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Easy Dessert Ideas
Saturday, September 02, 2006

If you have a sweet tooth like I do, you look forward to dessert almost daily. Preparing dessert does not have to be labor-intensive. Home-baked goods are certainly tasty and always appreciated by family members, but exerting a lot of effort every day is not necessary to having dessert. If you truly enjoy dessert but do not have the time or desire to turn on the oven every night, consider the following options that will allow you to have your cake (or dessert) and eat it too!

1. Smoothies. Smoothies are a great way to use fruit you have in abundance, such as bananas, and do not take a lot of time to make. Typically, you would use one cup of liquid, either milk or soy milk, and one cup fruit of your choice, along with a few ice cubes. My favorite smoothie recipe is somewhat of an island retreat: pina colada! I simply add one cup of rice milk and one cup of frozen pineapple along with a few ice cubes to the blender. In minutes, I am transported to a tropical paradise, even in the winter months. Remember you could also use other milk products such as almond milk or oat milk for even greater variety.

2. Fresh or frozen fruit. Fruit is often called "nature's candy" and for good reason. Fresh fruit is sweet and delicious, especially on a hot summer evening. Frozen berries are a great, 3-second way to have dessert on the table in a flash. They can be used straight from the bag and served in parfait glasses. Their visual appeal is part of the fun. The variety is unmatched. You could have several bags of different types of frozen fruit on hand: blueberries, strawberries, pineapple, or mixed berries. If serving fresh fruit, plan your dessert menu around seasonal availability. When serving to children, you could use an ice cube tray to hold assorted berries. The visual display will encourage taste-testing.

3. Bake ahead of time. If you're baking a batch of cookies or cupcakes for a school bake sale or your aunt's retirement party, make a double batch and freeze the extras for dessert night. Cookies can be frozen in small zip top bags for up to a month. You can also freeze cake as well. You can freeze an entire cake and thaw before frosting, or you can freeze cake already frosted in individual bags. This option works really well as long as you are not tempted to devour the extras.

4. Bring home store-bought desserts. While this option costs more, it is the quickest way to having dessert with none of the work involved. A natural foods store near my house sells individual portion-sized desserts, which allow me to try new desserts that I might not normally make, such as tiramisu or tarts. Often, these desserts are impeccably decorated.

5. Prepackaged foods. Premade pudding topped with a few fresh berries served in clear dessert dishes is a great way to have dessert without standing over the stove waiting for pudding to thicken. You can also serve pudding with marshmallows or nuts as toppings.

6. Beverages for dessert. Have coffee or tea with a few pieces of store-bought chocolate. Having dessert does not mean you have to consume a lot of calories in the process. There are endless options with having coffee or tea for dessert because you could have a flavored coffee or an herbal tea, both of which come in dozens of varieties.

7. Ice cream. Ice cream is certainly a favorite of many people. If you have the desire to make ice cream, the process is relatively easy. There are inexpensive ice cream makers on the market that are easy to use and do not require salt. The units sit neatly on your countertop. You simply place the bowl into the freezer, and when you are ready to make ice cream you simply place the bowl into the ice cream unit and add the ingredients. In less than 30 minutes, you can have homemade ice cream. Whether you make ice cream or buy it, pick several toppings that family members can use to make a sundae; nuts, crushed cookies, hot fudge, and cherries are usually favorites.

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