Once a good meal has come to an end, dessert beckons. And for certain guests this is the highlight of the party! Don’t let them down. Here are a slew of suggestions that assuage sweet cravings, with only the best, fresh ingredients. Set these out on a dessert buffet and let the gang graze away.
Grandy Oats Coconola
For those who like to stick to a gluten-free, or paleo category, comes a granola mix that uses coconut as its base, and supplies the crunch and sweet enjoyment of traditional granola. When entertaining, try one of these mixes to accompany items on a cheese board. And if you are hosting a brunch, serve it as a topping for waffles or yogurt—or just put out on its own as a snack.
Coconola is organic, non-GMO verified, Kosher, and made in small batches at a solar-powered bakery in Western Maine. As a matter of fact, GrandyOats purchased and renovated an abandoned elementary school in Hiram, and converted it into a state-of-the art, completely solar-powered facility.
Note the four varieties: The Original mix includes coconut, cashews, pumpkin seeds, sunflower seeds, pecans, sesame seeds, a little maple syrup and vanilla. For extra energy, choose Coffee Crunch, an exceptional flavor combo with added coconut nectar and ground coffee (my favorite blend!). Chocolate lovers will be attracted to the Chocolate Chunk Coconola which includes dark chocolate bites. Super Hemp Blend Coconola lends a grassy flavor to the mix with protein-packed hemp.
A case of six 9 oz packages is $48. (and totally worth it) Make sure to order the individual packages, or a 10 lb box will arrive at your door (I made this mistake!). grandyoats.com
If you are looking to get more creative, check out these two fun recipes that incorporate the crunchy flavors. (seen in the photo at the top of this post).
COCONOLA + YOGURT POPSICLES
Popsicle mold for 8
2 CUPS vanilla Greek yogurt
2 TB honey or maple syrup
1/2 CUP fresh berries, with additional for layering
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1/4 CUP GrandyOats Coconola
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Mix first three ingredients in a bowl. Add a few berries to the popsicle mold, pour in the yogurt mix. Insert the popsicle sticks into the center of each mold. Sprinkle GrandyOats Coconola. Freeze at least 8 hours.
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COCONOLA AçAI BOWL
1 Sambazon frozen açaí puree packet
1/2 banana, frozen
1/2 avocado, frozen
1/4 CUP coconut milk
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1/4 CUP GrandyOats Cococnola (any flavor)
sliced fruit for toppings
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Get out the blender. Add açai, banana, avocado, coconut milk and blend until smooth. Spoon into a bowl, add GrandyOats Coconola. Top with fruit.
Reveri Plant-Based Frozen Dessert
What happens when an award-winning restaurateur returns to America after 20+ years in Bali? Karen Waddell came back to the US and was shocked to notice the rise in childhood obesity, so she became determined to get kids off added sugar. Reveri is the result, a plant-based dessert that delivers the sweetness and rich mouth feel of ice cream, yet contains no dairy, added sugar, sweeteners, or fats.
Waddell grew up eating rich cuisine made by her mother, a chef who had trained under James Beard, and followed in her mother’s footsteps. Since her family also had a history of diabetes, as an adult Waddell was challenged to create recipes that were rich in taste, but used healthier ingredients. At her first restaurant in Bali, she was known for sourcing goodies from her own organic farm.
“You’re not going to stop people craving ice cream,” Waddell said. “I feel good about the fact that anyone can eat Reveri and feel great afterwards. Your body is the processor. You don’t need processed food.”
Only 70-90 calories per 4-ounce serving, it comes in four flavors: Vanilla Almond Blossom, Purple Mint Chip (which gets its color from blueberries), Chocolate Forest, and Strawberry Patch. Here are a couple of recipes that use Reveri as a base, and add fresh ingredients to mimic traditional desserts: A Carrot Cake and Apple Pie.
Reveri Carrot Cake
SERVES 12 (MAKES 78 OZ)
MAKE THE VANILLA BASE AHEAD
3 CUPS Almond Breeze unsweetened Almond Milk
24 oz Vanilla Almond Blossom Reveri
1/4 CUP Vanilla whey (or vegan) protein powder
pinch salt
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1 1/2 CUP oz rolled oats
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Combine ingredients, except oats, in a blender until well mixed. Pour into container, add oats, stir well. Seal container. Refrigerate overnight.
MAKE THE CARROT CAKE MIX
62 oz Vanilla Base
3/4 CUP carrot, shredded
1/2 CUP oz raisins
1/3 CUP walnuts- chopped small pieces
1/4 CUP orange juice
1 TB cinnamon
1/2 tsp salt
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fresh pineapple, chopped, for garnish
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In a bowl combine all ingredients, except pineapple. Stir well until thoroughly mixed. Place into sealed container. Refrigerate a few hours. Portion into 12 cups, garnish with pineapple.
Reveri Apple Pie
Use the same vanilla base from the Carrot Cake recipe, then add these fresh ingredients.
SERVES 12 (MAKES 78 OZ)
MAKE THE APPLE PIE MIX
62 oz Vanilla Base
3/4 CUP tart apple, unpeeled, julienned
1/4 CUP oz raw pumpkin seeds, plus additional for garnish
1/4 CUP Craisins, plus additional for garnish
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1/4 CUP pineapple or orange juice
1 TB cinnamon
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In a bowl combine first four ingredients until thoroughly mixed. Place into sealed container. Refrigerate a few hours. Portion into 12 cups, garnish with a few pumpkin seeds and Craisins, sprinkle cinnamon.
Reveri is sold through the website in 6-packs, 8 packs, and 12 packs. $7.99 to $9.99 each. reveri.com
Small Batch Organics
This company’s passion for making granola started with a small farm stand in Vermont, blossomed into a general store, and with high demand, turned into the brand building its own organic-certified and gluten-free kitchen. They have teamed up with small local farms and artisan food producers to create fresh granola.
Their granola barks would make a big statement on your dessert bar, and come is a variety of flavors: Coffee Bean Bark, Cherry Bark, Coconut Toffee Bark. $2.25 for 2 oz bag. You can buy a Mixed Box with Six 2 oz Granola Bark (2 of each variety), $13.50. smallbatchgranola.com
Tropical Fields Crispy Coconut Rolls
Now here’s something light and just-a-little-bite of sweetness. Made with 50% coconut milk, tapioca flour, sugar, egg, water, salt, and black sesame seeds, it offers a lovely coconut-flavored, flaky treat. Serve alongside coffee or tea, or on top of yogurt or ice-cream. No artificial colors or flavors. About $10 for 9.3 oz bag. Available online at amazon.com
Fatty Sundays pretzels
Here’s a family tale. Inspired by their Mom’s beloved rainbow-sprinkle-chocolate-covered pretzels, sisters Ali and Lauren set out to reinvent and modernize their favorite treat. They tested and perfected dipping techniques, and came up with new recipes. Now, this Brooklyn-based operation boasts a 15+ flavor list.
They offer gift sets on the website, 4 boxes for $14.95. Individual boxes are $3.49, with 3 pretzels per box. Flavors include: Birthday Cake, Coconut, Peanut Butter, Sprinkles, and more. For those very special occasions Fatty Sundays can create special orders, in the color of your choice, packaged in personalized boxes. fattysundays.com
MORE HEALTHY DESSERT RECIPES
Hobnob has even more recipes for creating desserts on the healthy end of the spectrum. Check out these recipes:
Stuffed Apricots with Pistachios and Cream: A Slippery, Creamy Dessert
Not So Sweet Dessert: Smoked Almond Dip with Apples
Healthier Cookies for Your Summer Party: Chewy Coconut Raspberry Macadamia
Nutty Coconut Cream & Berries: The Cutest Vegan Mini Dessert
