Easy healthy sweet snacks for weight loss

Healthy eating is such a wonderful thing once you get it right, but most weight loss meal plans are strict on calories and leave no room for delicious treats. Wanting to lose weight should not feel like punishment at all. You should indulge your sweet tooth at the very least, once a week, without feeling guilty. Everybody deserves healthy sweet snacks for weight loss if and when you have intense cravings.

The mistake most of us make when we jump on the clean eating wagon is to label certain foods as bad without exploring healthier substitutes that will deliver the same heavenly taste. If you have a weakness for chocolate, you can still enjoy homemade dark chocolate.

Homemade chocolate is not only much healthier, but you will also be able to control how much sugar and fat goes into the treat. If you have a craving for a banana split, you can still enjoy a healthier option that tastes just as great as the original.  You do not always have to banish your cravings because, as you are about to discover, there are plenty of healthy sweet snacks to make at home.

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Some healthy sweet snacks for weight loss include oatmeal cookies, homemade ice cream, homemade energy bars, Greek yogurt parfait, and chocolate pudding. If you are into smoothies, you can enjoy fresh cups of low calories smoothies for weight loss, or if you are in the mood for something more than a piece of fruit you can make yourself a delicious frozen yogurt bark. Once you get busy in the kitchen and make your tweaks whenever you feel like it, you will learn that the list for guilt-free healthy sweet snacks is endless.

Guilt-free healthy sweet snacks for weight loss

It is now time to indulge your taste buds with healthy sweet snacks that will help you shrink.

1. Chocolate chia seed pudding

The main ingredient in this pudding is chia seed, and as you may know, chia seeds are packed with all things great for your health. If you are looking for a high protein, low-calorie snack, you will be glad to hear that a tablespoon of chia seeds contains 70 calories, 5.5 grams of fiber, 2 grams protein, and 0 sugars.

A question often asked by people who have discovered this superfood is – how many chia seeds should you eat a day. The recommended serving for chia seeds is 2 tablespoons a day. While it may be appealing to sprinkle chia seeds on dry foods such as salads, to enjoy the health benefits, you should never eat dry chia seeds. The reason is that chia seeds absorb a lot of liquid when wet and, if you swallow dry seeds, they might expand once combined with saliva and block your throat.

How to make chocolate chia seed pudding

Ingredients

• 2 tablespoons chia seed
• 2 tablespoons unsweetened cacao powder
• 2 tablespoons honey
• 1 cup unsweetened almond milk
• 1 teaspoon vanilla

Garnish

• 1 tablespoon toasted pecans
• Strawberries

Method

Mix cacao powder with 4 tablespoons of milk, in a glass to form a paste.

Add chia seeds, vanilla, honey, and the rest of the milk. Mix all the ingredients until you have a smooth mixture.

Refrigerate for at least 2 hours or overnight, or until the pudding thickens.     

Remove from fridge and stir until well combined. Add toasted nuts or strawberries and serve chilled.

You can store chocolate chia seed pudding in the fridge for 5 days and about a week in the freezer.

2. Healthy banana split

Bananas are incredibly filling and are a good source of dietary fiber, potassium, and vitamin C. Paired with blueberries and strawberries, both low in sugar and calories but high in antioxidants, this is a healthy sweet snack of envy.

A traditional banana split tastes heavenly but can be loaded with over 1000 calories per serving. If you are serious about dropping and keeping the pounds off, you should rather enjoy this healthier version. It is my go-to snack when I want to spoil myself without feeling guilty at all.

To make this healthy banana slit you will need: 

• 1 banana
• 2 tablespoons granola
• 3 strawberries
• 2 tablespoon Greek yogurt

For the sauce

• 1/4 cup blueberries
• 1 tablespoon honey
• Pinch of salt
• 1/4 cup water

You can grab the rest of the healthy banana split here.

3. Healthy dark chocolate and almonds

Just because you are on a healthy eating path doesn’t mean that you shouldn’t enjoy chocolate now and then.  According to science, eating dark chocolate or almonds is good for the heart.

A study published in the Journal of the American Heart Association in 2017 revealed that incorporating dark chocolate and almonds into one’s diet reduced may lower the risks of heart diseases. The study showed that eating 42.5g of almonds and 43 grams of dark chocolate a day for four weeks significantly reduced lipoprotein particles, which are known to cause coronary heart disease.

With proof from researchers that about 40g of almonds and dark chocolate are good for you, why not reap the full benefits by enjoying this healthy sweet snack for weight loss that marries both ingredients?

How to make dark chocolate at home with cocoa powder

• ½ cup unsweetened cacao powder
• ½ cup virgin coconut oil
• ¼ cup raw honey
• ¼ cup roasted almonds (unsalted)
• Pinch of sea salt

Method

Use a knife to chop almonds into smaller pieces.

Melt coconut oil in a pot over medium heat for about 2 minutes.

Gradually pour in cacao powder and salt. Use a spatula to gently stir until smooth.

Turn off the heat and remove the pot from the cooktop.

Set the mixture aside to cool for about 3 minutes and pour in the honey.

Stir well and pour the almonds into the mixture.

Use a spoon to pour into candy molds or baking sheet.

Freeze for 2 hours or until the chocolate hardens.

Gently tap the bottom of the mold to release the chocolate.

Serve as needed and keep the rest in an airtight container in the fridge or freezer.

If you like a little zing you can add a dash of cayenne pepper to your dark chocolate.

4. Healthy yogurt parfait recipe

It is so easy to eat unhealthy food or snacks when pressed for time. That is why planning and preparing your meals in advance is so important. Most of the healthy sweet snacks for weight loss on this list can be batch-made and saved for later. Doing so will immensely help you avoid eating junk snacks when dealing with an erratic schedule.

This healthy yogurt parfait will power you through a busy day and help keep hunger at bay because it is loaded with quality protein. It is quick and easy to prepare and will take you about 5 minutes from start to finish!

On one of those days when you are looking for awesome healthy breakfast ideas, this filling and delicious snack makes an excellent substitute for a quick breakfast.

Unlike the traditional restaurant parfait, this version has healthier layers of granola, Greek yogurt, and berries and best of all, can be made with little or no sugar.  

How to make healthy parfait recipes for weight loss

• 1 cup Greek yogurt
• 2 tablespoons no sugar granola
• ¼ cup fresh blueberries
• 1 tablespoon raspberries
• 1-2 teaspoons raw honey

Method

Combine honey and yogurt and pour half of the mixture into a glass.

Add a layer of half of the granola and fruits to the glass.

Pour the remaining yogurt into the glass and top with the rest of the granola and fruits.

Serve immediately.

Notes: You can make this recipe ahead of time. The granola and fruit will not get soggy if you leave the layers alone without stirring.

5. Healthy oatmeal chocolate chip cookies

Cookies are not necessarily bad for you when you are trying to lose weight. I think it matters more what is in your cookies and how many you eat in one serving. If you follow my blog, you would have noticed that I am against demonizing food groups, and so if you are clean eating and crave chocolate chip cookies, I implore you to go for it.

But, there is a catch. You can’t just have any cookies- it has to be these healthy oatmeal chocolate chip cookies. This is because when you make homemade chocolate cookies, you can control how much sugar goes into them, and this is important because sugar is one thing you must watch when eating healthy.

I make these oatmeal chocolate chip cookies every two weeks and do variations of the recipe each time. If you are not big on chocolate chips, you can substitute them with either raisins or cranberries. The result for either is simply delicious.

During holidays, I make more than my family needs and give it out to friends, and everybody comes back asking for the recipe. If you can, please share this treat and spread the love. I bet your family and friends will want to know how you are losing weight but still enjoying delicious chocolate chip cookies!

How to make healthy oatmeal chocolate chip cookies

Ingredients

• 3 cups old fashioned oatmeal
• 2 cups cake flour
• 1 cup unsalted butter (softened at room temperature)
• ½ cup brown sugar
• ½ cup unsweetened chocolate chips
• 2 eggs
• 1 teaspoon vanilla essence
• 1 teaspoon sea salt
• 1 teaspoon baking powder

Instructions

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C).

Mix flour salt and baking powder in a mixing bowl and set aside.

Place softened butter and sugar into a large mixing bowl until slightly creamy.

Beat in the eggs with a fork or whisk, one at a time, until you achieve a uniform color.

Stir in chocolate chips.

Line the cookie sheet with parchment paper and use a tablespoon to scoop the dough and mould into balls and flatten slightly.

If you want the cookies soft and chewy, bake for 10 minutes. If you prefer them golden brown and crunchy, then bake for 15 to 20 minutes max.

Remove from oven and let the cookies stand on the baking sheet for 2 to firm up.

Transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.

Store in an airtight container.