Dessert often feels like a forbidden fruit, and especially when you’re dieting.
Hell, depending on which “guru” you listen to, even fruit can feel like forbidden fruit.
But let’s dispel with this fiction that you can’t eat foods you like, including desserts, and have the body you want.
On the contrary, doing exactly that can even help with your dieting by preventing binges and other flame outs (flexible dieting FTW).
That said, if your favorite way to satisfy your sweet tooth is reaching for a pint of ice cream or polishing off a bag of cookies, you’re always going to struggle with your weight.
It’s just too many calories and too little nutrition.
That’s why quick and “light” dessert recipes like these are great. They taste delicious, they’re easy to make, and some can even be whipped up in less than 5 minutes.
Enjoy!
Picture courtesy of The Big Man’s World
Skip the candy bars in the checkout aisle, and make these Butterfinger bites when you get home from the store. You’ll only need three things to make them, and since they have to chill in the fridge for a half hour, you won’t be tempted to snack before dinner.
The original recipe uses Dollop frosting, which contains all-natural ingredients and has half the sugar of regular varieties. But any kind or flavor will work, if you can’t get ahold of Dollop before a candy craving strikes.
Serves 16
Ingredients
1/2 cup Dollop all-natural frosting, room temp.
1/2 cup smooth peanut butter, melted
1 1/2 cups bread crumbs
Cocoa powder, for rolling (optional)
Nutrition Facts (Per Serving)
Calories: 127
Protein: 3 grams
Carbs: 12 grams
Fat: 8 grams
Picture courtesy of Veg Recipes of India
This simple Indian dessert can be made with almost any kind of fruit, from mangos and peaches to apples and pears. Like many Indian sweets, this uses jaggery instead of sugar.
Although both are derived from sugar cane, they have a slightly different flavor. Both will work in this recipe, but it’s good to know that jaggery is less processed, retaining more micronutrients.
Serves 2
Ingredients
2 medium bananas, chopped
2 Tbsp. jaggery (or brown sugar), powdered or grated
1/2 cup full-fat coconut milk
1/4 tsp. ground cardamom
Nutrition Facts (Per Serving)
Calories: 292
Protein: 3 grams
Carbs: 42 grams
Fat: 15 grams
Picture courtesy of Fit Foodie Finds
These taste like gingerbread cake bites, but the main ingredient is actually almonds. Serve them up as a quick, healthy holiday treat, and they’ll disappear before anyone stops to realize they’re not really a baked good at all.
The gingerbread bites can be quickly stirred together and rolled in powdered sugar – dessert doesn’t get easier than that. And to top it off, these keep well in the freezer.
Serves 16
Ingredients
2 1/2 cups almond meal
1 Tbsp. cake spice (or pumpkin pie spice)
1 tsp. ground cinnamon
1/4 tsp. ground ginger
1 Tbsp. molasses
1/4 cup pumpkin puree
2 Tbsp. brown rice syrup
1/2 cup powdered sugar
Nutrition Facts (Per Serving)
Calories: 114
Protein: 3 grams
Carbs: 11 grams
Fat: 7 grams
Picture courtesy of Well Floured
With frozen fruit, you can make any number of easy single-serving desserts. Just one frozen banana or cup of berries can be blended into a quick ice cream alternative.
Add Greek yogurt to the mix, and it’ll be extra thick and creamy. To save about 50 calories and 15 grams of sugar, replace the maple syrup with liquid stevia.
Serves 1
Ingredients
1 cup frozen raspberries
1/2 cup nonfat plain Greek yogurt
1 Tbsp. pure maple syrup (or honey)
Nutrition Facts (Per Serving)
Calories: 375
Protein: 13 grams
Carbs: 83 grams
Fat: < 1 gram
Picture courtesy of Desserts with Benefits
Talk about a quick Italian dessert – this one comes together in just 10 minutes. And you only need a handful of ingredients to make it, so this cannoli dip is great for last-minute parties.
It’s good with chocolate chips on top, and then you can grab a bite with or without them. Serve with pretzel sticks, graham crackers, or fresh fruit.
Serves 8
Ingredients
1 container (16 oz.) non-fat ricotta
2 Tbsp. unsweetened vanilla almond milk
1 tsp. vanilla paste (or vanilla extract to taste)
3/4 tsp. stevia extract
1/2 tsp. butter flavor
Nutrition Facts (Per Serving)
Calories: 35
Protein: 6 grams
Carbs: 2 grams
Fat: 0 grams
Picture courtesy of Cotter Crunch
These homemade granola bars look ready for a bake sale, but they’re vegan snacks made with nutrition in mind. And they couldn’t be easier to make because the batter is mostly prepared in a blender.
Oats, chia seeds, and apricots are combined first. Then the chickpeas get pulsed into pieces, and all the ingredients get folded together before these bars go in the oven.
Serves 9
Ingredients
1 can (15 oz.) chickpeas, drained and rinsed
1/2 cup rolled oats
1/3 cup dried apricots (about 8)
1/3 cup dried cherries
2 Tbsp. chia seeds
1/4 cup pure maple syrup (or honey)
1 tsp. vanilla extract
2/3 cup unsweetened almond milk (or coconut milk)
Dash of sea salt
Ground cinnamon to taste
Nutrition Facts (Per Serving)
Calories: 117
Protein: 3 grams
Carbs: 22 grams
Fat: 2 grams
Picture courtesy of The Endless Meal
To make a silky, thick, and decadent chocolate pudding, this recipe uses tofu in place of heavy cream. A blender is the main kitchen tool you need for this dessert – how easy is that?
Simply melt the chocolate to start. To ensure the chocolate doesn’t burn, make a double boiler by fitting a glass or metal bowl over a narrow saucepan of boiling water. The heat of the steam will melt chocolate at a controlled temperature. That or you can just use a microwave.
Serves 4
Ingredients
4 oz. (about 1 cup) 72% dark chocolate, shaved
1 1/2 Tbsp. granulated sugar
1/4 tsp. espresso powder
1/4 tsp. sea salt
1 cup (8 oz.) silken tofu
1 Tbsp. water
Nutrition Facts (Per Serving)
Calories: 190
Protein: 6 grams
Carbs: 20 grams
Fat: 13 grams
Picture courtesy of Running with Spoons
Mug cakes are an easy dessert that you can make anytime a craving hits, but most of them have the macros of a big slice of cake.
This one swaps out the white flour for sweet potato and coconut, and there’s almond butter instead of oil. That’ll give you half the calories of a regular chocolate mug cake with more nutrients.
Serves 1
Ingredients
1 Tbsp. coconut flour
2 Tbsp. unsweetened cocoa powder
1/4 tsp. baking powder
3 Tbsp. unsweetened almond milk
1/4 cup mashed sweet potato
1/2 Tbsp. almond butter (or nut butter of choice)
2 tsp. coconut sugar
1/2 tsp. vanilla extract
Nutrition Facts (Per Serving)
Calories: 207
Protein: 7 grams
Carbs: 37 grams
Fat: 8 grams
Picture courtesy of Chocolate-Covered Katie
Dark chocolate has a lot of health benefits, so it’s not a problem to indulge in a small amount here and there. Candy becomes an issue when there’s too much added fat, sugar, and artificial flavors.
Make sure you’re feeding your inner chocoholic well with these homemade truffles. You can enjoy them anytime because assembly takes just five minutes and two ingredients. To use unsweetened chocolate, mix in vanilla stevia drops to taste.
Serves 12
Ingredients
1/2 cup (about 3 oz.) semisweet chocolate chips
3 Tbsp. lite coconut milk (or milk of choice)
Pinch of salt
Nutrition Facts (Per Serving)
Calories: 37
Protein: 1 gram
Carbs: 5 grams
Fat: 2 grams
Picture courtesy of The Paleo Mama
Craving pumpkin pie, but don’t want to tempt yourself with a full-size dessert? Not only does this recipe make a mini pie in two minutes flat – no baking skills required – but you’ll also put a cap on how much you can eat.
To make this even easier, enjoy a filling-only version and leave out the crust. Then the entire pie is only 120 calories with half the fat.
Serves 2
Ingredients
Filling:
1/2 cup pumpkin puree
1 large egg
1/4 tsp. granulated stevia (or 2 Tbsp. honey)
1 tsp. pumpkin pie spice
Crust:
1 Tbsp. butter
1 Tbsp. shredded coconut
1 Tbsp. almond flour
Nutrition Facts (Per Serving)
Calories: 142
Protein: 4 grams
Carbs: 7 grams
Fat: 11 grams
Picture courtesy of Our Four Forks
These mini pies take an easy banana dessert to the next level. The assembly requires some time, but every layer is simple to make.
And since you’ll only need about half the batch of coconut whipped cream, if that, you can save the rest for a delicious topping. Or just it to make a quick chocolate mousse – just mix in cocoa powder and sweetener to taste.
Serves 8
Ingredients
Crust:
1/2 cup raw walnuts
1/2 cup pitted Medjool dates
Pinch of salt
Banana “Ice Cream”:
3 bananas, sliced and frozen
1 tsp. vanilla extract
Pinch of salt
Chocolate:
6 oz. dark chocolate
Coconut Whipped Cream:
1 can (15 oz.) full-fat coconut milk, refrigerated overnight
2 tsp. pure maple syrup (or stevia to taste)
Nutrition Facts (Per Serving)
Calories: 278
Protein: 5 grams
Carbs: 29 grams
Fat: 17 grams
Picture courtesy of I Breathe I’m Hungry
Upgrade a simple fruit salad with an easy dessert that’s also diet-friendly. Meringue is made with egg whites, so it’s an ideal base for a healthy treat. And it’s not hard to make a low-sugar version with a low-calorie sweetener like stevia. Wholesome meringue can be made into cookies, pies, and a topping for desserts like this berry salad.
Serves 6
Ingredients
Berry Salad:
1 cup strawberries
1 cup raspberries
1 cup blueberries
2 Tbsp. granulated stevia (or honey)
Meringue:
5 egg whites
2 Tbsp. granulated stevia (or honey)
1/2 tsp. xanthan gum (optional)
2 tsp. granulated sugar
Nutrition Facts (Per Serving)
Calories: 47
Protein: 4 grams
Net Carbs: 6 grams
Fat: 0 grams
Picture courtesy of Marlene Koch
When you start with premade pie crust, it’s easy to fill it with fresh fruit for a fast dessert. Frozen blueberries will work with this recipe too, but know they’ll break down, making the filling kind of like blueberry jam.
Find more healthy recipes like this in Eat What You Love: Great Recipes Low in Sugar, Fat, and Calories by Marlene Koch, which also has savory dishes, a quick lemon pie, and no-bake desserts like Nutella mousse.
Serves 8
Ingredients
7.5 oz. (1/2 package) refrigerated pie crust
1 cup frozen blueberries
2 Tbsp. cornstarch
2 Tbsp. lemon juice
6 Tbsp. granulated erythritol (or sweetener of choice)
2 Tbsp. granulated sugar
1/2 tsp. lemon zest
3 cups fresh blueberries
Nutrition Facts (Per Serving)
Calories: 168
Protein: 2 grams
Net Carbs: 28 grams
Fat: 7 grams
Picture courtesy of Slim Sanity
Can’t give up the candy bars on cheat day? Make one at home, and you can indulge without any guilt.
Along with dark chocolate, this candy also has peanut butter for added nutrition and unbeatable flavor. And unlike packaged Crunch Bars, these include coconut oil, so you’re getting two kinds of good-for-you saturated fats.
Serves 12
Ingredients
1/4 cup dark chocolate chips (or 1 oz. chopped chocolate)
1/2 cup coconut oil
1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
2 Tbsp. natural peanut butter (or almond butter)
1 cup puffed brown rice cereal
Nutrition Facts (Per Serving)
Calories: 116
Protein: 1 gram
Carbs: 4 grams
Fat: 11 grams
Picture courtesy of Sugar-Free Mom
Making chocolate fudge from scratch usually requires cooking cocoa powder, milk, and a whole lot of sugar in a pot until it thickens.
Not only is this protein fudge sugar-free, but it’s way easier to make than the traditional kind. Mix everything together in a couple steps, spread in a pan, and wait just an hour while it firms up in the fridge.
Serves 24
Ingredients
1/4 cup crunchy peanut butter
1/2 cup coconut oil
1 tsp vanilla extract
5 – 10 drops chocolate stevia
4 scoops WHEY+ chocolate protein isolate
2/3 cup ground flaxseed
1/4 cup unsweetened almond milk
1/4 cup chopped peanuts (optional topping)
Nutrition Facts (Per Serving)
Calories: 89
Protein: 5 grams
Carbs: 2 grams
Fat: 7 grams
Picture courtesy of Skinny Ms.
It’s not hard to make homemade peanut butter cups with chocolate, but it is time consuming. You have to layer melted chocolate, then let it cool, make the peanut butter filling, and then melt chocolate again for the top layer.
This recipe simplifies everything into just one step, two if you want to drizzle chocolate on top. Plus, unlike packaged candies, it includes a whole banana for natural sugars and other nutrients like vitamins C and B6.
Serves 10
Ingredients
1/2 cup natural peanut butter
1 ripe banana, mashed
2 Tbsp. coconut oil, melted
Nutrition Facts (Per Serving)
Calories: 114
Protein: 4 grams
Carbs: 5 grams
Fat: 9 grams
Picture courtesy of Tasting Page
Don’t want to give up rich desserts? Luckily you can use whole avocados to replace heavy cream, butter, and oil in a lot of classic sweets.
They can be baked into cookies and cakes, but for a quick chocolate fix, simply blend avocados into a rich pudding or mousse. Use frozen fruit, and you could also turn this mix into a healthy chocolate milkshake.
Serves 4
Ingredients
2 ripe avocados, cubed
1 banana, cubed
1/4 cup raw cacao powder (or cacao nibs)
1/4 cup unsweetened almond milk
2 Tbsp. pure honey (or agave nectar)
1 tsp. vanilla extract
Nutrition Facts (Per Serving)
Calories: 281
Protein: 3 grams
Carbs: 27 grams
Fat: 21 grams
Picture courtesy of The Bewitchin’ Kitchen
Make a pie from scratch without worrying about the pastry dough. In fact, this apple pie isn’t baked at all. This recipe uses a raw pie crust made from figs and dates – that’s it.
Then just add sliced apples, and use the rest of the fresh and dried fruit for a blended filling. If you prefer your apples less crisp, warm up slices individually before digging in.
Serves 16
Ingredients
1 2/3 cups dried figs
7 1/2 cups pitted dates
10 apples
1 tsp. ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp. pumpkin pie spice
1 vanilla bean, seeds scrapes (or 1 tsp. vanilla extract)
Juice of 1 lemon
Nutrition Facts (Per Serving)
Calories: 334
Protein: 3 grams
Carbs: 88 grams
Fat: 1 gram
Picture courtesy of Protein Pow
Turn a serving of fruit into a serving of protein too with this easy dessert. The result can be lean with regular milk, or make it decadent with full-fat coconut milk or creamy yogurt.
For a strawberry banana version, use a blend of both kinds of fruit, plus a scoop of WHEY+ strawberry banana protein powder.
Serves 2
Ingredients
2 cups frozen strawberries
1 scoop (about 1/4 cup) WHEY+ vanilla protein isolate
1/8 cup milk (more as needed)
Nutrition Facts (Per Serving)
Calories: 112
Protein: 12 grams
Carbs: 15 grams
Fat: 1 gram
Picture courtesy of Amy Green
When you’re craving cookie dough, no other dessert will do. Instead of sneaking some from the bowl, this cookie dough is made to be a real snack.
And since these “cookies” don’t go in the oven, you can swap in healthier ingredients without affecting texture. For more sweet snacks like this, pick up Super Healthy Cookies: 50 Gluten-Free, Dairy-Free Recipes by Hallie Klecker.
Serves 32
Ingredients
1/3 cup unsweetened applesauce
1/4 cup pure honey (or maple syrup)
3 Tbsp. coconut oil, melted
2 Tbsp. ground chia seeds
1 tsp. vanilla extract
1/4 tsp. sea salt
1 cup blanched almond flour
1/3 cup coconut flour
2 Tbsp. coconut sugar
1 oz. unsweetened chocolate, finely chopped
Nutrition Facts (Per Serving)
Calories: 58
Protein: 1 gram
Carbs: 5 grams
Fat: 4 grams
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That means you can say “yes” now and decide later. You really have nothing to lose.
Many companies use shipping and handling fees to increase their profit margins, but here at Legion, we hate profits, so our shipping is free!
Okay, so we do dig on profits, but we also go in for happy customers, and free shipping works like gangbusters. So, if you’re outside the USA, your order ships free when it’s over $199.
Why the restriction on international orders? Unfortunately, shipping abroad is very expensive, and if we didn’t require a minimum order size, we’d lose a lot of money. But! We're also hustling to improve our international logistics and will be passing our savings along to our international customers.
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