desserts

Sometimes, only a decadent chocolate fix will do; that's where these brownies come into play. While they're not exactly guilt-free, nutritionist Cynthia Sass created these vegan spinach brownies to help you add a few nutrients to your dessert. Mixing in almond flour increases the protein and healthy fat content of these vegan brownies, and the secret ingredient, spinach, adds antioxidants (also found in the dark chocolate chips), iron, vitamin A, calcium, and other nutrients, as well. And since these vegan brownies taste just as delicious as a traditional brownie, they'll be a hit with anyone and everyone.

Get ready to bake!

Trying to cut back on refined flour? This cookie recipe will satisfy a dessert craving using a secret sweet ingredient — baked sweet potato. You wouldn't even know that the original recipe calls for twice as much sugar because the sweet potato adds so much natural sweetness. Throw in some dried cranberries and dark chocolate chips for extra flavor and texture and this recipe is soon to become a household favorite.

Keep reading to learn how to make these low-sugar, 135-calorie cookies.

If you've never cooked, tried, or had anything to do with rhubarb, then this is the perfect introduction. Rhubarb is a pink-hued fruit that looks similar to celery stalks. It's incredibly tart, so many cooks opt to tone it down by mixing it with sweet fruits like strawberries.

However, this rhubarb galette does not try to hide its identity. A sprinkling of sugar and a buttery crust are all that is needed to complement and soften rhubarb's mouth-puckering tendencies.

Wrap the rhubarb filling in a pure butter pie crust, then bake the galette until the crust turns golden brown and the tips of the rhubarb begin to char.

The hardest part is allowing the galette to cool once it's out of the oven. Like letting steak rest after cooking it, the same applies to the galette. Cooling it enables the juices to seep back into the fruit and lets those fruit juices thicken slightly.

The galette's beautiful, swirled pattern makes it an eye-popping centerpiece for breakfast or brunch. Serve it at the table so everyone can watch the pink, gelatinous juices seep out from the center. The crumbly crust yields to a tender, tart filling that many described as tasting like the "essence of rhubarb."

Keep reading for the recipe.

The change of seasons may bring to mind shorter hemlines and a rededication to the gym, but it also means that the opportunity to indulge in a favorite balmy-weather treat — s'mores — is just around the corner. Sadly, it's not quite prime bonfire and grilling weather yet, even in Northern California, so I've come up with a fix to tide us over till then: a s'mores-inspired snack (OK, dessert) mix.

Now, I'd like to take credit for this rather clever idea, but that would be disingenuous; inspiration first struck after tasting a sample of Mama Mellace S'mores Snack Mix at the Fancy Food Show. Tasty, but a hair too sweet, and lacking the salty-sweet punch I so crave, this snack mix was on the right track but not quite as delightful as it could be. So, like any good test cook, I set out to re-create it the way my taste buds intended.

Keep reading for the dangerous — I warned you! — recipe.

We've got a new partnership with the recipe, equipment, and product testing gurus at America's Test Kitchen. They'll be sharing some of their time-tested recipes and technical expertise with us weekly. Today, a classic dessert recipe, chocolate mousse, gets a makeover.

April 3 may be National Chocolate Mousse Day, but our recipe makeover for this rich, chocolaty, elegant dessert is tasty enough to make any day.

What's the secret to cutting fat and calories without compromising taste and texture? An Italian meringue, which is made by whipping egg whites with a sugar syrup. It gives our chocolate mousse a creamy lushness without adding any fat.

Test Kitchen Tip: To make an Italian meringue, pour hot sugar syrup into the whipped egg whites, but avoid touching either the beater or the sides of the bowl. If the syrup hits the beater or bowl, it will stick to them rather than be incorporated into the eggs.

See the recipe when you keep reading.

For vegans who have to live without ice cream, this crave-worthy frozen dessert will make you forget all about that creamy off-limits treat. Made with only four ingredients — bananas, almond butter, applesauce, and dairy-free dark chocolate — each delicious bite is under 50 calories.

From Jenny Sugar, POPSUGAR Fitness

Vegan Dessert: Chocolate-Covered Banana Almond Butter Bites

Ingredients

2 large ripe bananas
1/8 cup almond butter
1/8 cup unsweetened applesauce
1 cup dark chocolate chips

Directions

1. Peel bananas and slice into quarter-inch pieces.
2. Mix the almond butter and applesauce in a small dish. Smear the mixture on one banana slice and top it with another banana slice to make a sandwich.



3. Place the banana sandwiches on a cutting board lined with parchment paper and freeze for at least 30 minutes.
4. Before removing the bananas from the freezer, melt chocolate chips using the double-boiler method: place chocolate chips in a heat-safe glass or metal bowl, then place the bowl on top of a pot of boiling water. Stir continuously until the chips are completely melted.
5. Take the banana sandwiches out of the freezer and dip them in the chocolate (keep it on the boiling water to prevent the chocolate from cooling). Place the sandwiches back on the paper. Once they're all covered in chocolate, pop them back in the freezer. They're ready to eat after 15 minutes.

Makes 20 mini sandwiches. See the nutritional information below for one chocolate-covered banana almond butter bite.

Source: Calorie Count

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Carrot cake cravings can't be curbed easily, but a single slice of the store-bought classic weighs in at over 500 calories — not ideal if you're trying to get in shape. Luckily, this vegan cupcake recipe offers all the traditional flavors of carrot cake but cuts the amount of sugar and calories in half.

While this recipe isn't for everyday eating, calorie counts are much lower than more traditional recipes. Best of all, these cupcakes don't taste vegan in the slightest — they're moist, sweet, and plain delicious.

Wow your guests by learning how to make the vegan recipe after the break.