A stroll down the aisles of a supermarket will reveal a host of quick and easy desserts. However, while most of those desserts might be filling and tasty, they are generally high in fat, sugar and other additives. When you make your own desserts, you can control how much fat or sugar you add. You can also ensure they’re made of healthy ingredients such as wholemeal flour, quick oats, fruit and dairy.
So, here are a few recipes you can turn to when you’re craving something sweet, but also want it healthy. Most can be made from Pantry Essentials, particularly fruit – including bananas, Granny Smith apples and frozen mixed berries – as well as staples and dairy, so you can quickly whip up something sweet and tasty from what you have on hand.
If you have some pita bread on hand, you can use it to make an Apple Turnover. (See 6 Ways with Pita Bread)
If you’re feeling particularly self-indulgent, you could try something from the entry Quick and Healthy Snacks: Microwave Cakes-in-a-Mug.
Recipes:
Microwave Apple and Berry Crumble
Warm Berry and Oatmeal Dessert
Berry Bread and Butter Pudding
Microwave Rich Egg Custard
- 1 egg
- 1–2 tsp. cornflour
- ½ cup cold low-fat milk
- 1–2 tsp vanilla sugar or cocoa and/or sugar,
- Cinnamon (optional)
- In a tall cup dissolve 1–2 tsp. cornflour in ½ cup cold low-fat milk
- Thoroughly whisk in an egg
- Microwave on defrost setting (30% power) for 5 minutes
- Whisk in flavouring such as cocoa and sugar, sugar and cinnamon, or vanilla sugar
- Microwave on defrost setting for a further 5 minutes
- Let stand for 2 minutes
- Can be served warm or chilled
Instant Banana Pudding
- 1 medium banana, firm
- 1 tsp. butter or margarine
- ½ tsp. honey
- 1 tsp. lemon juice
- Cinnamon
- 1 tbsp. natural yoghurt (optional)
- Desiccated coconut (optional)
- Place butter, honey, lemon juice and cinnamon in a small bowl and microwave for 30 seconds
- Mix thoroughly
- Peel and slice the banana
- Add to butter mixture and stir through
- Microwave on high for 90 seconds
- Stir in yoghurt (optional)
- Sprinkle with desiccated coconut (optional)
Chocolate Banana Pudding
- 1 banana, firm
- 1 tbsp. natural yoghurt
- 1–2 tsp. cocoa
- 1–2 tsp. honey
- Desiccated coconut (optional)
- Peel and slice the banana and place in a small bowl
- Stir in cocoa
- Microwave on high for 90 seconds
- Stir in honey and yoghurt
- Sprinkle with desiccated coconut (optional)
Microwave Apple Crumble
- 1 Granny Smith apple
- 1 tbsp. sultanas
- 1 tsp. lemon juice
- 1 tsp. sugar
- Cinnamon
- 1 tbsp. butter or margarine
- 2 tbsp. quick oats
- 1 tbsp. wholemeal flour
- 1 tbsp. desiccated coconut
- 1–2 tbsp. natural yoghurt (optional)
- Peel and chop apple
- Place in a mug or small bowl with sultanas and 2 tbsp. water
- Add lemon juice, sugar and cinnamon
- Cover and microwave on high for 5–6 minutes
- Place butter in another cup and microwave on high for 30 seconds to melt
- Stir in oats, flour and coconut
- Top apples with oat mixture and microwave on high for 60 seconds
- Let cool so that topping sets
- Serve with a dollop of natural yoghurt (optional)
Microwave Apple and Berry Crumble
- 1 (Granny Smith) apple
- ¼ cup frozen mixed berries
- 1 tsp. lemon juice
- 1 tsp. sugar
- Cinnamon
- 1 tbsp. butter
- 2 tbsp. quick oats
- 1 tbsp. wholemeal flour
- 1 tbsp. desiccated coconut
- Natural yoghurt (optional).
- Peel and chop the apple
- Place in a mug or bowl with berries, lemon juice, sugar and cinnamon
- Cover and microwave on high for 5 minutes
- In another cup, microwave butter on high for 30 seconds to melt
- Stir in oats, flour and coconut
- Top fruit with oat mixture and microwave on high for 60 seconds
- Let cool to set the crumble and serve with a dollop of natural yoghurt (optional)
Variation: omit crumble topping (Steps 4–6) and serve as a compote
Frozen Berry Pudding
- ½ cup frozen mixed berries
- ¼ cup natural yoghurt
- 1 tsp. honey or sugar (optional)
- 2 tbsp. quick oats or instant couscous
- Take berries from freezer and allow to semi-thaw
- In the small cup of a bullet blender thoroughly blend together berries with yoghurt and honey (optional)
- Stir through quick oats or couscous
- Let stand for 10 minutes or refrigerate for 30 minutes
Warm Berry and Oatmeal Dessert
- ¼ cup quick oats
- 1 tbsp. almond meal
- ¼ cup frozen mixed berries
- ¼ cup low-fat milk, or 1–2 tbsp. natural yoghurt (optional)
- Desiccated coconut (optional)
- In a medium bowl, mix together oats and almond meal and top with berries
- Just cover with boiling water
- Cover and microwave on high for 2 minutes
- Cool by stirring in some cold water, milk or yoghurt (optional)
- Sprinkle with coconut (optional)
Variation: substitute cold low-fat milk for water in Step 2
Berry Bread and Butter Pudding
- ½ cup frozen mixed berries
- 1 slice wholegrain bread
- ½ cup low-fat milk
- 1 tsp. sugar (optional)
- 2 tsp. cornflour
- Cinnamon and/or ginger
- Desiccated coconut (optional)
- 1 tsp. (plus) butter or margarine
- Oil spray
- Take berries from freezer and allow to thaw out
- Lightly toast and butter the bread
- Remove crusts (optional) and cut into 1 cm squares
- Spray a small pie dish with oil
- Spread bread squares in base of pie dish and distribute berries over bread
- Whisk cornflour into cold milk in a large mug
- Cover and microwave on high for 30 seconds
- Stir butter into milk
- Cover and microwave on high for 30 seconds
- Whisk in sugar (optional) and spices
- Cover and microwave on high for 30 seconds, then stir thoroughly
- Repeat until thickened
- Pour sauce over bread and berries
- Sprinkle with spices and coconut (optional)
- Bake in a pre-heated moderate (175°C) toaster oven for 20 minutes
Sweet Couscous
- ¼ cup instant couscous
- 1 tbsp. sultanas (or similar)
- 2 tsp. almond meal
- ½ tsp. honey or sugar
- 1 tsp. butter or margarine
- Desiccated coconut (optional)
- Natural yoghurt (optional)
- Place sultanas in a small bowl, cover with boiling water, microwave on high for 60 seconds and drain
- Add couscous, almond meal, honey and butter
- Stir in ¼ cup boiling water and let stand until water is absorbed
- Stir in a sprinkle of coconut (optional)
- Serve with a dollop of yoghurt (optional)
Variation: substitute ¼ cup frozen berries for the sultanas. At Step 1 place berries in a bowl and microwave on high for 60 seconds.
Quick Rice Pudding
- 1 single-serve microwave white rice
- ½ cup low-fat milk
- 1 tsp. cornflour
- 1 tsp. sugar or vanilla sugar
- Cinnamon (optional)
- Microwave rice on high for 20 seconds more than instructed
- In a large mug, whisk together cold milk, cornflour, vanilla sugar or sugar and cinnamon (optional)
- Stir the rice into the milk
- Microwave covered on high for 60 seconds
- Let stand for 5 minutes
- Stir and microwave covered on high for 30 seconds
- Stir and let stand for 5 minutes
Chocolate Oatmeal Pudding
- ¼ cup quick oats
- 2 tsp. cocoa
- 1 tbsp. almond meal
- 1 tbsp. desiccated coconut
- 1–2 tbsp. natural yoghurt
- 1–2 tsp. honey
- Mix oats, cocoa, almond meal and coconut in a small bowl
- Just cover with boiling water
- Cover and microwave on high for 90 seconds
- Stir in honey and yoghurt
- Can be served warm or chilled
Pita Bread Apple Turnover
- 1 small round of pita bread
- ¼ Granny Smith apple
- Cinnamon and sugar
- 1 tbsp. sultanas (optional)
- Peel and finely slice apple
- Place sultanas in a cup, cover with water, microwave for 60 seconds and drain (optional)
- Place apple on one half of round and sprinkle with cinnamon and a little sugar
- Add sultanas to filling (optional)
- Fold pita, wrap in baking paper and toast in sandwich press until crisp
- Allow to cool a little before cutting in two
Pita Pocket Apple Turnover
- 1 half pocket of a pita pocket
- ¼ Granny Smith apple
- Cinnamon and sugar
- 1 tbsp. sultanas (optional)
- Peel and finely slice apple
- Place sultanas in a cup, cover with water, microwave for 60 seconds and drain (optional)
- Place apple in a bowl and stir in cinnamon, a little sugar and sultanas (optional)
- Insert apple mixture into pita pocket
- Wrap in baking paper and toast in sandwich press until crisp
- Allow to cool a little before serving