6 Cheat Meals To Eat When Craving A Sweet Treat
16 June 2016
You shouldn't be afraid to give yourself a treat now and then when dieting, to get a little bit of gratification during the long journey ahead.
Treats don't need to be fattening or saturated either - with a bit of ingenuity you can create some healthy cheat meals that won't put a dent in your target weight.
Rice Pudding
A very simple dish to make which is satisfying and filling. To keep things healthy opt to make this yourself, as shop bought options can often be filled with sugar. Use coconut milk, brown rice and agave syrup to keep things sweet, yet healthy.
Rice pudding makes for a great cheat meal for breakfast - a mug of pudding with a dash of cinnamon will fill you up all morning, helping to avoid snacking.
Rice pudding also works well with some mashed strawberries or some rhubarb compote.
Energy Balls
Want to satisfy your sweet tooth and get that energy boost without the crash you get from sugary drinks or chocolate bars? Then Energy Balls are the guilt-free snack for you.
Fantastic for the 3pm slump, all you need is to blend dates, coconut oil, cacao and vanilla extract in a food processor and shape into balls ready for when cravings set in. Take in sandwich bags to share at work (or keep to yourself, we won't judge).
Fresh Fruit
Fruit on its own is a great way of satisfying a sweet tooth and counts towards your 5-a-day, but if you want to jazz things up a bit for that extra special treat or if you're making a dessert for that summer BBQ, there are some ways you can repurpose fruit to make it remain healthy and more satisfying.
Try grilling some peaches with grapefruit and topping with cinnamon and honey, this delicious treat can be used with any of your favourite fruit and it really is guilt free.
Fruit is also great when dipped in honey and yoghurt for a little bit of added sweetness.
Coconut Yoghurt
Speaking of which, yoghurt in general is not only delicious, but they're also a great source of healthy bacteria.
However, be careful when choosing which brands to buy, because several brands advertise they contain zero fat, but actually contains as much as five teaspoons of sugar. We like to stick to natural coconut yoghurt and add lemon or orange juice depending on flavour cravings.
A fantastic quick and easy breakfast or dessert option simply mixed with some fruit and muesli.
Waffles
Waffles get a bad reputation, however they can be guilt free - we make ours with buckwheat flour and a touch of maple syrup making them gluten free and delicious. The waffle is versatile - and can be made a savoury or sweet treat, depending on your mood.
Bake some dark chocolate chips into the waffle to satisfy that chocolate craving - you can even make a batch of waffles and freeze them for future.
They're just as compatible with fruit as the other entries, working well with strawberries or blueberries to add a sweeter taste to an already filling meal.
Ice Lollies
For hot weather, ice lollies and popsicles are refreshing and indulge the sweet tooth, despite the fact they can both be made using no unnatural sugar whatsoever.
Coconut yoghurt frozen works well as an excellent substitute to ice-cream or chemical-filled popsicles. Using honey, you can ensure that your lollies will be sweet enough to satisfy the largest of cravings.
Finely chop strawberries and place them in a small saute pan to soften to create a delicious natural fruit flavouring.
Additionally, why not freeze some of your favourite jucies in a popsicle mould to create healthy refreshing lollies for the summer.
Calling these 'cheat meals' suggests what you're doing is wrong, but don't be fooled - any of these snacks and treats would be perfect for that little pick me up, without the guilt!
Try and work fruits in as a substitute for sweets, and your indulges won't make you feel any guilt for enjoying your diet.
