I've tried a couple "healthy" dessert recipes lately. You know, where you substitute the awesomeness that makes the dessert awesome for something weird and it's not supposed to taste any different.
But I haven't had very good luck.
First I tried that "chocolate chip cookie dough dip" that's been going around the web - the kind you make with chickpeas. "Wow, chocolate chip cookie dough flavored hummus?" I thought to myself. "Let's do this!" I was especially excited since cookie dough has been off limits for me as resident pregnant lady these past 7 months or so, and I pictured myself eating this healthy option with a spoon all day.
But no, no. Maybe I made it wrong but I'm pretty sure I didn't make it wrong and it turns out that there is no way that chickpeas will ever taste like cookie dough.
Oh well. Moving on.
So then, recently I heard that if you take a brownie mix and substitute a can of pumpkin for the oil, water and egg that it's amazing and way healthier. So of course I tried it.
And it tastes bad. And not good. I was so sad to have wasted a perfectly good brownie mix. I had to buy a new one immediately.
Maybe my sweet tooth is too picky? I'm not sure. But I'm pretty sure I just need the real stuff.
Case in point - it's quite possible that I ate an entire container of mini cinnamon rolls from Target today. Which I'm not sure but pretty positive were not healthy at all.
What?
I won't confirm or deny it. Although the hubs is going to be preeetty surprised when he gets home tonight and finds no miniature cinnamon rolls.
PS. People, don't worry. Of course I eat lots of healthy things. But I guess not healthy desserts because I just can't be fooled.
I think the key when it comes to healthy desserts -- or healthy anything really -- is to not think of things as substitutes but as their own thing. So Brownies Made With Pumpkin Instead of Oil become Pumpkin Brownies. Toss in a little cinnamon, and you've got something potentially pretty delicious. Another example: Mashed Cauliflower. There is no substitute for Mashed Potatoes. But when you're not comparing and appreciating it on its own merits, Mashed Cauliflower is pretty good, too.
ReplyDeleteThat being said, I'm not sure there's a way to frame Chocolate Chip Hummus so that it doesn't sound kind of terrible.
Also, for what it's worth, one of my favorite healthy desserts is roasted fruit of any kind with a scoop of frozen Greek yogurt (available at a lot of grocery stores nowadays). Good luck!
You're right, I was definitely thinking of these as substitutes instead of as their own thing! Next time I'll try and separate the two in my mind! :)
DeleteAnd I haven't tried FROZEN greek yogurt - yum!!! I'll have to look out for it!