When I talk to moms who want to lose weight I hear one very common question..."What about the kids and their sweets? They shouldn't have to suffer just because I'm on a diet, should they?" My answer..yes and no! The truth is that your children don't need the high levels of sugar, fats and preservatives either. Just because they may burn of enough calories to not get fat, doesn't mean it's okay for them. Their little bodies are growing so rapidly and there is so much going on with them on a cellular level. Unhealthy food does not help their body to make healthy cells. However, I do think that having desserts occasionally and teaching them how to have a balanced diet is a VERY GOOD thing! They will have to make their own food choices when they move out of the house and if they are taught well, they should succeed with making their own wonderful food choices, and keeping that balance. So, here's a couple of my favorite kid friendly desserts that won't hurt your diet or healthy lifestyle either!
Peanut Butter and Jelly Cookies
3/4 cup granular sugar substitute
1 large egg
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 cup creamy trans-fat-free peanut butter
1 tsp baking soda
1/4 cup sugar-free jam, any flavor
Heat oven to 350 degrees. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Mix sugar substitute, egg, and vanilla together with an electric mixer on low for 3 minutes. Add peanut butter and baking soda. Mix on medium until dough comes together, about 30 seconds. Form dough into 24 (2 teaspoon) balls and place on baking sheet 1 inch apart. Gently press your thumb into the center of each to make an indentation. Fill each indentation with 1/2 tsp jam. Bake until lightly browned on the bottom, 12 to 14 minutes. Transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
There are 2 cookies per serving, and each serving has only 140 calories, 11 grams of fat, 6 grams of protein, 1 gram of dietary fiber and only 210mg of sodium! So easy, so cheap and so yummy!
Now, we use natural peanut butter for sandwiches and such, but I haven't tried it for this yet. I intend to soon, because I don't like buying regular peanut butter, but I'm just not sure how the natural with do with this. If you are a stickler about it, try it and see! Otherwise, just use your normal brand making sure that it doesn't contain any trans fat.
Mexican-Style Chocolate Bananas
1/3 cup bittersweet chocolate chips
1/4 tsp ground cinnamon
2 medium bananas, peeled and cut into 8 pieces each
Heat chocolate in a small skillet over low heat until melted, about 2 minutes. Add cinnamon and stir to combine. Holding 1 piece of banana by the end, dip it into the chocolate mixture to coat the other end. Place it, chocolate end up, on a clean plate. Repeat with remaining banana pieces, coating the pointed ends of the four "tip" pieces (gently reheat chocolate if necessary). Serve or place in the refrigerator until chocolate hardens, about 15 minutes.
A serving size is a half a banana, 4 pieces. Each serving has 130 calories, 5 grams of fat, 1 gram protein, 2 grams dietary fiber, and NO sodium!
Of course having 4 children, I have to double this recipe, but it's a favorite! Once again, very affordable and very quick for a homemade dessert!
Now please, I would like your input..what kind of recipes would you like to see next week. Breakfasts, lunches, dinners, snacks, desserts...let me know!
I used to live by the rule, 'One Treat Per Week.' and amazingly, I survived - and was 20 pounds lighter than now. I think it's a great thing to teach kids that treats are only for special occasions. Sugar causes so many health problems. Americans aren't fat because we eat too much fat, but too many carbohydrates. Waaaaaaay too many.
ReplyDeleteGood post. :-)
Nice! My kids don't like peanut butter for the most part, but everyone loves chocolate! And if they get used to eating healthy when they're young, the transition into eating well as an adult is a given. For snacks, my son likes multi-grain Club crackers with cream cheese. Yummy and simple! That's my kind of treat!
ReplyDeleteKristi, My children do not get a lot of sweets either. I do enjoy making muffins with them and they are much better for you. Hope everything is going great. Blessings,
ReplyDeleteJust be careful what kind of muffins are made, as I'm sure you know. If you are making a homemade recipe, use whole wheat flour for at least half what's required. If you are making muffins from a box, check the nutrition facts and ingredients. Most people think all muffins are so healthy, and that's just not the case. They can quickly add up major calories and store bought versions can be loaded with preservatives, simple sugars, and even fat!
ReplyDeleteAre you using artificial sweetners at all? The experts still are saying Splenda is ok and safe, and I am using it, with some reluctance. It does the trick for sweet taste, but I still wonder if it is going to cause problems down the line.
ReplyDeleteAnn, I do use Splenda for large backing needs and I use more natural sweetners like Stevia, or Truvia for coffee, tea, etc. I do worry about Splenda too, because it hasn't been around long enough for all the extensive testing..or to see the lingering health effects from long term consumption. What I do know, is that they do still use a chemical process to make it, so I use it with caution and try to use more natural sweetners whenever possible.
ReplyDeleteI have also heard horror stories about sugar though as well, so it feels like it's the lesser of two evils. I read a book called "Sugar Blues" and was blown away by the bad effects from sugar. I LOVE to use honey whenever I can, because it is truly a healthy, natural, God made sweetner. It can be used in teas, breads, cookies, all sorts of things!