22 Spring Desserts to Help Fight Inflammation
Reviewed by Dietitian Jessica Ball, M.S., RD
Dessert doesn’t have to be off the menu this spring if you’re trying to lower your risk of chronic inflammation. These mouthwatering desserts feature inflammation-fighting ingredients like nuts, seeds and whole grains to help keep pesky symptoms like mental fog, digestive issues and joint stiffness at bay. Plus, delicious, seasonal fruit like strawberries, rhubarb, kiwi and pineapple also have anti-inflammatory properties from the fiber and antioxidants they contain to help you feel your best.
On warmer days, our Pineapple Nice Cream and "Chocomole" Pudding always hit the spot. And when you’re in the mood to get baking, our Strawberry-Oat Streusel Bars and Peanut Butter-Banana Frozen Yogurt Cake are well worth the effort.
Strawberry-Chocolate Greek Yogurt Bark
Greek yogurt gets studded with fresh strawberries and chocolate chips and then frozen so you can break it into chunks just like chocolate bark (but healthier!). This colorful snack is perfect for kids and adults alike.
Pineapple Nice Cream
All-fruit, dairy-free and with no added sugar--these are the hallmarks of nice cream, a healthy alternative to ice cream. This pineapple nice cream has tropical flavors, thanks to a hit of mango and lime. It takes just minutes to make this naturally sweet frozen dessert in the food processor or a blender. Enjoy it alone, or top with fresh fruit and toasted coconut.
"Chocomole" Pudding
Creamy avocados make this dairy-free and vegan chocolate dessert recipe super-rich. Serve as a not-so-sweet dessert or with strawberries for dipping.
Pineapple-Ginger Upside-Down Cake
Caramelized pineapple chunks are balanced by fresh ginger for a sweet, but not overly sweet, cake. Serve this light and fluffy dessert at a brunch or potluck.
Strawberry-Oat Streusel Bars
The dough in this easy dessert recipe does double duty--it creates a sturdy crust to hold all the gooey strawberry filling and also makes a crisp crumb topping. Serve with a scoop of vanilla ice cream or a dollop of whipped cream to take this to the next level.
Raspberry-Lemon Greek Frozen Yogurt Bark
A thin layer of honey-sweetened Greek yogurt is topped with fresh raspberries and lemon zest and then frozen and broken into chunks for a colorful snack or healthy dessert that kids and adults will love.
Chocolate-Pistachio Kiwi
Drizzle melted dark chocolate onto sliced kiwis and sprinkle with pistachio nuts for a fast healthy dessert or snack that satisfies your sweet, salty cravings.
Nut & Berry Parfait
In this quick high-protein breakfast recipe, Greek yogurt is topped with healthy berries and almonds and lightly sweetened with honey.
Piña Colada Nice Cream
Get all the tropical flavors you love in a piña colada in this creamy dairy-free dessert. This ice cream alternative gets its sweetness from pineapple and coconut and is just as delicious with or without the optional rum. Either way, it's sure to put you in a beachy state of mind--not bad for a treat that takes just 10 minutes to whip up in your food processor.
Rhubarb-Raspberry Crumble
Rhubarb is a tangy counterpart for sweet raspberries in this fruit crumble recipe. For a nutty flavor and a boost of nutrition, this healthy dessert uses whole-grain rye flour and toasted pecans. Serve the crumble with your favorite vanilla frozen yogurt or a dollop of whipped cream.
Chocolate Raspberry Tofu Pie
This chocolate raspberry tofu pie gets an amazing smooth, rich, creamy texture from pureed tofu. But no need to reveal that tofu is the secret ingredient--we're sure no one will guess.
Peanut Butter-Banana Frozen Yogurt Cake
This grown-up version of ice cream cake is a little sweet and a little salty. The yogurt cake gets its distinct flavor from freeze-dried banana slices--they can be pulverized into a powder (unlike regular dried bananas, which have a chewy texture). Read more about Kristen Hartke's love of baking.
Pineapple-Chipotle Pops
Discover your inner child with these very grown-up ice pops! Pineapple and coconut milk are blended together with a hint of chipotle powder to give just the slightest bit of heat. You need six 4-ounce pop molds or eight 3-ounce paper cups and eight wooden craft sticks.
Strawberry-Rhubarb Icebox Cake
Ginger cookies absorb moisture from a rhubarb-laced whipped cream, turning them into cake-like layers while this icebox cake chills in the fridge. We also layered in fresh strawberries for gorgeous color and a little extra sweetness. Pre-chilling a metal mixing bowl in the freezer cools the compote down in a snap.
Chocolate & Nut Butter Bites
Sweet satisfaction in seconds.
Strawberry-Pistachio Greek Yogurt Bark
Strawberries and pistachios top a thin layer of Greek yogurt for a colorful and tasty frozen treat. A sprinkle of chocolate cookie crumbs finishes this satisfying snack or dessert.
Coconut-Cream Fruit Salad
Photographer: Greg Dupree, Food Stylist: Ana Kelley, Prop Stylist: Christina Brockman
Dragon fruit, kiwi, watermelon, pineapple, papaya and mango all feature in this colorful fruit salad, but you can easily swap in your preferred fruits. You can use either white- or purple-flesh dragon fruit—just be careful with the latter as the juice can leave stains. A zingy dressing made from lime and ginger completes the dish.
Virgin Banana Piña Colada Pops
The tropical flavors of a piña colada make for one delicious ice pop. Be sure to reach for ripe bananas to get the perfect sweetness (without any added sugar!) for this clean-eating-friendly frozen treat.
Pineapple Coffee Cake
Nonfat plain yogurt stands in for sour cream to add moisture and tenderness to this lightened-up pineapple coffee cake. Best of all, you can mix the batter and have this wholesome breakfast treat in the oven in under 15 minutes--that's healthy in a hurry.
Strawberry-Rhubarb Bars
These healthy strawberry-rhubarb bars are perfect for spring. Strawberries add sweetness to balance the tart flavor of the rhubarb, while a nutty topping adds delicious crunch.
Dairy-Free Banana Rice Pudding
This rice pudding is dairy-free, but the bananas and rice milk make it so creamy and rich-tasting, no one will know the difference.
Low-Sugar Strawberry Rhubarb Crisp
Rhubarb and strawberries are signs of spring in much of the United States. Rosy rhubarb is technically a vegetable, but it's quite tart, making it a bit more at home in the sweet kitchen. Strawberries share the same season and temper rhubarb's astringency, making the duo a classic pairing.
Read the original article on Eating Well.
