This better-for-you, no-bake, single-serving dessert is an explosion of flavor without fallout. Only 200 calories per the single ginormous bomb of deliciousness! All the adjectives I crave in a quick dessert – creamy, juicy, chocolatey, and healthy!
Cooking for one dessert recipes are a favorite of mine – I can make just enough to satisfy me at the time, without lots of leftovers sitting around tempting me. Plus, I have young adult sons – they tend to want decadent desserts while I go for the more mindful recipes that fuel my sports goals.
This strawberry cheesecake bomb is based on a childhood favorite recipe, no-bake oatmeal cookies. You just quickly microwave unsweetened cocoa, milk and sugar option (old days we used real sugar, today I’ve used a lower-carb monk fruit blend). Be careful it doesn’t boil over your bowl. Immediately stir in nut butter of choice, oats and coconut.
While this quick strawberry dessert sets up for 5 minutes in the freezer, hull an extra-large strawberry (or two smaller ones) and stuff with a bit of cream cheese (no need to sweeten it, this no-bake dessert recipe is already sweet enough.
Just mush and mold the cookie dough over the stuffed strawberry, then pop in the freezer for another 5 minutes to firm up. It’s not the most attractive thing as a whole, but when you slice it open or bite in you see the layers – that vibrant red of the berry pops and the cream cheese, well, looks so creamy!
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This strawberry dessert for one is gluten-free and 200 cal per serving with 12g fat, 24g net carb, 6g protein! Enjoy!!!!!
2.5Tbsp.granulated sweetenercup-for-cup sugar alternative
1tsp.unsweetened cocoa powder
1Tbsp.milk
1Tbsp.creamy nut butter
1Tbsp.old-fashioned oats
1Tbsp.unsweetened shredded coconut
1extra-large strawberryor two smaller
1tsp.cream cheese
Instructions
Mix together sweetener, cocoa powder, and milk. Microwave on high for 45 seconds, watching to ensure it doesn’t overflow. Remove, immediately stir in nut butter, oats and coconut. Stick in freezer for 5 minutes. Meanwhile, hull strawberry and stuff with cream cheese. Remove dough from freezer, mold around strawberry. Return to freezer for 5 minutes to set up. Remove and enjoy!
Recipe Notes
This strawberry dessert for one is gluten-free and 200 cal per serving with 12g fat, 24g net carb, 6g protein! Enjoy!!!!!
Seven Layer Italian Pesto Quinoa Dip is a quick, easy and elegant appetizer for holiday entertaining or just everyday munching. Made with flavorful, nourishing items convenient to keep on hand in the pantry and fridge, this simple-to-assemble party dip can be ready to serve in under 10 minutes – and stores beautifully overnight if you want to make ahead.
Inspired by easy party dips my mom used to make in the 80s as well as elegant molded and stacked tartare dishes, this layered dish features strata upon strata of marinated and bold flavors and various textures that play well together when scooped up with a chip, dolloped on a cracker or just eaten by the spoon! I like to use up any leftovers sprinkled on a green salad!
Many of the ingredients (such as the hummus, marinated artichokes, and sun-dried tomatoes) can be conveniently purchased pre-prepared in the deli or gourmet aisle of your favorite market. To make things speedy, you can also pick up a pouch of pre-cooked quinoa on the grain aisle – or defrost a bag of frozen cooked quinoa that has been meal prepped (that is my economical way – see quinoa freezer and meal prep post here).
The flavor cornerstone of this Italian layered dip is pesto – but not just any ole pesto! I used Sea Artichoke Pesto from Foraged & Found. I must admit, when I was sent some jars to try out, I did have to Google “What is Sea Asparagus.” What I found out is that Sea Asparagus (Salicornia) is a sea succulent that has a salty, ocean taste when eaten raw and brined, mellower flavor when cooked — used as an ingredient it really maximizes the umami taste in so many dishes from pasta and pizza to seafood and grilled meats.
Sea Asparagus sustainably harvested in Alaska.
What I love about the Foraged & Found company is that they have found a way to share healthful Alaskan foods from the wild that have been sustainably harvested and transformed into some of my favorite kitchen staples – like this Sea Asparagus Pesto. The sea asparagus pesto tastes very similar to a traditional pesto (but better) made with additional ingredients such as almonds, Parmesan cheese, olive oil, garlic and lemon. So clever and eco-conscious!
Sea Asparagus Pesto from Foraged & Found is mixed into quinoa.
Turning this pesto layered dip is a snap! Most of the pesto is soaked into the quinoa, and a generous dollop is saved for the top.
Use a 16-oz. container for a mold.
You’ll need a 16-ounce container to use as a mold – it can be cylinder-shaped (like a yogurt or sour cream container) or even a bowl – just make sure that the bottom (which will be the “top” when inverted) is narrower than the opening. I simply used the square plastic container that was provided at the olive bar when I loaded up on marinated tomatoes and artichokes for the recipe!
When layering this creative Italian dip, remember that each level loaded in goes in reverse of how it will look when presented. When inverting on a plate and releasing from a mold, the first ingredients put in at the bottom of the container become the items on top.
Order for Layers (press down lightly, as needed, after each layer):
Note: Start with 1 Tbsp. of reserved oil from the marinated artichokes or tomatoes (this helps release from the mold)
Pecans, chopped
Blue Cheese, crumbled
Garlic Hummus
Sun-dried Tomatoes, chopped
Marinated Artichokes, chopped
Fresh Spinach, shredded
Quinoa Mixed with Pesto
Chill a bit if needed to firm up and then, invert by placing a plate on top and flipping over quickly.
If your mold fails, just serve it jumbled up in a bowl — it still tastes great!
The cool thing about this Italian quinoa recipe is that if you have a “fail” when trying to release the mold, and it falls all over the place, you can just throw it all into a bowl and stir up! It tastes just the same, and still looks pretty because it’s so colorful – in fact, I’ve made it this way on purpose before! Also, you can just skip the inverting and stand-alone presentation – just layer it up how you want in a dish. The only downside here is that all the pretty ingredients can’t be seen at once.
Learn more about Foraged & Found and get more sea asparagus recipes:
Keyword:
appetizer, dip, party food, pesto, quinoa
Calories: 187kcal
Ingredients
¼cupchopped pecans
2oz.blue cheesecrumbled
4oz.garlic hummus
1cupfresh spinachchopped
4oz.sun-dried tomatoespacked in oil (mostly drained*) chopped
4oz.artichokes packed in oilmostly drained, chopped
4oz.Sea Asparagus Pesto from Found & Foragedreserve 2 Tbsp. for garnish
1cupcooked quinoa
* Reserve 1 tbsp oil from marinated tomatoes or artichokes to use as a “lube” for the mold.
Instructions
Use a 16-ounce square or round “mold” that is slightly tapered, meaning the bottom is narrower than the top – this will allow layered dip to slide out easily when inverted. A sour cream or yogurt container works nicely.
In medium bowl, mix together cooked quinoa with most of the 4 ounces of pesto (save about 2 tablespoons for garnish).
Add the approximate 1 Tbsp. of reserved oil from the marinated artichokes or tomatoes to bottom of mold container and swirl around. This helps release layers later).
Add layers in this order: Chopped Pecans, Crumbled Blue Cheese, Hummus, Chopped Sun-dried Tomatoes, Chopped Marinated Artichokes, Shredded Spinach, Pesto Quinoa Mixture.
If needed, stick in fridge for 10 minutes to firm up (sometimes the hummus gets too soft at room temperature).
Remove from fridge and carefully run knife around edges of container to help release layers when inverted (but taking care not to “smear” it all together).
Place plate on top of mold opening and quickly invert, gently pulling off mold container. ***
Dollop with remaining pesto.
*** If you have a failure when trying to release the mold, the nice thing about this recipe is that it can be served in a bowl stirred together as a jumble! It tastes just the same, and still looks pretty because it’s so colorful!
The end-of-summer heat is hard to beat in Texas, but I’ve been cooling down with Creamy Cinnamon-Vanilla Watermelon Soup. This incredibly simple and refreshing cold soup is made with chunks of juicy, naturally sweet watermelon, creamy unsweetened Greek yogurt, a splash of vanilla extract and smattering of ground cinnamon.
It’s a heathy fruit dessert or wholesome snack anytime of the day (great to refuel after a workout thanks to hydration, protein and carbs). This cold fruit soup is also one of the frugal ways I like to use up my leftover watermelon when I buy one that is too huge to eat up in a few days.
This cold dessert soup recipe was inspired by my genius, light-bulb moment to sprinkle cinnamon on a bowl of watermelon balls a few years ago – check out the post on Four Ways to Season Watermelon That Will Blow Your Mind. The cinnamon watermelon and other watermelon seasoning ideas were so amazing, it’s a show I took on the road to San Diego at the Fit Foodie Festival.
Inspired by the time I sprinkled cinnamon on watermelon!
WHAT ARE THE BENEFTS OF CREAMY WATERMELON CINNAMON VANILLA SOUP?
Fist, watermelon is a very hydrating fruit, comprised of 92-percent water. It also provides natural, no-added-sugar carbohydrates to fuel daily activities. Watermelon also known for some other nutrients that are important to my active lifestyle like vitamin C (for immunity), lycopene (for cardio-vascular health) and the amino acid, l-citrulline (for less muscle fatigue and soreness after workouts)!
Greek yogurt makes watermelon soup creamy and adds a boost of protein!
The ”creamy” in creamy watermelon soup is achieved with unsweetened, plain Greek yogurt. I’m a big fan of Greek yogurt because it helps me achieve my daily calcium goal (18% DV in ¾ cup), is a great source of protein (around 17g per 3/4 cup), and is packed with probiotics, healthy bacteria that can help boost your immune system and decrease stomach issues.
Aslo, cinnamon, the spice that really takes the watermelon flavor to the next level also has great benefits. Cinnamon has antioxidents that can lessen inflammation, it is a prebiotic (the food that probiotics eat in your gut), and research has shown that it can lower blood sugar levels by slowing the breakdown of carbohydrates in your digestive tract.
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HOW TO MAKE CREAMY WATERMELON SOUP?
The process of making a cold fruit soup like this watermelon soup takes just a minute or two – chop up seedless watermelon, throw in the blender and blend – no need to strain out the pulp, I like to keep to benefit from the fiber and also to give the soup a little more substance. Then, just blend in Greek yogurt, cinnamon and vanilla and serve. That’s it!
Plan ahead and freeze leftover watermelon in chunks or blended and poured into muffin tins or ice cube trays.
You an make this summer watermelon soup any time of the year by storing chunks of cut up watermelon in the freezer. Either store it in chunks . . . or you can blend, freeze in ice cube trays or mini muffin tin to use later in recipes like this and drinks of all types. As I mentioned earlier, it’s what I do when I have too much watermelon to polish of before it goes bad. Having these bags of watermelon prepped in the freezer, gives me access to one of my favorite fruits for use year round in recipes like this creamy watermelon soup, smoothies, barbeque sauces, and more. Also, if you don’t have lots of freezer space or didn’t plan ahead, you can also purchase frozen chopped watermelon at the market – find it near the frozen veggies and fruit.
This post contains affiliate links. I earn a small commission from purchases made through the links, however the price to you remains the same. Thank you for supporting The Fit Fork.
Creamy Cinnamon-Vanilla Watermelon soup is a simple and refreshing snack, appetizer or healthy dessert featuring just four ingredients! A great way to use up all the watermelon if you have leftovers from a larger one (or have stored chunks in the freezer)! For more watermelon health benefits and recipes, please visit thefitfork.com
Course:
Appetizer, Dessert, entree soup, Snack
Keyword:
cinnamon, watermelon, yogurt
Servings: 410-ounce servings
Ingredients
4 cups cold seedless watermelon, cut into chunks
1 cupunsweetened plain Greek yogurtI used 2%
1 tspground cinnamon
1 tspvanilla extract
Instructions
Place watermelon in blender, process until smooth. If using frozen watermelon, let it thaw a bit before blending. No need to strain pulp out of watermelon.
Add Greek yogurt, cinnamon and vanilla. Process until incorporated.
Serve cold, divide among four bowls. Approximate serving size is 10-ounces. Sprinkle with a little more cinnamon on top, if desired.
Low-carb Blueberry Chocolate Chip Cheesecake Balls are the perfect little, no-cook solution for summer snacking. They store in the fridge or freezer, making them cool and at-the-ready when hunger strikes.
Blueberries add so much flavor and natural sweetness, plus all those amazing blue and purple food nutrients that you don’t find many other places. I used a (no-sugar-added) berry-flavored collagen (THEFITFORK10OFF) will save you at GreatLakesWellness.com) which amplifies the berry flavor even more, but I’ve made the recipe also with unflavored cohttps://bit.ly/GreatLakesWellnessllagen (and even vanilla whey) and the snack is still just as special. The choice is yours!
I used collagen powder from Great Lakes Gelatin — Save with code THEFITFORK10Off
Cream cheese makes the base of this recipe, along with a little coconut flour (and the previously mentioned collagen powder) to firm it up. Then it’s just stirring in chopped blueberries (fresh or frozen), some chopped sugar-free chocolate chips (or mini chips, if you can find them), setting in the freezer for 10 minutes to set up, then forming into eight little balls.
So EASY, so YUMMY, so BLUE – blueberry and chocolate loaded collagen cheesecake balls are perfect finger food treats for Red, White and Blue celebrations. I’m making a batch for a post-workout snack for an upcoming 4th of July workout with my fitness boot camp. I like how they are pre-portioned and snack-sized, I can just pop one of the blueberry cheesecake bites my mouth rather than eating an entire chocolate chip blueberry cheesecake!
Each piece has about 100 calories, 4.6g net carb and 4.5g protein. If you want a keto cheesecake balls, make sure you are using full-fat cream cheese (which is what I have in the recipe and nutrition facts)
save 10% Great Lakes Wellness collagen and products with code THEFITFORK10off
This post contains affiliate links. I earn a small commission from products purchased through links here — however, price to you remains the same. Proceeds are used to offset operating expenses at The Fit Fork, thank you for your support!
4Tbsp.collagen powder*berry flavored or unflavored
2Tbsp.sugar-free choclate chipschopped
1/3cupblueberriesfresh or still frozen
1/3 cupcoconut flour
Instructions
Coarsely chop chocolate chips and blueberries, add to bowl.
Stir in softened cream cheese, collagen powder* , and coconut flour until combined.
Put in freezer for 10 minutes to firm up. Use hands to roll into one big ball.
Cut this ball in half, and each half into 4 pieces – to make 8 total pieces.
Roll each piece between hand to make into tidier ball.
Keep leftovers in the fridge.
Recipe Notes
I used Great Lakes Gelatin Collagen Powder in Berry flavor (discount code THEFITFORK10OFF at bit.ly/ShopGreatLakesGelatin ) but an unflavored collagen or berry or vanilla whey or plant protein powder may be substituted in the same quantity.
Oooh la-la-la, lemon! Low-carb Lemon Coconut Bites are a quick, no-bake treat to make that taste just like little morsels of creamy cheesecake.
Sublimely sweet-tart, low-carb and suitable for keto and gluten-free diets, these two-bite dessert bites are easier to manage portion size than slicing a wedge from the whole lemon cheesecake. Only 108 calories, 9g fat, 2.2g net carb, 5g protein per lemon coconut ball.
https://bit.ly/GreatLakesWellnessI incorporated lemon-lime collagen powder from Great Lakes Gelatin as a way to add protein, keep the carb count low and “dough” firm enough for shaping into balls. Plus, I get a boost from al the health benefits of collagen. As an older athlete, I use it for joint support and workout recovery, but also appreciate all the extra benefits it brings to hair, skin, nails . . . and even sleep.
Keep Low-carb Lemon Coconut Bites are as easy as mixing up a few easy ingredients, rolling into balls, and storing in the fridge to snack on whenever the urge for something sweet comes on (they are sugar free)! Just a tiny bit of turmeric is the secret ingredient that gives a natural yellow color!
Disclaimer: This post contains affiliate links (don’t forget to use my Great Lakes Gelatin Discount Code). I may make a small commission from generated sales, but price to you remains the same. Thank you!
A two-bite treat that is friendly for keto and gluten-free diets — creamy, citrusy and easy-peasy to make! Incorporates collagen powder for extra protein and wellness benefits.
Mix together cream cheese and sour cream until blended. Next stir in almond flour, coconut flour, collagen powder, and 2 tbsp. shredded coconut (sprinkle remainder of coconut on a plate. Now, place “dough” in fridge to firm up for 25 minutes. Remove and make approximate 1 tbsp. balls by rolling between clean hands. Then roll in coconut to stick on top, repeat with remaining dough. Makes 10. Store leftovers in air-tight container in fridge for up to 1 week.
Recipe Notes
*You can substitute plain unflavored collagen and add 10 -20 drops liquid stevia and ¼ tsp. lemon extract to the recipe instead.
