Looking for a healthy dessert to satisfy a sweet tooth? Look no further than “nature’s candy” — fruit! Berries and Cream is a no-nonsense treat that eliminates guilt and provides nutrient-richness all at the same time.
Unfortunately, in our hyper-palatable processed food world of today, we’ve lost the taste for natural sugars. In addition, large-scale conventional farming has depleted soils of the nutrients that provide the deep flavors of yesteryear’s produce.
The good news is that we can re-train our palates and re-work our growing practices to bring back the appreciation for real food, and the wholesome nourishment it should contain.
It starts with making conscious purchases of local organic ingredients, and intentional choices to eliminate highly-processed foods from our diet. In a round-about way, this recipe is here to guide you down this new path.
Before you know it, the delicious combination of berries and cream will even become your family’s favorite healthy dessert for kids!
Deep colored berries are rich in nutrients — especially vitamin C and manganese. They are also good for your skin, low in carbohydrates, and have anti-inflammatory properties.
Berries are probably most praised for their high antioxidant levels — helping to sequester free radicals, which can cause cellular damage. Anthocyanins and resveratrol are two antioxidants in berries that may help reduce disease risk.
Berries are also high in fiber — especially soluble fiber — which can increase feelings of fullness and support a healthy gut. Adding berries to your child’s diet is a great way to boost their fiber intake, too.
To balance out the natural sugars in berries, I always recommend pairing them with a source of quality protein or healthy fat. If you tolerate dairy, low processed, organic cream is one way to do so, and tastes delicious.
In this simple recipe, the cream is whipped with pure vanilla (you could also use almond extract) for a touch of sweetness — no actual sugar is needed!
If you and dairy do not get along, coconut whipped cream can also be used to top your bowl of colorful fruit.
Berries and Cream by themselves are more than sufficient, but you can also play around with healthy toppings for added texture, flavor, and nutrition.
Our favorites include:
- Cinnamon: high in antioxidants, with anti-inflammatory properties
- Cacao nibs: high in antioxidants, providing chocolatey flavor without the sugar
- Chopped raw nuts: walnuts, pecans, almonds, or pistachios
- Raw seeds: shelled hemp hearts, sunflower seeds, or sprouted pumpkin seeds
Berries and Cream is also a perfect dessert to have your kids help you with. Teaching your kids to cook is an invaluable lifelong tool, and it starts by inviting them into the kitchen.
Young kids can rinse the berries, practice measuring, and pour the cream into the bowl. Older kids can practice safe knife skills by cutting the fruit, and safe electric gadget skills by whipping the cream.
If you love this delectably simply dessert, also give these other fruity treats a try:
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Berries & Cream: A Sweet but Healthy Dessert Recipe
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Total Time: 10 minutes
- Yield: 4 1x
Ingredients
- 4 cups organic berries of choice
- 1 cup organic heavy cream (or coconut cream)
- ½ tsp pure vanilla
Optional toppings:
- Cacao nibs
- Cinnamon
- Chopped raw nuts
Instructions
- Wash and trim berries. Add 1 cup of berries to 4 bowls.
- Add cream and vanilla to a large bowl. Use a hand-held or stand mixer to whip the cream to desired consistency.
- Divide whipped cream evenly over the top of berries.
- Choose optional toppings to sprinkle on top.
