As the summer season approaches, the craving for cold desserts like ice cream, kulfi, and falooda increases. While it is okay to indulge in mouth-melting kulfi to satisfy your sweet tooth, how healthy is giving in to your cravings on a regular basis? But you might wonder if some healthy alternatives for the summer desserts even exist or not.
Well, the good news is a big yes. You don’t have to give up on the idea of frozen desserts to beat the heat. To bring you some low-carb summer recipes, Slurrp interviewed Abhilasha Sharma, who is a practising nutritionist and lifestyle coach. To stay healthy and enjoy desserts, Abhilasha has shared some alternatives that you can try this summer.
Frozen Yoghurt
Incorporating yoghurt in your desserts is a great way to make them healthy. Abhilasha says, “Yoghurt is rich in protein and being a probiotic, it will also aid digestion.” So, you can make summer-special desserts like parfaits with all the layers that you love. You can also make frozen yoghurts with different seasonal fruits like mangoes, cherries, and litchis that will make the dessert naturally sweet and also add some seeds for additional nutrition.
Banana Ice Cream
The nutritionist suggests, “Going overboard on ice creams in the summer is a concern for everyone whenever the temperature rises. But you can make a healthy serving of ice cream using the fruit banana. Instead of using processed sugar, you can add dates and figs to make the ice cream naturally sweet. Also, if you’re eating ice cream once in a while, ensure that the brand is using milk and is not made with processed oil. In this case, even if the ice cream has the same calories, the less processing will make it healthier.”
Chocolate Chia Pudding
Everyone loves to have the flavour of chocolate every once in a while. If you are a fan of chocolate-based desserts but don’t want to have the guilt that follows after every indulgence, you should try making chocolate chia pudding. “All you need to do to make the pudding is soak some chia seeds in milk for about ten to fifteen minutes. Then add one spoon of cocoa powder and about twenty grams of dark chocolate, and your pudding will be ready,” shared Abhilasha.
Fruit Popsicles
Fruit popsicles are a great way to have something frozen in the scorching heat of the summer while ensuring that your desserts are healthy. And on top of everything, fruit popsicles are extremely easy to make. You can take any of your favourite fruits like mango, watermelon, melon, litchi, or cherry and blend it to get a puree. Then, you can add some water and a bit of lemon juice to even out the consistency and flavour. Finally, you can pour it into popsicle moulds, freeze, and enjoy.
Fruit Skewer
Abhilasha recommends, “Fruit skewers are too a great frozen dessert option, especially for kids. You can take some sweet fruits like mangoes, melons, watermelons, apples, grapes, etc, and stack them onto a skewer. Then, you can freeze till they are chilled. You can then give the coloured fruits to your kids or enjoy the sweetness without any guilt.”
Chia Coconut Pudding
For people who like to have some tropical flavours during the summer season, chia coconut pudding is a must-try. To make this pudding, you can start by soaking chia seeds till you get a jelly-like consistency. Then, you can mix them in coconut milk ensuring that the seeds are mixed thoroughly. Add chopped mangoes on top of it, and your healthy summer dessert will be ready to savour.
Apple Chocolate Mousse
Apple chocolate mousse is another indulgent dessert that will satisfy your sweet tooth. To make the mousse, you can blend some apples to get a consistent puree. Then, you can add about 20 grams of melted chocolate and mix the ingredients. After mixing, refrigerate the mousse till the chocolate is infused throughout. Lastly, you can add chopped dry fruits and nuts and relish the dessert.