Top 5 Pregnancy Sweet Tooth Hacks

Since I’ve become pregnant I have been experiencing some crazy cravings and I seem to ALWAYS be hungry. I asked Tori for some healthy, hit the spot snacks, that would be delicious for us growing a bun in the oven and for those that aren’t. I’ll let Tori take it from here …

Pregnancy brings some incredible changes to our bodies: beautiful hair, heartburn, and some wicked food cravings. I’ve developed a bit more of a sweet-tooth during my pregnancy, and since I know better than to sit down with a tub of Hagen Daaz to indulge myself, I came up with my top healthy 5 go-to sweet tooth snack hacks to share with you. They still pack some nutrition but will absolutely satisfy your sweet tooth….pregnant or not!

 1. Chocolate Almond Frozen Bananas:
Dipped in melted dark chocolate and rolled in toasted chopped almonds (you could use any nut really, hazelnuts would be amazing too).  They store for 1-2 weeks in the freezer if you keep them in a re-sealable container. That is, if you have any left. I double dare you to keep them around for that long!

 Ingredients:
 Makes 12

• 6 ripe bananas, peeled and cut in half crossways
• 1 c. roughly chopped dark chocolate
• 1/2 c. chopped toasted almonds*
• 12 wooden popsicle sticks

* I used a small food processor and pulsed it until they were roughly chopped into small pieces

Directions:

1. Take each banana half and insert a popsicle stick into the middle of the cut end of the banana until it is about half-way through.  Repeat with all of the banana halves.
2. Once finished, place the bananas on a cookie sheet lined with parchment paper and freeze them until solid, an hour or two.
3. Once frozen, bring a small pot of water to a simmer.  Place the chocolate in a medium sized heatproof bowl (glass or stainless steel) and set on top of the simmering water (or use a double boiler if you have one).  Melt the chocolate, stirring constantly, over the water and remove from the heat immediately once almost completely melted.  Alternately you can melt the chocolate in a microwave, stopping to stir the chocolate every 10-15 seconds until completely melted.  Place the melted chocolate in a narrow glass.
4. Place the almonds in a small shallow bowl.
5. Take each frozen banana half, and dip the end of each banana in the melted chocolate and immediately roll the chocolate end in the almonds.  Place back on the parchment paper and repeat until all of the bananas are dipped.
6. Freeze the tray of bananas until ready to serve.

2. Strawberry Coconut Lime Frozen Yogurt:

All you need is a good quality blender or a food processor (I use a mini food processor that is an attachment on my immersion blender for the smaller portions – I find that a food processor works better than a blender).   This is my favorite snack-hack and is ready in a minute, talk about instant gratification!  It’s packed with protein as well from the Greek yogurt, which I love.

Ingredients:
Serves 2

• 1 ½ c. frozen sliced strawberries
• ½ tsp. fresh lime juice
• 1 tsp. honey
• ¾ c. coconut Greek yogurt

Directions:

1. Place all of your ingredients in a food processor (use a mini one for the smaller portion indicated here). Process until smooth.
2. Eat immediately or freeze for 30-60 minutes. If you are feeling fancy you can use a piping bag fitted with a large fluted tip to create the swirled effect shown here.

3. Dark Chocolate Bites:

So simple, with a world of possibilities for you to experiment with!  Just remember, these are still a treat (ie: a portion is a few bites).  Dark chocolate is far more satisfying and acts as an antioxidant in our bodies.

Ingredients:

• 1 c. good-quality dark chocolate chunks, chopped
• Toppings (your choice):
  • Toasted coconut
  • Dried fruit (ie: cranberries, raisins, cherries or blueberries)
  • Roasted nuts (ie: hazelnuts, almonds, pecans, cashews)
  • Hemp seeds (or other seeds)

Directions:

1. Bring a small pot of water to a simmer.  Place the chocolate in a medium sized heatproof bowl (glass or stainless steel) and set on top of the simmering water (or use a double boiler if you have one).  Melt the chocolate, stirring constantly, over the water and remove from the heat immediately once almost completely melted.  Alternately you can melt the chocolate in a microwave, stopping to stir the chocolate every 10-15 seconds until completely melted.
2. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
3. Drop small dollops of the melted chocolate on the parchment paper and sprinkle each with your preferred toppings.
4. Set aside to allow the chocolate to set.  You can also keep these in the freezer (freeze the whole pan and once frozen, place them in a small plastic container with a lid).

4. Apple Nut Butter Sandwiches

Crisp fruit and nut butter go together like Bonnie and Clyde.  Nuts are packed with healthy fats and protein to keep you going, making this a perfect snack. You can add raisins or toasted coconut to your ‘sandwich’ if you wish!   These are a great snack to take in your lunch on the road or to work.

Ingredients:
Serves 2

• 1 medium apple, washed, cored and cut into slices horizontally
• 3 Tbsp. nut butter (peanut, almond, hazelnut or cashew)
• 1 Tbsp. raisins or shredded coconut (optional)

Directions:

1. Spread the nut butter evenly on one side of half of the apple slices.
2. Sprinkle with your desired toppings and eat!

5. Grapefruit Popsicles

I happened to be one of those lucky gals that had morning sickness during my early pregnancy.  One of the few things that I actually craved was grapefruit, and for some reason, frozen things tasted even better.  Grapefruit popsicles are a great solution to help stave off morning sickness, no recipe required.  Simply pour slightly sweetened ruby red grapefruit juice into your favorite popsicle mould and freeze!

Do you have any pregnancy sweet tooth hacks to share?? Let us know in the comments below …

xo

Tori