Delicious But Nutritious: Satisfy Your Pregnancy Sweet Tooth with These Wholesome Desserts

Pregnancy is an incredible journey in one's life, but it also marks the beginning of increased responsibility, like being more careful of your diet and lifestyle. During pregnancy, it's essential to ensure adequate intake of essential nutrients like protein, iron, folic acid, iodine, and choline. You'll also receive advice to have foods packed with calcium, vitamin D, potassium, and fibre to keep the body functioning like a well-oiled machine. While you should eat foods packed with nutrition, it's also essential to honour your cravings. If you have a strong craving for something sweet, sometimes there's no harm in eating a whole bar of chocolate if you want. Doing that everyday, though, is just not feasible. So, here are some ideas for healthy desserts that you can have to satiate your sweet tooth and one of these include something lowkey similar to a fudge brownie recipe without oven.

Oats and Nuts Energy Balls

Ingredients:

• 90 gm rolled oats (about a cup)
• 1 tbsp chopped walnuts
• 1 tbsp chopped almonds
• 2 tbsp white sesame seeds
• 2 tsp ghee
• 2 tbsp finely chopped jaggery
• ½ tsp cardamom powder
• 2 tbsp milk

Instructions:

• Dry roast the rolled oats in a non-stick pan until they are golden and fragrant. Set aside to cool.
• Then toast the sesame seeds in the same pan. This will happen quickly because the pan’s already hot. Once done, set these aside to cool too.
• Now heat the ghee and the chopped/powdered jaggery and mix well.
• Switch off the heat and add the oats, sesame seeds, the chopped nuts, cardamom powder, and milk. Mix very well so you get a sticky dough. If the mixture is dry, add some more milk.
• Divide the mixture into 6 to 8 portions and roll them into balls.
• You can also roll them in some coconut shavings too.
  
  

Healthy Chocolate Fudge

Ingredients:

• 400 gm Cadbury Bournville Rich Cocoa 70% Dark Chocolate
• 120 gm thick coconut milk
• 8 finally chopped and pitted medjool dates
• 3 tbsp tahini
• 3 tbsp coconut oil
• 1 tbsp vanilla extract
• ½ tsp flaky sea salt for garnish

Instructions:

• You can make this recipe on a stovetop or in the microwave. Ensure all ingredients are at room temperature.
• For the stovetop, heat the chocolate, coconut milk, finely chopped dates, tahini, vanilla, and coconut oil. Simmer until all of the chocolate has melted.
• Mix well and transfer into a parchment lined baking tray. Sprinkle some flaky sea salt and refrigerate.
• Once the fudge has solidified, cut the fudge into pieces.
• To make the fudge mixture in a microwave, you can melt the chocolate, tahini, and coconut oil first, then fold in the dates, and the vanilla extract. Then follow the steps mentioned above.
  
  

Kamlalebu Kheer or Orange Kheer

Ingredients:

• 7 to 8 mandarin oranges
• 1 ltr milk
• 400 ml condensed milk
• 50 gm sugar

Instructions:

• Peel, deseed and separate the orange segments. Set aside.
• Bring the milk to a boil in a heavy bottomed pan. Then lower the flame and add the condensed milk. Keep stirring.
• Keep the pot on the stove until the milk has reduced to ¼ of its original quantity. At this point, mix in the sugar. You can omit it too if you think the milk mixture is sweet enough.
• Cook for about 5-6 minutes more. You should get a thick pudding-like mixture.
• Pour into a serving dish and let it cool.
• Once the milk has completely cooled down, add the orange segments. Refrigerate for a couple of hours before serving.