sugarless dessert options ?

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  • I'm not a diabetic. I just decided to limit my sugar intake, and kick sweeteners out of my home. I wonder if there's any recipes for desserts that don't use sugar or sweeteners?
  • I love slices of fruit with cheese. A French ex-pat got me hooked. I have to be sparing because of the calories in the cheese, but a little goes a long way with a very sharp variety.

    Other than that, how about a fruit salad made with juicy melons and pineapples or a smoothy made with frozen berries and yogurt? Baked apple sprinkled with cinnamon? Dates stuffed with peanut butter (high in calories).

    I guess I'm stuck on a fruit theme because they are naturally sweet.
  • Fruit ideas are great, that's what I was looking for. I was wondering also about traditional stuff also like apple pies and berry pies, do you need sugar to make them?
  • Quote: Fruit ideas are great, that's what I was looking for. I was wondering also about traditional stuff also like apple pies and berry pies, do you need sugar to make them?
    If you use sweet apples, like Golden or Red delicious, you can get away with no added sugar. Same with cherries - use sweet, rather than tart cherries while baking and you can get away with less/no added sugar. However, berries are usually way too tart to bake with without adding some kind of sweetener.
  • I think a pie would be pretty tart without sugar and the sugar contributes to the glaziness of the filling (as does corn starch, which isn't really any better than sugar IMO).

    I'm not fond of bananas myself, but they are very sweet. You might be able to make a banana cream pie or a banana nut loaf without any sweeteners. Maybe just a frozen banana dipped in something? Or fruit juice pops/sorbet?

    Fruit juice can be very sweet, so you might be able to "cheat" and add apple juice or white grape juice to a recipe to substitute sugar. That is what a lot of manufactures do to make natural "no sugar added" products.

    Good luck with your search!
  • You can sweeten apple pie with frozen concentrated apple juice. It's sweet but it's a more natural sweetner. Any pie will be high in calories even if they are sugar free because of the high fat content in the crust. Try making only one crust pies to cut down on the fat calories.

    I love dried apricots. I usually eat about 2 or three when I want something sweet. Dried fruits can be very high in calories so use them sparingly. They are very sweet so a little goes a long way.
  • One thing I've done is make microwave cupcakes. You can add fruit to slightly sweeten and they are pretty good.

    Here is an example that calls for sugar (this is microwave brownies):
    http://vegweb.com/index.php?topic=6804.0

    I've had luck playing around, using applesauce instead of oil, adding in baking powder to make it a bit fluffier and not using chocolate chips. I also make it single serving in a coffee cup.
  • I'm experimenting with redefining dessert a little bit. It doesn't have to be sweet, just a little bit of an indulgence. Nuts, for example. Or even flour-based breads/etc., if you're limiting that. Maybe a piece of toast with avocado slices. Or a bowl of granola with milk - which actually does have sugar, but you get the idea - "dessert" doesn't have to mean the traditional ice cream, cookies, etc. It can be any kind of treat.
  • Julie - I am with you. Often fruit or even a couple pieces of dark chocolate is my dessert. I do like something sweet but honestly I don't eat 'dessert' too often. The microwave cupcakes I've been experimenting with are more of a sweet treat that I have used even as breakfast (chocolate/zucchini microwave cupcake is pretty good )
  • I have been doing a nice large cup of Chai (made with almond milk or rice milk) and a few drops of stevia from time to time for dessert...
    You can use any of the Chai tea bags.

    Would be good with the baked cinnamon apple mentioned above and I am trying that tomorrow nite!
  • This is my current favorite, and it completely shuts down my sweet tooth...

    Combine:
    1/2 banana chopped up (I freeze the other half to save for the next batch)
    1 oz. oats
    sprinkle cinnamon
    1/3 oz. pecan pieces
    squirt of maple-flavored agave nectar

    Add water and microwave until oats are cooked.

    It tastes a lot like banana nut bread.

    Calorie: 220-230
  • Mmmm those all sound great. We have recently started a Whole foods craze in our home. I've been trying to find desserts to make the kids that are healthy and sweet. So far the loved greek yogurt with berries. I sauted apples with homemade whipped cream.
    Making another trip to the Whole foods market tomorrow.
  • Blackberry and Apple Crumble

    1 lb cooking apples, peeled & sliced
    lemon juice (optional - to keep apples from browning)
    1 cup fresh blackberries

    1/4 c. whole wheat or gluten free flour
    1/4 c. rolled oats
    3 Tbsp. canola oil (possibly more)
    1/4 c pitted dates, finely chopped
    1/4 c. unsalted sunflower seeds

    Preheat oven to 400 F, coat an ovenproof dish with cooking spray

    Combine apples and blackberries in a medium saucepan, cook over medium-low heat and bring to simmer, simmer for 5 minutes, pour into baking dish

    In bowl mix flour & oats, add oil and work with your fingers until it resembles crumbles. Stir in dates and sunflower seeds - sprinkle mixture over fruit and bake in the over for 25 minutes.

    This is from a Tosca Reno book, I haven't made it yet - it's on the list. I'd probably add a little cinnamin and nutmeg in both the topping and the cooking fruit, maybe a pinch of salt too to bring out the natural sweetness.
  • For a little twist on just eating fruit, try infusing it with some different flavors. This recipe is also from a Tosca Reno book, her new one: Tosca Reno's Eat Clean Cookbook. I've looked throughout the dessert section, some that require sugar call for Sucanat or Rapdura sugar, there's about 5 that don't call for sugar at all!

    This one is called: Fresh Berries in Vanilla-Infused Avocado Oil (with sweetened yogurt)
    2 fresh vanilla pods
    3-4 Tbsp avocado oil
    2 cups strawberries
    1 cup raspberries
    1 lime (washed & soaked in 1 cup of boiling water)
    1 cup yogurt cheese
    2 Tbsp maple syrup

    1. Cut the vanilla pods open lengthwise & put the 4 halves in a pot w/ avocado oil. /heat over low flame for several minutes.
    2. Trim & rinse berries (cut strawberries in half)
    3. Take the lime out of the water and peel strips of zest and mix into berries (save some for a garnish on top if you want!). Squeeze the lime juice over the berries.
    4. Pour the vanilla-avocado oil mixture (smells incredible) over the berries and toss gently.
    Mix the maple syrup and yogurt cheese and either add it on top or leave it on the side for dipping!

    It's a little extra flavor than just eating fruit! Enjoy!
    Some others that don't call for any sugar include her rice pudding and sesame nut balls. It might be helpful if you're looking for a bunch of sugar-free alternatives!
  • If you add baking soda to the filling in a fruit pie or crisp, it'll taste sweeter. The baking soda neutralizes the acid in the fruit, making the natural sweetness more apparent. I haven't tried this in a no sugar pie, but it works well when I've cut the sugar in half in recipes. You only need 1/4-1/2 a teaspoon. Might be worth trying.