more! All these perks make them a truly healthy indulgence. Here is a link to the online store over at Big Tree Farms so you can pick some up yourself http://bigtreefarms.com/collections/cacao/products/nibs
Sugarfina Chocolates- How pretty are these little chocolate treats? Sugarfina just launched a beautiful new product line known as, “Hello Superfoods Bento Box!” (http://www.sugarfina.com/products/antioxidant-bento-box) Loaded with antioxidants, these chocolates are perfect for a delicious treat and they make a lovely gift for a special friend. I had the opportunity to choose my treats and I opted for Matcha Green Tea Caramels, Dark Chocolate Orange Peel, and Dark Chocolate Raspberries! YUMMY!!! I’m obsessed with chocolate covered treats! The concept of taking something wonderful and dipping it into something even more wonderful…Perfection! Offering fun gift ideas for Mother’s Day, Sugarfina is the place to shop for a cute little gift for your own deserving Mum!
AlterEco Chocolates- Honestly, I don’t know where to start with the Alter Eco Chocolate Company! I’m obsessed! They have TONS of flavors that are beyond delicious… but besides that, I love that they are a ‘give-back’ company. They’re Fair-trade, sustainably sourced, certified organic, gluten-free, dairy-free, soy-free and oh-so delicious. My favorite flavor is Deep Dark Sea Salt! There’s something about that salty-sweet combo makes my mouth water just writing this review. Half a bar has just over 200 calories. Perfect for a satisfying after-dinner treat that’s not too big, not too small, but JUST right! Here is a link to their story so you can read a bit more about the incredible initiative they’ve taken. Once again, I was able to sample these treats in exchange for a review, and I am so glad I did! http://www.alterecofoods.com/our-story/
Eat Your Coffee CoffeeBar- I love coffee… I’m obsessed with (okay, addicted to) coffee! I just love its deep, rich, somewhat bitter taste! I actually love dark chocolate for many of the same reasons. It’s just so satisfying! What if you could combine the energizing effects of freshly brewed coffee with the decadence of chocolate, all while keeping it healthy and nourishing?! Well, you CAN! The folks over at New Grounds Foods (http://www.newgroundsfood.com/) decided to do just that. They’ve created a gluten-free, vegan bar that contains all the caffeine found in a cup of coffee + the nutrition of a health bar! I indulged in one of these as an afternoon pick-me-up and I was amazed at how delicious it was. YUM! I prefer mine right out of the fridge.. cool and satisfying!
Tasty Karma Chickpea Truffles- Of all the treats out there, this is by far one of the most unique! These little chocolate truffles are actually made with, yep… you guessed it, chickpea flour! But don’t be scared by the ‘chickpeas’. These truffles are healthy, nutritious, gluten free, vegan and delicious! These truffles didn’t last long in myhouse! I just love how sweet they are and the fact that I don’t have to feel guilty enjoying them. Honestly, they didn’t tasty ‘weird’ or ‘bean-y’ or anything like that. They just tasted amazing! Here is a link to their website- https://www.tastykarma.com/ so you can try for yourself.
Being healthy does NOT mean deprivation. Treating myself to a special dessert is one of the best parts of a healthy, balanced diet! These are just a few of my favorite treats… treats that prove dessert can be delicious and healthy! How about you? What’s your favorite special treat?
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