Our Favorite Healthy Summer Dessert 2022

In honor of National Piña Colada Day, Danni and I bring you our favorite healthy summer dessert for 2022!

Piña Colada Parfaits

My favorite healthy summer dessert for 2022 is such a simple recipe, I almost can’t call it a recipe – so this is going to be a quick post with just the basics, cause that’s all you need. Also, I’m visiting Calgary right now, so I am busy bugging Dani, eating, drinking, stampeding, yahoo-ing and such. I just wanted to get this to you in time for National Pina Colada Day 🙂

Piña Colada Parfaits take NO time to put together, are light and healthy, and a perfect addition to your next summer bbq.

Want a light dessert for book club? Yup – these will work. I dare say you could add these to a breakfast or brunch buffet as well.

I will let you in on a little secret. I don’t really love the idea of a piña colada (coconut and pineapple have never really done it for me), even though my fav pie ever is coconut cream. WEIRD right? But something about this parfait is perfect!

These parfaits are one of those not too sweet desserts. The fresh pineapple adds the only sweetness, so there is no added sugar. The coconut milk adds the richness, and my favorite Trader Joe’s Bourbon Vanilla Abstract adds this awesome touch of just a little something-something.

Use this recipe to fill two wide parfait glasses or use shot glasses for a taster size (buffet ready!)

One thing I DO have to tell you a little about is one of the ingredients in this parfait. Many people will have never heard of ZENBASIL seeds. In fact, even Danni gave me a weird look when I told her I was making a recipe with them. So while basil seeds look almost identical to CHIA seeds, basil seeds have (gram to gram):

2x the fibre, 2x the potassium, 2x the calcium, 2x the iron, and 10x the prebiotics.

Pretty cool, right?

So if you are in to trying new, healthy additions to your diet – give them a try. I bought mine through Amazon, but I attached the link above.

Of course, you can make this recipe with Chia seeds too if that is what you have!

Pina Colada Parfaits

An easy healthy dessert or brunch item to add to your Summer menu

• 1 can unsweetened coconut milk (lite or regular)
• 1.5 tsp vanilla (We like Trader Joes Bourbon Vanilla)
• 1 1/2 cup fresh pineapple
• 8 tbsp Chia seeds or ZenBasil seeds (try the ZenBasil seeds – really!)
• 1/2 cup unsweetened coconut (We like the large flake)
• sprinkle optional white chocolate chips (if you want to make it "extra")

1. Add can of coconut milk and 1 cup of fresh pineapple to the blender.

2. Blend until smooth and then pour into your glassware

3. For two servings, add 4 tbsp of ZenBasil seeds (or Chia seeds) to each glass and give it a good stir.

4. Place in freezer for 15 minutes or if you are serving the next day, in the fridge if you like.

5. If you think about it, give it a stir at about 7 minutes just to mix it up again.

6. Remove from freezer and add remaining fresh cut pineapple and sprinkle coconut to make it look pretty on top. You can alternate the two ingredients a bit. Just play around with it. And – if you want to make it "extra" add a few white chocolate chips for fun.

7. Enjoy!

8. ** If you want to make these in large shot or champagne glasses, I would mix the chia and coconut mixture in one bowl and then add to glassware.

Dessert

brunchideas, healthy desserts, lightdesserts, summerdesserts

This summer, I expect you to have lots of invites or dinner parties of your own. Take a chance and try this one!

If you are looking for other desserts to try this summer, why not check out some of our other favs:

Individual Raspberry Baked Alaska’s

Matcha Creme Brulee

or

Peach Blueberry Crumble

Wishing you the BEST National Piña Colada Day 🙂

xx

C

Five Decadent Dessert Ideas for Valentine’s Day

Ok – poo poo Valentine’s Day all you want, but who doesn’t love a day dedicated not only to LOVE but also to CHOCOLATE 🙂

While Danni isn’t really a dessert person (she hasn’t met a crème brûlée she doesn’t like, but other than that, she doesn’t really eat sweets) I, on the other hand love everything about dessert.

Bring on the chocolate, the donuts, the cheesecake, the cupcakes, the tarts – you name it – I LOVE. In fact, the more carbs the better.

AND

If you are at a restaurant with me – please don’t ask me to share my dessert. I REALLY, REALLY want my own!

So – today, in honour of Valentine’s Day we are bringing you FIVE decadent dessert ideas.

Nope – these are not our creations, but let’s face it, when we are looking for ideas, we all check out google. Well – I’ve googled, sampled and tested and these are the five BEST we’ve come up with and all in one place, just for you! We’ve got our vegan friends covered, and one that is pretty kid / family friendly – if your definition of a Valentine’s celebration includes the littles. And guess what? AIR FRYER dessert anyone – yes please?

Read on friends… read on

Air Fryer Mocha Pudding Cakes

How many of you have joined the AIR FRYER craze? Um – everyone?

I’m late to join the obsession, but I do know that if you LOVE your air fryer – you LOVE your air fryer.

I haven’t heard much about the air fryer in terms of dessert, but I’m willing to try anything – especially in the name of SUGAR (and research of course!)

These Air Fryer Mocha Pudding Cakes are number ONE on our five decadent dessert ideas for Valentine’s Day. These are Yum, Yum and Yum – and I’m a sucker for a great, soft, chocolate, pudding cake and an even bigger sucker for a dessert that is quick with an easy clean up. Valentine’s Day is on a Monday this year, so this is the perfect after work dessert.

Why not give an air fryer dessert a try this year?

Find the recipe HERE

Nutty Dark Chocolate and Strawberry Chia Jam Cheesecake – VEGAN

Ok – so full disclosure, I am NOT Vegan, or even vegetarian – but hey, we know those of you that are, need a scrumptious dessert for LOVE day too, and we are here for you.

This amazing dish is a must try because it is the brainchild of one of our fav. YYC food bloggers, Food By Maria, and hey – it’s cheesecake – need I say more? I love that this is a vegan recipe that isn’t too crazy difficult, and doesn’t take much time (no soaking the cashews for days on end).

I’m pretty sure this one would be “Danni-Approved!” As a side note, if you are vegan, you should be following Food by Maria. Not only does she offer this wonderful dessert, she’s got lots of other great recipes you will enjoy as well.

FInd the recipe HERE

FAMILY FRIENDLY: Saltine Cracker Toffee – Valentine Version

There may be a few of you that know this recipe all too well. I’ve heard this lovely snack referred to affectionately as “Christmas Crack” but I really love the Valentine spin Kylee from “Kylee Cooks” has given it. Kylee is my perfect definition of a home chef. She just loves to cook, and loves to share that with her followers. Her recipes are made with simple ingredients and seem really doable. I love that.

This Saltine Cracker Toffee is totally simple and cheap to make. I love this kind of recipe because it is totally old school. It’s the mushroom soup casserole of desserts… 🙂

The thing I love about “old favorites” is that you know they will taste delish, and you can pretty much guarantee to please a crowd. Also, this is a fun one to make for teens or young adults and leave on the counter for after school. Totally unexpected, but so FUN!

Ok – this one probably wouldn’t be approved for an everyday after school snack, but on Valentine’s Day – come on Mom, this will be great!

Find the recipe HERE

Featured DESSERT Blog: Handle the Heat

Ok – I know, I know – this is supposed to be 5 decadent dessert ideas for Valentine’s Day – but I have to tell you – I just could not decide which dessert was the most swoon-worthy on this amazing food blogger’s site.

I am fairly new to “HANDLE the HEAT” and I’ll tell you how I happened upon Tessa’s blog.

Being new to AZ, at the beginning of my time here, I received all my news from Canada still. I got updates from CTV and CBC, and still checked in on my food favs in YYC. But as I started to settle in, I realized that I had to really immerse myself in what is going on here, in my new home. As I started to shift, I pointedly visited quite a few blogs – both on the food side, and on the “happenings in AZ” side! Wow – there are a ton of talented people in this valley sharing their passions.

I LOVE Handle the Heat because it is ALL yummy treats and baking – my ultimate weakness. And hey, if you are going to make something sweet – it better be worth the effort, right?

One visit to this site, and you will totally get what I mean, when I said I just could NOT decide on one dessert to feature on the blog. Should it be the Ultimate Nutella Cupcakes? OR what about the Cookie Dough Hearts? Oh never mind – guess what – Tessa has an entire section of her blog dedicated to Valentine’s desserts. And I couldn’t recommend her ideas more…

Find the Valentine’s section HERE

What about your friends Mojo and Moxie??

Not to brag, but hey, we’ve got a few recipes here on the blog that will work for you too – just sayin’

Have you tried our HEALTHY Light Chocolate Mousse recipe?

How about our AMAZING Heart Shaped Chocolate Cake?

No matter how you celebrate Valentine’s Day – make sure you cap it off with a special yummy treat and make sure you share those treats with us by tagging Mojo and Moxie.

Happy Valentine’s Day friends!

“Besides Chocolate, you’re my favorite!”

xx

C

Dinner Party Perfect Peach Blueberry Crumble

Are you looking for a dessert that works for either a dinner party or surprise weeknight treat? Look no further – we have Dinner Party Perfect Peach Blueberry Crumbles that will impress both your boss AND your teens.

Valentines Day and Chocolate Cake

The other day, I was getting this blog post prepared and having a discussion on Valentines Day with my family. My son mentioned, “remember when we would have steak and lobster for dinner?..Can we do that again? Sure!!

Many years ago my husband and I decided that we would forego the typical Valentines Day date night and make it an in home dinner with the kids. We would make something special that we do not typically eat. So we picked lobster and hey why not get you kids aged 4 and 6 hooked on lobster. ;).. The best part of the dinner was always dessert and I would make everyone their own heart shaped chocolate cake..

And this is where my cake story begins….