I Have the Worst Sweet Tooth Ever. Send Help.

So I mostly eat pretty healthy. My biggest food/diet challenges are A. my portions are too big (going back for seconds, for instance, when I know I really don't need to) and B. my insane sweet tooth.

I've tried going cold turkey on sugar and it plain does. not. work. I've tried the "just eat fruit!" version, that didn't work. I tend to crave really dessert-y things. I KNOW there's got to be a healthy way to indulge the sweet tooth occasionally!

What are your favorite healthy-ish desserts? I make a mean "fried apples" that is maybe not as good as Cracker Barrel's but I swear it is infinitely less unhealthy, haha. I also enjoy putting buttera nd a little brown sugar on sweet potatoes for a 'dessert'.

What are some other ideas for how to have my dessert and still use it to get the nutrition I need and not go crazy on calorie counts?


(FTR, my 'diet' such as it is doesn't cut out any particular food items, it's to watch calorie counts and overall nutritional qualities. So the calorie count of a particular dish isn't as big a deal if it fits into my overall day)

Replies

  • Sharon_C
    Sharon_C Posts: 2,132 Member
    Chocolate rice cake with cookie butter. I'm addicted. 150 calories if you only use 1 tbsp of cookie butter.
  • cmriverside
    cmriverside Posts: 34,392 Member
    edited May 2017
    Nothing wrong with brown sugar and butter, your apple dessert or really any other dessert. Just log it and fit it in. My problem is the prepared sweets, I can eat the whole package. I've learned to just not buy the stuff unless I accept that I will eat the entire thing in one day - which is a problem.

    My go-to dessert is 100g plain lowfat greek yogurt (Fage,) mixed frozen fruit and a sprinkle of sugar (like 1g) - it is satisfying and it fools me into thinking it's ice cream. :smile:

  • French_Peasant
    French_Peasant Posts: 1,639 Member
    edited May 2017
    Rhubarb crisp, apple crisp, peach crisp, etc. Double the fruit in the bottom of the pan and experiment with trimming down some of the sugar and butter, increasing the amount of oatmeal, etc. It is a super easy dessert and a great way to get a substantial amount of fruit and whole grains while thoroughly enjoying yourself.

    ETA: Here is a recipe similar to the one passed down through my family (although my family one calls for two sticks of butter and a full cup of brown sugar, LOL). The oatmeal could likely be doubled or even tripled, and the fruit can be doubled, just based on your tastes. As is, it is 320 calories for 1/6 of a pan...not too bad. https://www.bettycrocker.com/recipes/apple-crisp/3715a45c-3c00-430c-bbe2-9865f9013238

    Oh, and I am reminded by the post above: on days that I don't have the calorie budget to spend, or need to nail a high protein goal, one of my favorite desserts is 0% Fage drizzled with about 15 grams of honey, and maybe sprinkled with a little granola. This would be in the 150-200 calorie range but relies on a light hand and careful measurements with the toppings.
  • T0M_K
    T0M_K Posts: 7,526 Member
    you have to log your food properly and find a way to fit it in your calorie level. its not evil to like sweets, but they will make you fat if they cause you to eat over your allotment of calories for the day. don't flip out on the "stereotypical" bad i have to give up on foods. just make them fit by sacrificing somewhere else.
  • RachelElser
    RachelElser Posts: 1,049 Member
    Have you tried protein fluff? You can make it in a variety of flavors and it's like a light, whipped ice cream.
  • Luna3386
    Luna3386 Posts: 888 Member
    I like to blend cottage cheese, powdered peanut butter and Splenda. Then add in one chocolate square chopped up. Yum.
  • youngcaseyr
    youngcaseyr Posts: 293 Member
    Sooooo many oatmeal recipes. My sweet toot is ALL of my teeth and I prefer breakfast foods because they tend to be sweeter, so I eat oats eeeeeeveryday. I add different things to them to change it up, like strawberries, carrots, pumpkin, banana, Apple, cocoa powder and peanut butter... Look up oatporn on instagram and you will not be disappointed! Also, try the egg and banana pancakes, if you haven't yet. Just mix 2 eggs and one banana and cook them on a griddle like pancakes. They usually come out a little thin and aren't as fluffy as regular pancakes, but I plan to experiment with adding oat flour/ finely blended oats to see how they come out. But they're pretty awesome. Also, check out www.chocolatecoveredkatie.com for her amazing healthier dessert recipes
  • healthyfitsamantha
    healthyfitsamantha Posts: 12 Member
    Ever since I found FlavorGod.com, I've never had trouble staying on track. Their seasonings are seriously the BEST! I love to add their Gingerbread Cookie, Pumpkin Pie, or Chocolate Seasonings to some peanut butter and throw it on a rice cake as a good snack that will satisfy my sweet tooth. Plus, they're gluten-free, kosher, non-gmo, preservative-free, and vegan! They come in sweet and savory varieties for whatever you're craving and need to "spice up". ;) If you're interested in trying them out, you're welcome to use my custom coupon code SAMANTHA11AN to save 10% on your order.
  • Treehugger_88
    Treehugger_88 Posts: 207 Member
    edited May 2017
    I also have an insane sweet tooth. I agree with others when they say oats help. If I'm really craving something sweet but don't want to overindulge, I'll make this or a similar variation:
    -1/4 cup oats, 1 tbsp cocoa powder, 1 tbsp pb2, 1 tsp stevia, 1 tsp flax/chia and some water. Mix it all together, its like a filling chocolate pudding but without much sugar and with some fibre and protein to fill you up.
    -one banana, cut into slices and add a tbsp cocoa powder to coat it. sweet and decadent.
    -frozen cherries or blueberries mixed with a tbsp of cocoa powder and/or pb2 is delicious.
    -try looking up recipes for "black bean brownies" or "chickpea banana cookies". Filling and desserty.

    @youngcaseyr oatporn? haha that's hilarious. I don't have instagram but maybe pinterest has a similar tag.

  • quiksylver296
    quiksylver296 Posts: 28,439 Member
    Plain greek yogurt mixed with Quest Salted Caramel protein powder and frozen berries.
  • jgnatca
    jgnatca Posts: 14,464 Member
    Desserts made with artificial sweeteners.

    I suggest you tackle the going for seconds first. If you eat your meals more slowly you can double the pleasure for half the calories.

    My plan at buffets these days is to pick one dessert and a few fruit. I really do not need to try every square on the menu.

    Sweet fluffy desserts that are higher in protein include angel food cake, pavlova, and meringues.
  • abbynormalartist
    abbynormalartist Posts: 318 Member
    Trutein protein (chocolate peanut butter cup) with just a few tablespoons of milk mixed in tastes like pudding. I think it's a 140 calories. Also, fruit on cottage cheese tastes a lot like cheese cake. A few companies make individual sized cups (like fruit on the bottom yogurt) that have fruit topping in with the cottage cheese and they're about 100 calories.
  • Blitzia
    Blitzia Posts: 205 Member
    I think healthy is subjective, so here are my low calorie dessert recommendations, which may or may not be considered healthy:

    1. Protein cheesecake - there's a recipe in the recipes thread of this website. Depending on your mix-in choices, it's ~100 calories per slice and full of protein.
    2. Halo Top ice cream - the whole pint is 360 calories or less (I usually eat half a pint and feel satisfied.) The macros are pretty good in my opinion - low sugar but it has protein and some fiber.
    3. Waffles (I like them with a little sprinkle of cinnamon and a bit of cool whip.) A lot of frozen waffle brands are 70 calories each. I've been eating the low fat eggo nutragrain ones, but when I finish those I bought a box of Kashi multigrain ones that are still 70 calories each but have more fiber.
    4. Sugar free pudding - only 60 calories each. They don't have a lot of nutritional value, but they do have some calcium if that's appealing.
    5. Greek yogurt as others have said - my favorite brand os Dannon Light and Fit. They have 80 calories and 12g of protein.
    6. Yasso frozen Greek yogurt bars - these are tastier than a cup of Greek yogurt (they have a lot of flavors and mixins like cookie dough or cookies and cream) but they are 100 calories and only 5g of protein.

    If you like baking, there are a lot of websites like skinnytaste with low calorie and semi healthy dessert recipes.
  • OhMsDiva
    OhMsDiva Posts: 1,073 Member
    Sharon_C wrote: »
    Chocolate rice cake with cookie butter. I'm addicted. 150 calories if you only use 1 tbsp of cookie butter.

    What is cookie butter?
  • OhMsDiva
    OhMsDiva Posts: 1,073 Member
    Sooooo many oatmeal recipes. My sweet toot is ALL of my teeth and I prefer breakfast foods because they tend to be sweeter, so I eat oats eeeeeeveryday. I add different things to them to change it up, like strawberries, carrots, pumpkin, banana, Apple, cocoa powder and peanut butter... Look up oatporn on instagram and you will not be disappointed! Also, try the egg and banana pancakes, if you haven't yet. Just mix 2 eggs and one banana and cook them on a griddle like pancakes. They usually come out a little thin and aren't as fluffy as regular pancakes, but I plan to experiment with adding oat flour/ finely blended oats to see how they come out. But they're pretty awesome. Also, check out www.chocolatecoveredkatie.com for her amazing healthier dessert recipes

    I saw a recipe for carrot cake overnight oats last night and I thought I definitely will have to try that for dessert. It sounded yummy.
  • heavensshadow
    heavensshadow Posts: 264 Member
    edited May 2017
    OhMsDiva wrote: »
    Sharon_C wrote: »
    Chocolate rice cake with cookie butter. I'm addicted. 150 calories if you only use 1 tbsp of cookie butter.

    What is cookie butter?

    Omg, it's amazing. You can get it all over the place - Aldi's, Walmart, Trader Joe's, etc. I usually see it marketed as Speculoos or Biscoff cookie butter. I always describe it as: If you smooshed up teddy grahams and turned them into frosting, that would be cookie butter. It's literally made up of crushed cookies.
    It's pretty versatile too - use it to top bread or fruit, or bake it into goodies.

    http://www.traderjoes.com/fearless-flyer/article/561
  • kayeroze
    kayeroze Posts: 146 Member
    I tend to like finishing my meals with something sweet.

    Breakfast - coffee with 2 tbs of almond milk creamer

    Lunch - apple or pear, 2 oz of noosa yogurt + 2 oz plain Greek yogurt, chobani yogurt mix, mini candy bar

    Dinner - flavored drink of some sort, a few spoonfuls of enlightened ice cream, muscle milk 100 cal shake
  • ndj1979
    ndj1979 Posts: 29,136 Member
    Macros and micros first, then fill in with calories remaining.
  • onward1
    onward1 Posts: 386 Member
    Blitzia wrote: »
    I think healthy is subjective, so here are my low calorie dessert recommendations, which may or may not be considered healthy:

    1. Protein cheesecake - there's a recipe in the recipes thread of this website. Depending on your mix-in choices, it's ~100 calories per slice and full of protein.
    2. Halo Top ice cream - the whole pint is 360 calories or less (I usually eat half a pint and feel satisfied.) The macros are pretty good in my opinion - low sugar but it has protein and some fiber.

    This^. Seriously check out the protein cheesecake recipe thread. And then always have some in your freezer. And the Halo ice cream. The whole pint of chocolate is around 240 calories. Very satisfying and even though I tried to eat the whole pint in one sitting I couldn't.
  • VlpW
    VlpW Posts: 53 Member
    edited May 2017
    This little gem of a fudgy brownie has saved my diet (it's only 50 calories if you sub splenda or stevia for the sugar)!
    http://brooklynfarmgirl.com/2013/08/23/100-calorie-single-serving-brownie/
    Sometimes I put in a few chocolate or caramel chips or some dried coconut or walnuts. Sometimes I put a tablespoon of canned frosting on top. You can also use PB2 instead of the cocoa. It is the first thing I log for the day because I have to have one for my bedtime snack!
  • Amys712
    Amys712 Posts: 86 Member
    I have the same struggle. Here are a couple of my favorite healthy sweet indulgences.

    1. Plain non-fat Greek yogurt, cinnamon, and truvia. Eat with a couple bananas.
    2. Avocado chocolate. Stick two avocados, 2 tbsp unsweetened cocoa powder, truvia to taste, and a dash of vanilla in a food processor. Blend until smooth. It comes out like chocolate mousse! Use ripe avocados!
    3. Banana ice cream. Freeze two peeled bananas. Put them in a food processor with 2 tbsp cocoa powder, 1 tbsp peanut butter, and (if needed) a dash of truvia to taste. Blend until smooth. The texture is similar to soft serve ice cream.
  • shandy82165
    shandy82165 Posts: 184 Member
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    These work for me when i'm low on calories. They taste like Honey Smacks Cereal in a crunchy stick form.
  • kezy73
    kezy73 Posts: 19 Member
    Sooooo many oatmeal recipes. My sweet toot is ALL of my teeth and I prefer breakfast foods because they tend to be sweeter, so I eat oats eeeeeeveryday. I add different things to them to change it up, like strawberries, carrots, pumpkin, banana, Apple, cocoa powder and peanut butter... Look up oatporn on instagram and you will not be disappointed! Also, try the egg and banana pancakes, if you haven't yet. Just mix 2 eggs and one banana and cook them on a griddle like pancakes. They usually come out a little thin and aren't as fluffy as regular pancakes, but I plan to experiment with adding oat flour/ finely blended oats to see how they come out. But they're pretty awesome. Also, check out www.chocolatecoveredkatie.com for her amazing healthier dessert recipes

  • kezy73
    kezy73 Posts: 19 Member
    Oat pancakes is my winner 40gfilk2x5tuqe.jpg
    40 g oats one fat free any flavour sweetener , one egg mixed and fry yummy