Decedent Drool Worthy Desserts

Who doesn’t love sweets? I adore a good dessert whether that’s cookies, brownies, cupcakes or cakes. I love finding cleaner versions of classic desserts. Here I'll share a healthier version of Twix bars, brownies and cheesecake. These desserts can do a great job of satisfying your sweet tooth. But are they something to load up on? Let’s see.

Take the homemade Twix bars for example. It has healthier substitutes using almond and coconut flour instead of white flour. This recipe makes 16 bars and each bar has 162 calories, 11g of fat and 10g of sugar. An actual twix bar has 286 calories, 14g of fat and 28g of sugar. These homemade Twix bars are a great alternative than a real Twix bar which has lower quality ingredients.

These vegan brownies are amazingly fudgy and to die for. There is no added sugar or flour and it’s only sweetened with dates. There are 24 servings of brownies and each brownie has 49 calories, 2g of fat and 3g of sugar. This is good compared to a brownie of similar size that has 180 calories, 8g of fat and 16g of sugar.

We definitely can't leave out this vegan cheesecake recipe that is perfect for all my lactose intolerant people (we see you, and we love you). This recipe makes 8 slices and each slice has 534 calories, 41g of fat and 21.9g of sugar. A typical cheesecake has 401 calories, 28g of fat and 27g of sugar.

Choosing healthier desserts rather than their refined counterparts can be a great way to cut calories, but sometimes it isn’t. The healthier swaps do contain more wholesome ingredients, and therefore will provide more nutrients. Whichever one you choose to enjoy it’s important to keep in mind the portion you’re having. Remember they are still a dessert. So the next time you want to take a bite of a delicious treat- consider trying one of these recipes!

Homemade Twix Bars [1]

Shortbread Ingredients: ● 2 cups (8oz/240g) almond flour ● 2 tablespoons coconut flour ● ⅓ cup (2 ½ floz/71ml) coconut oil, melted ● ⅓ cup (4oz/115g) maple syrup ● 1 teaspoon vanilla Caramel Ingredients: ● ½ cup (4oz/115g) creamy almond butter ● ⅓ cup (2 ½ floz/71ml) coconut oil, liquid ● ⅓ cup (4oz/115g) maple syrup ● 1 teaspoon vanilla ● ¼ teaspoon salt Chocolate Ingredients: ● ¼ cup (2 floz/57ml) coconut oil, liquid ● ¼ cup (1oz/28g) cocoa powder ● 2 tablespoons pure maple syrup ● ⅛ teaspoon salt Instructions:

1. Preheat your oven to 350°F and line a 8x8 pan with parchment paper.

2. In a medium bowl combine almond flour, coconut flour, coconut oil, maple syrup and vanilla. Mix until well combined.

3. Press into the bottom of the prepared pan and bake for 11-13 minutes, or until sides are slightly brown. Let cool while preparing the next layer.

4. In a medium bowl combine almond butter, coconut oil, maple syrup, vanilla and salt. Mix until completely smooth.

5. Pour over cooled crust and place in the fridge to harden. Refrigerate 1-2 hours.

6. Once the caramel mixture is hardened prepare the chocolate mixture. In a medium bowl, combine coconut oil, cacao powder, maple and salt. Mix until smooth and pour over the caramel layer. Refrigerate until hardened, about an hour.

7. Once the chocolate is set, gently remove from the parchment paper. Place entire square on a cutting board and cut in half one way and in eighths the other way, creating 16 candy sticks.

8. Store in fridge for up to a week or in the freezer for 1 month.

Vegan Brownies [2]

Ingredients: ● Coconut oil, for greasing ● ¾ cup Medjool dates, pitted (6 ounces) ● ¼ cup water ● ½ cup cashew butter (or nut butter of choice) ● 1 Tbsp golden flax seed, ground ● 5 Tbsp cacao powder ● ½ tsp baking soda ● 2 tsp vanilla extract ● 2 tsp balsamic vinegar ● Pinch of salt Instructions:

1. Preheat the oven to 350ºF and grease a mini muffin tin with coconut oil to help prevent sticking.

2. In a food processor fitted with an "S" blade, combine the dates and water and process until the dates have broken down into a paste.

3. Add in the cashew butter, ground flax, cacao powder, baking soda, vanilla, and vinegar and process again until a sticky, uniform dough is created. (If you need to add 1 more tablespoon of water to help it blend smoothly, that's okay.) The batter will be thick and sticky.

4. Use a cookie scooper to help you scoop the dough into the greased mini muffin tin. (Roughly using 1 tablespoon of dough per slot.) Use your fingers to gently flatten each mound of dough. Because the dough is very sticky, it helps to get your fingers wet with water before pressing each mound down so your fingers won't stick to the dough.

5. Bake until the tops look dry, about 12 to 15 minutes. (The centers will still feel slightly soft to the touch.) Remove from the oven and let the brownies cool completely, at least 30 minutes, before attempting to remove them from the pan. They firm up as they cool, but are very fragile when warm. Run a knife around the edge of each brownie to help loosen them to be removed, then serve immediately or store them in the fridge in an airtight container for up to 2 weeks.

Vegan Cheesecake [3]

Filling Ingredients: ● 1 cup raw cashews ● 1 cup coconut cream ● 8 ounces vegan cream cheese ● 1 Tbsp arrowroot or cornstarch ● 1 tsp pure vanilla extract ● ⅔ cup maple syrup ● 1 Tbsp melted coconut oil ● 2 tsp lemon zest ● 1-2 Tbsp lemon juice ● ⅛ tsp sea salt Crust Ingredients: ● ¾ cup gluten-free rolled oats ● ¾ cup raw almonds ● ¼ tsp sea salt ● 2 Tbsp coconut sugar ● 4 Tbsp coconut oil (melted) Instructions:

1. Add raw cashew to a mixing bowl and cover with boiling hot water. Let rest for 1 hour (uncovered). Then drain thoroughly.

2. Then in the meantime, preheat oven to 350°F and line a standard loaf pan with parchment paper. Set aside.

3. Add oats, almonds, sea salt and coconut sugar to a high speed blender and mix on high until a fine meal is achieved.

4. Remove lid and add melted coconut oil, starting with 4 Tbsp and adding more if it’s too dry. Pulse/mix on low until a loose dough is formed, scraping down sides as needed. You should be able to squeeze the mixture between two fingers and form a dough instead of it crumbling. If too dry, add a bit more melted coconut oil.

5. Transfer mixture to parchment-lined loaf pan and spread evenly to distribute. Then place parchment paper on top and use a flat-bottomed object, like a drinking glass, to press down firmly until it’s evenly distributed and well packed. Let it come up the sides a little, otherwise it can be too thick on the bottom.

6. Bake for 15 minutes, then increase heat to 375°F and bake for 5-10 minutes more, or until the edges are golden brown and there is some browning on the surface. Remove from oven to cool slightly, then reduce oven heat to 325°F.

7. Once cashews are soaked and drained, add to a high speed blender with coconut cream, vegan cream cheese, arrowroot starch, vanilla, maple syrup, coconut oil, lemon zest, lemon juice, and sea salt. Blend on high until very creamy and smooth, scraping down sides as needed.

8. Taste and adjust flavor as needed, adding more lemon juice for acidity, lemon zest for tartness, salt for flavor balance, and maple syrup for sweetness.

9. Pour filling over the pre-baked crust and spread into an even layer. Tap on counter to remove air bubbles.

10. Bake for 50 minutes to 1 hour, until the edges look very slightly dry and the center appears only slightly “jiggly” but not liquidy. When you shake it, it will have some give to it, but it shouldn't all look liquid - only the center should jiggle.

11. Let rest for 10 minutes at room temperature, then transfer to refrigerator to let cool completely (uncovered). Once cooled, cover (waiting until cool will prevent condensation) and continue refrigerating for a total of 5-6 hours, preferably overnight.

12. To serve, lift out of pan with parchment paper and cut into bars or triangles.

13. Enjoy as is or with coconut whipped cream and fresh berries. Store leftovers in the refrigerator, covered, up to 3-4 days, though best within the first 2 days.

[1] "Healthy Homemade Twix Bars - Gemma's Bigger Bolder Baking." 22 Feb. 2018, https://www.biggerbolderbaking.com/healthy-homemade-twix-bars/. [2] "Amazing Date Brownies (Vegan & Flourless ...." https://detoxinista.com/date-sweetened-flourless-brownie-recipe/. [3] "Easy Baked Cheesecake (Vegan + GF) | Minimalist Baker ...." https://minimalistbaker.com/easy-baked-cheesecake-vegan-gf/.