Delicious desserts: Go guilt and sugar-free these holidays

Do you love enjoying sweet treats during the holidays but worry about the impact on your health? You’re not alone!

Cutting sugar doesn’t have to mean missing out on the fun of the festive season. Instead, you can explore healthier alternatives and simple substitutions that will allow you to have your cake (or cookie) and eat it too!

Let’s get creative and find ways to celebrate without feeling guilty.

From health fanatic to you

Nogolide Giyose from Gugulethu in Cape Town, the reboot coach who has adopted a healthy lifestyle for health reasons, says she enjoys sweets without feeling guilty about sabotaging her efforts to maintain a healthy lifestyle, with a few rules.

During the time between parties and meals, especially if you’re cooking everything from scratch, she advises using alternative healthy sweeteners instead of sugar.

Giyose says the following ingredients are necessary to produce sugar-free ice cream: frozen banana, small mango and coconut milk. Combine all ingredients and place in a deep freezer until frozen. Blend one more and return to the fridge.

Voila, you have a sugar-free ice cream!

“The holiday season doesn’t have to be boring; be creative while maintaining a healthy lifestyle; it’s very possible.”

Nogolide Giyose

‘Prevention is better than cure’

Ntombizodwa Malefane-Mahlangu, the founder of Ndabulela events and Woman In Me NPO in Johannesburg East, is an advocate of sugar reduction as part of a healthy lifestyle.

She knows the challenges that people encounter in keeping a healthy weight as a media personality, mother and wife.

Malefane-Mahlangu began cutting out sugar from her diet twelve years ago. She explains that she was unhappy with her weight and decided to adopt sugar-free eating habits while also committing to regular exercise.

“At home, we have a history of diabetes. For me, prevention is better than cure.”

Ntombizodwa Malefane-Mahlangu

She says that ever since she made changes to her diet by cutting out sugar, she has noticed several positive effects on her body. She feels lighter, her breathing has improved, and she no longer snores. Additionally, her skin has a healthy glow, and she has more energy to walk long distances and play with kids.

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Bo-babes, have fun it’s festive season, akere?

Making desserts healthy frequently includes easy substitutions that cut calories, fat, or added sugars without compromising flavour, according to Faaizah Laher, a registered dietitian and Adsa spokesperson.

“There are several ‘secret ingredients’ that can be used in desserts to make them healthier without significantly altering their taste.”

She explains that numerous dessert recipes skilfully incorporate vegetables such as sweet potato, marrows, and even carrots or beetroot.

“These vegetables can add moisture, texture, and natural sweetness to desserts, making them healthier while still delicious.”

Laher gives some recipe suggestions:

• Sweet potato brownies: These brownies use pureed sweet potato to add moisture and a subtle sweetness. The sweet potato puree can replace some of the fat and sugar typically used in brownie recipes.
• Baby marrow (zucchini) bread or muffins: Grated marrow is a classic addition to bread and muffins. It adds moisture without a strong vegetable flavour. You can also add nuts or chocolate chips for extra flavour.

• Carrot cake: A well-known dessert that uses grated carrots to add moisture and sweetness. Carrot cake often includes spices like cinnamon and nutmeg and can be topped with a light cream cheese or cottage cheese frosting.

• Chocolate beet cake: Beetroot can be pureed and added to chocolate cake, enhancing the cake’s moisture, and adding nutrients without affecting the chocolate flavour.

• Pumpkin pie: Pumpkin is a vegetable often used in desserts, especially in pies. Pumpkin puree is combined with spices like cinnamon, ginger, and nutmeg to create a classic dessert.

1. Avocado chocolate mousse: Avocado can be blended with cocoa powder and sweetener to create a creamy, healthy chocolate mousse.

1. Butternut squash custard: Similar to pumpkin, butternut squash can be pureed and used in custards or pies, offering a creamy texture and sweet, nutty flavour.

• Spinach cupcakes: Spinach can be pureed and added to the cupcake batter. It doesn’t change the flavour much but adds a beautiful green colour and extra nutrients.

• Cauliflower rice pudding: Cauliflower rice can be used in place of traditional rice in rice pudding, creating a lower-carb, healthier version of this classic dessert.

Try these healthier recipes:

Banana loaf by Nogolide Giyose

INGREDIENTS

• Bananas
• Eggs
• Nut-butter (cashew/ macadamia or almond) measurement will depend on the amount of eggs and bananas
• Coconut flour (optional)

METHOD

• Mix banana, eggs and nut butter. You can blend them.
• Mix the blended mixture with the flour till it forms a dough. Put it in the oven and let it bake between 150 and 180 degrees with moderation.
• Serve hot or cold.

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