It's true, I can hardly go a day without dessert! It's the best part of my evening, I just have a HUGE sweet tooth!
I love a good sweet treat. For me, it's comforting and a great way to wind down in the evening. I usually don't get a huge itch for sugar during the day, but as soon as it gets dark out, I start thinking about all things rich, sweet, and decadent! I'm a big fan of just listening to your body; never ignore your cravings. I've tried skipping dessert when I know I really want it and for me it never works. I just love a little something sweet at the end of the day and simply couldn't imagine not having an after dinner treat!
But at the same time, it's important to me to make sure that I'm choosing sweet treats that won't wreak havoc on my energy levels or cause me a nasty stomach ache. I work out in the morning so whatever I eat the night before is the primary source of fuel for my workout. Knowing how I feel the morning after eating something rich and heavy, I prefer to cure my evening case of munchies with something other than a sugar laden tub of ice cream or a whole candy bar. As much as I love a good indulgence here and there, I know that eating foods like these too often will have me feeling yucky in no time.
I've spent a lot of time roaming up and down the candy isles and even more time whipping up homemade goodies. I know what I like and there are some treats I find myself coming back to time and time again, so today I'm sharing some of them with you! They're all my current favorites; some of them you can make, others you can buy, but all of them are guaranteed to leave your sweet tooth content and satisfied!
I want to start off by giving you a few options you can buy from your local grocery store.
I love the convenience of being able to snag something on a shopping trip to save as a little treat for later. Sometimes we don't always have time to prepare something, other times you just simply don't feel like making ANOTHER dish! Either way, here are three sweet treats you can buy from the store!
Low Calorie Ice Cream
I have a serious issue with portion control. When it comes to ice cream, I won't hesitate to down an entire pint in one sitting. While I think it's great to indulge every now and then, I find that eating a whole pint of Ben & Jerry's every night kind of slows a girl down. But the best part about these ice creams is that they are light on the stomach! Although all aren't exactly dairy free, they are all made with wholesome ingredients and I find that with a Lactaid, rarely upset my stomach! Since these pints are lower in calories and made with quality ingredients, you can devour a whole pint before bed without an intense sugar rush or feeling too weighed down. Some of my favorite brands are Arctic Zero, Chillycow, Enlightened, and Chloe's Pops!
Trader Joe's Chocolate Batons
I talked about these on my Trader Joe's Favorites post, they're simply heaven! I am a dark chocolate addict, I guess I take after my parents! When I was in high school, we used to all have a few squares of chocolate at night before going to bed. Now here I am, 2 years on my own and still craving a sweet treat every night! When I need my chocolate fix, these are the go-to. The batons are portioned out to be the perfect amount of chocolate to satisfy my sweet tooth!
Every now and then, I like to stir them into a hot cup of cashew milk to make a rich dark cup of hot cocoa! Usually I'll use the raspberry for this but I'll bet the espresso chocolate baton would be delightful too!
Sugar Free Jello and Whipped Cream
This sweet treat is one I eat at least once a week, if not more! An easy, light dessert that won't sit heavy on the stomach! This is one of my favorites and if you're looking for a tasty treat that's lower in calories, this one definitely fits the bill. I've been experimenting around with adding in fruit and it's totally changed the game. So far, I've loved the combination of orange jello and mandarin oranges! With a dollop of whipped cream on top, the flavor is just pure magic. It's a classic pair and I just can't get enough!
Now if you do have a bit more time on your hands and feel like spending it in the kitchen, these recipes are surely for you! They're easy, shouldn't take you more than ten minutes to prepare. Although the ultimate challenge is going to be keeping yourself from polishing them off in half that time!
Apple Nachos
I went through this whole phase back in March where I was eating apples practically every night after dinner. It was kind of like a flashback to childhood; I loved a good ol' plate of apples and peanut butter! But now that I'm [kind of] an adult now, I add a few other topping to the combo! Usually I pair a sliced apple with a little bit of almond butter mixed with powdered peanut butter, some sugar free Hershey's chocolate syrup, and occasionally a little sprinkle of dark brown sugar. I love it because it's a late night snack that isn't high in artificial sugar and is satiating due to the fiber content of apples!
Copycat McDonald's Shamrock Shake
Right after I graduated from high school, I created this copycat Shamrock Shake recipe. Since then, it's been a solid staple in my life. It's not necessarily an ice cream shake, it's more so an extra creamy protein smoothie. Either way, it's not made up of loads of sugar and won't leave you wide awake before bed! It's minty, smooth, and so chocolatey. If you're a mint chocolate chip person, then this 'Shamrock Shake' is the treat for you!
In a high powered blender combine:
2 handfuls of spinach (optional*)
2 cups of steamed/frozen zucchini
1 small frozen banana
1/4 cup of avocado
2 tbsp of Hershey's sugar free chocolate syrup
2 tbsp of sugar free chocolate fudge pudding mix
1 scoop of chocolate protein powder
1 tsp of mint extract
1 1/2 cups of almond milk
*The spinach won't make or break the recipe, it just adds a lovely green color to really create that 'Shamrock Shake' look! Spinach also adds a little punch of micronutrients. If you have it on hand, I highly recommend adding it in!
It's nice to end the day with dessert! With options like these, you don't have to worry about going to bed feeling gross. Like I said, I can hardly go a night without having at least a small dessert and these treats are the best for taming even the wildest sweet tooth!
Let me know which you tried and how you liked them, I love hearing back from you! If anyone else has a favorite nighttime treat, please feel free to share below!
Happy munching, friends!
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