One of the great things about the 90/10 life is deciding what you are going to have in the 10%. Am I right? For me, this is typically a no-brainer–I am a dessert girl through and through. I love my sweet treats, but the further I go in my wellness journey, the more I want my treats to be comprised of real-food ingredients. This topic gets brought up a lot in my 21 Day Transformation groups, so I thought you may be interested in hearing what my favorite “healthy treats” are too. The items below are some of the things I pick out when a little indulgence is calling my name.
I love, love, love these. They are SO good– they completely satisfy a chocolate craving. The Chocolate Almond Butter Tart reminds me of a grown-up version of a Reese’s–honestly, once you have one of these it makes something like a Reese’s taste so fake. I love that they are made with a natural sweetener, have a short ingredient list, and contain coconut oil (yay healthy fats). They are located near the bakery section at Whole Foods and in the refrigerated section at Fresh Thyme. If you can’t find them, just ask an employee. I sometimes cut one in half and sometimes I don’t. 🙂
Julie’s Organic Ice Cream Varieties
I love the Julie’s Organic line of products–they have ice cream, ice cream bars, and sorbets. I like how clean the ingredient lists are compared to other ice cream brands. I am not a fan of low-fat, sugar-free, or diet ice creams. Generally, the fat and sugar are replaced with artificial ingredients of some sort. Real ice cream is SO good–literally, one serving is completely satisfying. I do think it’s important to purchase dairy-based products organic, which is another reason why I like Julie’s. Julie’s can be found at Whole Foods, Fresh Thyme, and select Martin’s Supermarkets.
Annie’s Homegrown Organic Double Chocolate Brownie Mix
If I purchase a boxed mix, I try to find one that only contains ingredients I would cook with in my own kitchen. This pretty much fits that bill–I don’t have “natural flavor” in my kitchen but am ok with it being in this mix. I like to keep a box of these and a pint of Julie’s ice cream on-hand in case we have last-minute company over–it makes whipping up a classic dessert of “brownies and ice cream” very easy. I have found these at Fresh Thyme and Target.
Annie’s Homegrown Organic Chocolate Chunk Bake & Share Dough
The only thing easier than a boxed mix is a refrigerated dough. Enough said. I am quickly learning that being a mom calls for as much convenience as possible. I have a feeling these will become a staple as Bode gets older and he has his buddies over. I generally purchase these at Target but can likely be found in other grocery stores.
Endangered Species 88% Dark Chocolate
This is my everyday go-to treat. Chocolate in it’s pure form is high in antioxidants. I love the flavor and texture of this brand and it only has 5 grams of sugar per serving–very low compared to other options. I literally order these by the case from Amazon because I have a few pieces every day and I like to give them to my clients to try. Look for dark chocolate with at least a 72% or higher cocoa content to receive the benefits. You can also find these at Whole Foods, Fresh Thyme, Target, and Martin’s.
Homemade Anything
Anything made from real food ingredients fits my “healthy indulgence” bill. Don’t underestimate the power of Vitamin L (LOVE), which is the main ingredient in homemade treats. There is just a feeling of comfort that comes from eating something homemade. To me, homemade food is the ultimate form of love. If you love the feel of homemade desserts but are short on time, contact my friend Fay from Scratch Made Sweets. Her cakes, cookies, and bars are beautiful and delicious. She is a true gem and I can attest to the fact that Vitamin L goes straight into her goodies.
What are your favorite healthy treats? Share the love and leave a comment below.
