Healthy French Truffles

Valentine’s Day is coming up!

Going out for a romantic dinner with your significant other, cooking a gourmet dinner at home, and sending cards/gifts to each other… Valentine’s Day is a great opportunity to show the people around you how much you love them, and to feel how much you are loved!

These Healthy French Truffles are wonderful gifts for Valentine’s Day - they’re easy to make, delicious, and much healthier than many desserts!

Healthy French Truffles

• 20 pitted dates
• 2 tbsp coconut flakes
• 2 tbsp coconut oil
• 2 tbsp cocoa + some extra for coating

1. In a blender, add pitted dates, coconut flakes, coconut oil, and cocoa. Mix well.
2. Form bite-size balls.
3. Roll them in cocoa to cover.
4. Leave them in the refrigerator for an hour.

Pumpkin Pudding Parfait

Eating is not just an action to provide energy and nutrients for the body, but is also an enjoyable, exciting, pleasurable experience for many people. So even if desserts may not provide you a lot of nutrients, you don’t need to totally avoid it.

Making desserts at home is often a great way to reduce calories (use less butter/oil, or sugar) and add more nutrients (add fruits, etc.). Canned pumpkin purée (NOT canned pumpkin pie mix) is a great ingredient when making desserts at home. 1 cup of canned pumpkin is only 80 calories, contains more than an entire day's worth of vitamin A, and is also a good source of vitamin C! Try our super easy Pumpkin Pudding Parfait.

• 1 can pumpkin purée
• ¾ can low-fat evaporated milk
• 5.1 oz (1 ½ package of the 3.4 oz packages) instant vanilla pudding mix
• 1 tsp pumpkin pie spice
• 1 12-oz box chocolate chip cookies
• Cocoa powder or cinnamon (optional)

1. In a blender or a food processor, combine pumpkin purée, evaporated milk, instant vanilla pudding mix, and pumpkin pie spice. Refrigerate for ~1 hour.
2. Layer the pudding mixture and chocolate chip cookies in a serving dish, cover it with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 2 hours.
3. Sprinkle some cocoa powder and/or cinnamon to taste.

Pumpkin Pudding Parfait

1. The Ohio State University. College of Food, Agricultural, and Environmental Sciences. Chow Line: New from the College of Food, Agricultural, and Environmental Sciences. Oct. 30, 2015.