5 Healthy Ways to Use Fruit as a Dessert

August 12, 2012

by Cathe Friedrich

If you have a sweet tooth, it’s far healthier to reach for a piece of fruit than a slice of chocolate cake or a bowl of tiramisu. Fruit has natural sugar, but it comes with natural fiber and antioxidants too. That’s something you won’t get from a bowl of tiramisu. A fresh piece of fruit may be enough to satisfy your sweet tooth, especially if you appreciate the taste of whole foods. On the other hand, there are ways to make fruit taste more like dessert so you can enjoy a guilt-free “sweet treat.” Here are some five healthy ways to transform fruit into the perfect sweet ending to a meal.

Broiled Fruit Kabobs

To add a new taste dimension to fruit, broil it in the oven to bring out its natural sweetness. Simply chop the fruits of your choice into bite-sized pieces and place them onto wooden skewers kabob-style. Pineapple, melons of all types and mango are all good choices. Sprinkle the fruit lightly with brown sugar and broil them for two minutes on each side in the oven. Let them chill for an hour in the refrigerator before serving. You can enjoy them straight off the stick or dip them into Greek yogurt.

Strawberries Infused in Balsamic Vinegar

This simple dessert has only 60 calories per serving and is surprisingly tasty. The balsamic vinegar contrasted with the sweetness of the strawberries makes an intriguing end to a meal. To make this treat, mix balsamic vinegar with a natural sweetener like Stevia. Sprinkle the vinegar/sweetener combination generously over the berries. Let the berries marinate in the vinegar for a few hours at room temperature before serving. Strawberries are a fruit that’s naturally low in sugar with lots of vitamin C, fiber and antioxidants.

Frozen Berries

Looking for a healthier alternative to candy? Put a handful of grapes into a Ziploc bag and place them in the freezer. After freezing for a few hours, you’ll have a frozen treat you can pop into your mouth to cure a sweet tooth – fast. Plus, grapes are a good source of resveratrol, a phytonutrient that’s linked with longevity in animals.

Fruit and Ricotta Parfaits

Ricotta is a soft cheese used to make lasagna. It can also be used to make tasty and healthy desserts. To make a fruit and ricotta parfait, add a half-teaspoon of vanilla extract to a cup of part-skim ricotta cheese along with a little natural sweetener like Stevia. Spoon the sweetened ricotta into a parfait glass, and add the fresh fruit of your choice on top. Add another layer of ricotta cheese followed by another layer of berries to create the ultimate parfait. Ricotta cheese is a good source of protein and calcium. Plus, a one-ounce serving only has around 40 calories, 60% fewer calories than cheddar cheese.

Fruit Puree Popsicles

Puree fresh fruit in a food processor or blender until smooth. Pour the puree into a popsicle mold and freeze until firm. For a different variation, mix fruit puree with Greek yogurt before freezing. If you don’t have a popsicle mold, use an empty paper cup and a wooden popsicle stick as your mold. Simply pour the fruit puree into the cup, and place a piece of aluminum foil on top. Insert the craft stick through the aluminum foil into the puree before freezing to hold the craft stick in place. Enjoy experimenting with different fruit purees. It’s a healthier alternative to store-bought popsicles.

The Bottom Line?

For a dessert that’s lower in calories and rich in antioxidants and fiber, give these fruit dessert ideas a try. It’s guilt-free sweetness that’s actually good for you too.