5 Quick, Easy, and Healthy Desserts

By Cecilia H. Lee

As the days get longer, kids are back in school and autumn leaves start to show their colorful foliage. The last rays of summer are leaving us, but there's still time to take advantage of healthy summer fruits before they leave the produce shelves. We've assembled a bunch of quick and easy desserts using these summer fruits that you can whip up in no time. While they'll satisfy your sweet tooth, these desserts are actually good for you!

1. Melon salad. Gone are the days of melon ballers and fruit drowned in whipped cream and (shudder) mayonnaise. Just get a couple of your favorite melons, such as honeydew, cantaloupe, or watermelon, and slice them up. Arrange them artfully on a serving platter, drizzle them with a bit of honey, and toss some chopped fresh mint leaves on top. Voilà! Not only do you have a beautiful presentation, but you have a healthy choice, too.
   
   Since melons have a high water content, they are low in calories and can be eaten as much as you like. They are also a good source of vitamin C and beta-carotene. They may also help lower your risk for developing cancer and heart disease.
   
2. Grilled stone fruit. Fruit on the grill? That may sound like a bad idea, but stone fruits (like peaches, plums, apricots, and nectarines) are wonderful on the grill. Just cut each of the fruits in half, remove the pits, and skewer them with thick wooden skewers (it's best if you soak the skewers in water for a bit beforehand to prevent them from burning). Spray a grill rack with nonstick spray, and preheat the grill (to about medium-high heat). Just put the fruit on the grill (cut-side down) and grill until the fruit gets heated (about 5 minutes). Serve nice and hot off the grill, skewers or not.
   
   Generally, stone fruits are rich in iron and potassium. Peaches are low in calories and high in vitamin C. Plums have a high vitamin E content and are wonderful antioxidants. Apricots are rich in beta-carotene and help regulate blood pressure. Stone fruits also serve as gentle laxatives and help regulate your bowels.
3. Chocolate-covered bananas. You can make a delicious and easy version of chocolate-covered bananas at home. Just take a handful of semisweet chocolate chips (the higher the cocoa content, the healthier) and melt them in a microwave. In the meantime, get a plate or shallow bowl and slice bananas into it. Drizzle the chocolate over the bananas, and sprinkle them with some toasted almonds, if you like.
   
   Bananas are a good way of getting potassium and vitamin B6. Chocolate has antioxidant effects and may help keep your blood pressure down. Almonds can help lower cholesterol levels and are high in protein, calcium, magnesium, potassium, and vitamin E. They actually serve as an appetite suppressant, so even just eating a handful of them makes for a healthy snack.
   
4. Mixed-berry frozen treats. Get some of your favorite nonfat sorbet (raspberry and lemon are delicious options). Top it with a mix of berries, such as strawberries, blueberries, raspberries, and/or sliced strawberries.
   
   Strawberries are low in calories, are a good source of vitamin C, and help raise antioxidant levels in your system. Blackberries are an excellent way for you to get vitamin E into your diet. They help fight off infections and contain vitamin C, folate, and phenolic acids. Rich in vitamin C, iron, potassium, and folate, raspberries also have wonderful antioxidant properties. Blueberries, of course, have some of the highest antioxidant properties of any fruit. They also have wonderful anti-inflammatory, antibacterial, and antiaging properties.
5. Yogurt and fruit. All you need is some nonfat yogurt and a variety of fruit to make this flavorful dessert (which you can enjoy any time of day!). Layer some unsweetened yogurt in a cup (sprinkle a bit of raw sugar or honey if you want it a little sweeter) and then add some cut fruit that you like. Good candidates are pineapples, kiwi, strawberries, blueberries, raspberries, or bananas. Add another layer of yogurt and more fruit. If you want to go wild, sprinkle a bit of granola on top.
   
   We've already covered the benefits of fruit, but yogurt is an excellent source of calcium, protein, vitamin B12, and riboflavin. It's better for you than a glass of milk. We suggest nonfat yogurt because there's no need for the extra fat. For those of us who are lactose intolerant, yogurt cultures produce lactase, an enzyme that breaks down lactose.

These are just a few of the plethora of healthy options you have to satisfy your sweet tooth. You can come up with so many more; just visit your local farmers' market for ideas of your own. But get there soon—the last of the summer fruits may be leaving. However, there are so many wonderful fall vegetables to choose from, too. Happy hunting!