As February 14th approaches, stores far and wide fill up their fronts with chocolate boxes, teddy bears and gifts to pamper your significant other.. Valentine’s Day is undoubtedly a time to indulge in love with your partner, but nothing quite says you care than making something from scratch. Not only that, but you won’t suffer an upset stomach from all the added sugars and artificial ingredients beneath that shiny box in a bow. Desserts don’t have to be “unhealthy.” In fact, they can be quite good for you, especially when you find the right recipe. Here are 9 ways to say “I love you” to both your body and your beau:
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One Bowl Vegan Chocolate Cake by Minimalist Baker
Nothing says dessert quite like chocolate cake. This vegan take on a richly decadent classic uses some seriously simple yet powerful ingredients. Coconut oil replaces vegetable or canola oil, cane sugar replaces granulated sugar and the buttercream frosting is vegan! The result is a tender, fluffy, moist masterpiece of sweetness.
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Healthy Valentine’s Day Cookies by Amy’s Kitchen
Who doesn’t love cookies? This recipe provides a fresh take with healthy ingredients like fiber-filled whole-wheat flour and wheat germ, naturally sweet honey, protein-packed peanut butter and dark chocolate providing you with a dose of antioxidants. You’ll be hard-pressed to still desire the typical flour-sugar-fat combination found in store-bought cookie mixes.
Related: A Healthy Valentine’s Dinner In
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Fruit Chocolate Box by Making Nice in the Midwest
Fruit for dessert? Of course! The natural sugars in them are always a good alternative for taming your sweet tooth. This recipe really takes it up a notch by switching out a boring old box of chocolates with fruit combined with dark chocolate and unsweetened coconut. Just find a fun, heart-shaped box that will keep your goodies fresh in the fridge.
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Buckwheat Shortbread Hearts Dipped in Chocolate and Sesame by Kitchen Vignettes
These thoughtful shortbread hearts are made with just six ingredients. Swapping out refined flour and sugar with naturally gluten-free buckwheat flour and unbleached all-purpose flour, they get their sweetness from high-quality dark chocolate and honey. The sesame seeds add a touch of crunch that is pleasing to the eye, too.
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Salty Chocolate Date Caramels by Heartbeet Kitchen
The combination of sweet and salty is just one of those musts in life. The trouble is that caramels, often being small in size, can throw your sugar intake for the day overboard as you tend to pop more than just one. But these paleo chocolatey delights utilize dates, almond flour, almond butter and vanilla in place of fattening ingredients like butter and cream for a much healthier treat you can feel good about.
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Chocolate Coconut Clusters by Wellness Mama
These nutrient-rich scrumptious bites need only five ingredients to make. The almond butter and coconut flakes provide protein and healthy fats, the coconut oil gives you beneficial lauric acid, and the dark chocolate gives you magnesium and antioxidants. And they only take a total of 20 minutes to make!
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Valentine’s Day Cookie Sandwiches by Rabbit Food For My Bunny Teeth
With no baking required, these vegan bite-sized flavorful treats will satisfy your sweet tooth while giving you a burst of energy, too. They’re gluten-free, dairy-free, soy-free, and are complete with healthy plant-based fats, natural sugars and macronutrients. No guilt here!
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Valentine’s Day Strawberry Love Muffins by Slim Pickins Kitchen
Whether you choose to make them for a breakfast surprise or an anytime sweet treat, these “love muffins,” are the perfect Valentine’s Day recipe to try out. Filled with the natural sweetness of strawberries, which are rich in antioxidants and vitamin C, this recipe uses healthy coconut oil, probiotic-powered Greek yogurt, whole-wheat flour, and even incorporates lemon packed with nourishing elements like vitamin C, vitamin B6, vitamin A, vitamin E and folate.
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Healthy Tiramisu by Chocolate Covered Katie
Tiramisu is a classic dessert items you gladly order after a romantic dinner date, but the word “healthy” is typically not associated with it. This recipe is a refreshing take on the popular coffee-flavored Italian dessert, however. Under 100 calories, the ingredients include tofu to provide a rich flavor and creamy texture you won’t even miss the typical calorie-bomb.
