5 Easy, Diet-Friendly Dessert Ideas
You can have your cake and eat it, too -- and still fit into your pants. Hungry Girl is here to show you how...
Sweet Shells
Mini fillo shells are hidden gems in the freezer aisle. They aren't desserts on their own, but they're the perfect vehicles for miniature guilt-free treats. Just bake 'em according to the package instructions and then fill them with delicious, dessert-inspired goodies. Or fill them first, and THEN bake (depending on the recipe). Craving apple pie? It's all about chopped apple, cinnamon, and fat-free or light caramel dip. Need a chocolate fix? Chop up your favorite candy bar and put a tiny piece in each shell before baking -- then let it melt in the oven. Or add a dollop of sugar-free chocolate pudding and a small berry -- fancy! These flaky shells are perfect for party platters, and no one has to know they're a smart choice (about 15 calories each).
More from Hungry Girl:Bite-sized treats made with mini fillo shells!
Two-Ingredient Cakes
Forget about the eggs, oil, and whatever else your box of cake mix calls for. We've got some much better options, and all you have to do is mix the two ingredients and bake at 350 degrees until your cake reaches the right consistency. No-sugar-added applesauce is a classic mixer and goes well with yellow cake mix. But our favorite mix-in is canned pure pumpkin. It's loaded with fiber (about 4 grams per 1/2 cup) and has just 40 calories per serving and practically no fat. Just don't confuse it with pumpkin pie filling/mix. They may look similar, but the pie filling has more than twice the calories and over three times as much sugar as the pure stuff. Canned pumpkin goes especially well with devil's food cake mix (so chocolatey!) and spice cake. Other awesome cake mixers to experiment with? Fat-free liquid egg substitute, fat-free Greek yogurt, and diet soda (any variety). Just don't use them all at once!
More from Hungry Girl:Get the specifics on two-ingredient cakes!
VitaTop Freezy Sandwiches
We LOVE Vitalicious VitaTops -- they're 100-calorie-or-less frozen muffin tops that come in tons of flavors and are loaded with fiber. They're also low in fat, all-natural, and super-delicious! One of our favorite ways to eat them is to slice a chocolate-flavored VitaTop in half (like you would slice a bagel), spoon some fat-free whipped topping on top of one piece, and top it with the other Vita half. Then freeze your treat until the filling is solid. Tada! It tastes just like an ice cream sandwich. VitaTops can be found at select markets in the frozen-foods aisle. If you can't find 'em, they're worth ordering online.
More from Hungry Girl:Freezy-Good Whoopie S'mores!
Hot Cocoa with a Twist
Say it's late at night when a chocolate craving hits. You really don't want to eat more food, but that craving will nag at you all night long if you don't squash it. That's when you turn to hot cocoa packets with 20 to 25 calories each. We especially love Swiss Miss Diet and Nestlé Fat Free. Ignore the 6-ounce cup suggestion and add a little more water (we like a tall mug) and a delicious flavor booster. Some of our favorites? Light chocolate syrup (for extra chocolatey flavor), mini marshmallows, and sugar-free/calorie-free flavored syrups (like the kind by Torani). Sweet dreams!
More from Hungry Girl:Peppermint Hot Cocoa!
Pudding Power
While you're better off eating chocolate-covered fruit than chocolate truffles, there's an even better option. Sugar-free pudding snacks! Dunk strawberries into a cup of sugar-free chocolate pudding. Plunge peach slices into vanilla pudding (with a dash of cinnamon). And caramel-flavored pudding was made for apple slices. (Okay, so we can't actually confirm that fact, but the pairing is perfect!) Look for sugar-free pudding snacks with 60 calories or less, like the ones by Jell-O and Snack Pack.
More from Hungry Girl:Bananas Foster Puddin' Parfait!
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