20 Gut-Healthy Desserts to Help You Poop in the A.M.
Photographer: Fred Hardy, Food Stylist: Jennifer Wendorf, Prop Stylist: Shell Royster
Reviewed by Dietitian Jessica Ball, M.S., RD
Make one of these delicious desserts when you’re in the mood for something sweet. These cakes, cookies, pies and more are packed with prebiotic-rich ingredients like fruits, nuts, legumes and whole grains to support healthy bacteria in your gut. Plus, these foods also contribute at least 3 grams of fiber per serving to each dish. This fiber can support a healthy heart and bones and promote regular bowel movements to help you stay feeling your best. Recipes like our Banana-Bran Muffins and Lemon-Blueberry Cheesecake Chia Pudding are so good, you’ll want to make them again and again.
Baked Cinnamon Apple Slices
These baked cinnamon apple slices have just the right level of tenderness and bite and a gooey apple caramel that forms at the bottom of the pan. Enjoy this healthy dessert spooned over ice cream, with biscuits or served over yogurt—the options with these are endless!
Banana-Bran Muffins
Diana Chistruga
By the end of the week, any bananas left in the fruit bowl are past their prime—just right for these moist bran muffins. Add a handful of dark chocolate chips to enhance this fiber-rich treat.
Almond Flour Cake
Photographer: Jen Causey, Food Stylist: Ali Ramee
This light and fluffy almond flour cake is flavored simply with almond extract and orange zest. Whipped egg whites give this gluten-free cake a light texture.
2-Ingredient Peanut Butter Banana Ice Cream
Whir up frozen bananas into an “ice cream” without the cream! Peanut butter adds a natural swirl of flavor for a sweet and satisfying dessert with no added sugar.
Lemon-Blueberry Cheesecake Chia Pudding
Photographer: Fred Hardy, Food Stylist: Jennifer Wendorf, Prop Stylist: Shell Royster
The sour-sweet combo of lemon and blueberry is balanced out by the creamy dairy in this cheesecake chia pudding. Graham cracker crumbles replicate the crust of a cheesecake, while chia seeds offer fiber and omega-3 fats. Portion it out into mason jars or another portable container with a secure lid, and you can bring this easy make-ahead dessert on the go.
Peanut Butter & Chocolate Chickpea Blondies
Chickpea blondies? Hear us out! Not only do these legume-based treats have a delightful fudgy texture, they have twice as much fiber and three times as much protein as a blondie made with flour.
Diabetes-Friendly Carrot Cake
With this luscious take on an all-time favorite, you can fit this low-added sugar cake into your eating pattern.
No-Sugar-Added Vegan Oatmeal Cookies
Soft, chewy and no added sugar! Sweeten these classic oatmeal cookies with ripe bananas and raisins or dates. Plus, a touch of nut butter adds lots of flavor and holds the cookies together while keeping them vegan and gluten-free.
Apple Crumble with Oats
Leaving the skins on the apples provides fiber and vitamins, so this diabetic-friendly dessert is not only good tasting but also good for you.
No-Bake Vegan Date Brownies
Sweetened with dates, these whole-grain bars provide energy and protein, thanks to nut butter. With just 5 ingredients you probably already have in your pantry, you can make these delicious, chewy brownies with no added sugar. Whip up a batch as a healthy dessert or for grab-and-go energy bars for a healthy snack.
No-Sugar-Added Oatmeal Cookies
Classic oatmeal cookies without all the sugar, these better-for-you gluten-free treats get their sweetness from ripe bananas and chopped dates.
Healthy Peach Cobbler
A healthy peach cobbler is an old-fashioned, crowd-pleasing dessert that showcases summer's sweet produce. Use fresh peaches when they are in season. The rest of the year, you can use frozen peaches for a quick and easy homemade dessert.
Chocolate Raspberry Tofu Pie
This chocolate raspberry tofu pie gets an amazing smooth, rich, creamy texture from pureed tofu. But no need to reveal that tofu is the secret ingredient--we're sure no one will guess.
Oatmeal Cookie Fruit Pizza
This classic fruit pizza recipe starts with a giant oatmeal cookie that's topped with a cream cheese-yogurt sauce plus berry and kiwi slices for a fun, colorful dessert pizza. The crowd-pleasing lightened-up dessert will be the first to go at your next potluck or barbecue.
Crispy Smashed Apples with Cinnamon Sugar
Toasted pecans, brown sugar and cinnamon combine in a crunchy, nutty topping for these apples. Smashing the fruit helps create a crispy edge. Serve these apples warm with a scoop of vanilla ice cream.
Chocolate-Peanut Butter Protein Ice Cream
Photographer: Jen Causey, Food Stylist: Ruth Blackburn
Chocolate protein powder adds staying power to this tasty protein ice cream. Maple syrup lends a touch of sweetness, while peanut butter powder provides nuttiness for a flavorful sweet treat. Toppings like cacao nibs and crushed peanuts provide a satisfying crunch.
Vegan Peanut Butter Cookies
Photographer: Jacob Fox, Food stylist: Holly Dreesman, Prop stylist: Joseph Wanek
These tender and sweet vegan peanut butter cookies are as simple as it gets. Crunchy peanut butter adds texture, but smooth peanut butter will work well too. These harden as they cool, so wait for them to cool completely before eating. For a different take, try adding 1/2 cup vegan chocolate chips or toasted coconut to the batter when you stir in the peanut butter and maple syrup.
"Old-Fashioned" Cherry & Blueberry Galette
This rustic galette has flavors that are reminiscent of an Old-Fashioned cocktail. To really amp up the connection, you can top it with a dollop of bourbon-spiked sweetened whipped cream. Note: We did try this with thawed frozen cherries but even after draining them at multiple points in the recipe, they still exuded a lot of liquid—it's best made with fresh.
Warm Chocolate Pudding
This warm pudding has a marvelous deep chocolaty flavor, but it's low in fat and super-quick to make. Don't skimp on the quality of cocoa with this one--treat yourself to the good stuff.
Drunken Prunes
The oaky taste of Armagnac, a French brandy made in Gascony, has long been paired with prunes. While Armagnac is available in vintage bottlings, nothing so extravagant is needed for this recipe. Use waterproof markers to decorate the outside of glass jars with flowers, abstract designs or a favorite line from a poem.
Read the original article on Eating Well.
