Mediterranean Diet Desserts: Top 10 Guilt Free Treats
The Mediterranean Diet is one of the most popular diets in the world. We often associate the word diet with “restriction,” but if you are considering adopting the Mediterranean Diet, you will be happy to know that it is an exception to this rule.
With such a wide variety of ingredient options, not only is it possible, it is even easy to stay on the Mediterranean diet and healthfully indulge in a sweet treat. All it takes is a bit of planning and the proper recipes.
We’ve rounded up the top 10 Mediterranean Diet Desserts from all over the internet to help you get started on tonight’s healthy dessert!
Top 10 Mediterranean Desserts
Sugar-Free Whole Wheat Brownies
This delicious recipe is the perfect start to our list. Featuring whole wheat flour, cocoa powder, and a healthy helping of walnuts, this recipe is a delicious Mediterranean friendly alternative to traditional brownies. You can even replace the butter with coconut oil to make it completely Mediterranean compliant!
No Bake Fruit Tart
Crafted from a base of naturally sweet pecan crust, topped with decadent coconut cream and a gorgeous variety of healthy fruits, and with zero added sugars, this recipe is the perfect Mediterranean snack. And no baking required! Assembling this tasty dessert couldn’t be easier.
Fall and Winter Baked Fruit
If you are looking for a dessert to warm you up during the colder months, this recipe is perfect. A variety of fruit and raisins topped with the cozy flavor of tasty superfood cinnamon, it is perfectly Mediterranean and perfectly yummy.
Easy Berry Crisp
A simple combination of oatmeal and berries comes together in this dessert to make a simple, crunchy, healthy and sweet treat! Consider topping with coconut cream as a finishing touch.
Sugar Free Banana Cake
Using fruit and making a substitution for whole grain flour, this recipe creates a cake that is naturally sweet with no added sugar. Perfect for a healthy dessert on any occasion, especially a celebration!
Everything-Free Cookies
These chocolate chip cookies are sure to please any crowd! Made without dairy or gluten and using only small amounts of natural sweeteners and dark chocolate chips, these cookies are the perfect way to calm your cookie cravings without sacrificing your diet plan!
Real Fruit Popsicles
When it gets warm outside, why not combine your craving for a sweet treat with a way to cool off? These real fruit popsicles are so easy and healthy. Simply take assorted fruit and put it in your food processor, then freeze in popsicle molds or ice trays. Voila! The perfect healthy Mediterranean snack for summer.
Chocolate Banana Bites
This sweet treat can also help you cool down on a hot day, and it is even more “snackable” than the last. A combination of frozen almond butter, sliced bananas and dark chocolate create an easy snack for satisfying your sweet cravings on the go.
Blueberry Pie
This blueberry pie filling uses no refined sugar and only small amounts of natural sweeteners to create a satisfyingly sweet and healthy dessert. And if you pair it with this vegan whole wheat pie crust, you can enjoy the classic taste of blueberry pie for dessert without deviating from your Mediterranean diet!
Sugar-Free Sorbet
This sugar free sorbet is a snap! Using only three ingredients and coming together quickly in your food processor, you can enjoy the yummy taste of cold berry sorbet in an instant.
Questions about the Mediterranean Diet
What is the Mediterranean diet?
In case you are not familiar, the Mediterranean Diet is an approach to eating that is based on the diets of people living in Mediterranean countries such as Spain, Italy and Greece. Rather than focusing on restricting food, the Mediterranean diet is all about emphasizing certain types of food and food groups.
Specifically, the Mediterranean diet is rich in:
- Fresh fruits
- Vegetables
- Whole grains
- Nuts
- Seeds
- Legumes
- Fish
- Heart healthy fats like olive oil.
Studies have shown a wide range of health benefits for practitioners of the diet, ranging from disease prevention, cardiovascular health to improved longevity, it is no wonder that it is one of the most popular diets in the world.
Can you eat ice cream on the Mediterranean diet?
Dairy products are not typically considered to be a part of the Mediterranean Diet. For serious adherents of this diet, it might be best to skip the ice cream for an alternative cold treat such as a fruit sorbet or frozen fruit popsicles.
Are peanut butter and chocolate a part of the Mediterranean diet?
Beans and legumes are a part of the Mediterranean diet, although you may need to watch the sugar content of the Peanut Butter that you use, as the Mediterranean diet is traditionally low in added sugars.
As to chocolate; happily, yes, chocolate is allowable on the Mediterranean diet. Focus on darker chocolate due to its higher nutrient content. Here’s more information about how chocolate can be a delicious part of a healthy diet.
What Are You Waiting For?
Hopefully this list has shown you how many ways there are to satisfy your sweet tooth while remaining on your healthy diet! And if none of these ideas quite hit the mark, how about whipping up a spirulina smoothie for a quick and simple healthy treat? That’s 11 ideas! What are you waiting for? Now there’s no reason to leave dessert off tonight’s menu.
