The festive season is upon us, which usually means a lot of indulgence and sweet treats. So, having healthy meals might not always be possible. But meal prepping can save the day. Instead of always reaching out for those leftover desserts, make a few tasty yet good-for-you treats that won’t leave you feeling guilty or dealing with sugar highs and lows.

Lately, several food content creators have been sharing easy, healthy desserts that are brimming with fruits.

Lifestyle creator Faith Fresh (@faithsfresh) shared her recipe for a banana chocolate bark that satisfies the cravings for a sweet treat. But it is not a calorie-laden dessert. Similarly, Brianna Joye (@briannajoye_fitness) made a blueberry chocolate bark by laying down these antioxidant fruits in rows. She then topped it off with dark chocolate.

Other fruits that can be used in these healthy chocolate barks are dried cranberries, dates, prunes. You can also use fresh, seasonal fruits like strawberries, apples, pears, cherries, figs and more. Enhance the flavours by adding on chopped nuts like pistachios, cashews, almonds, walnuts and hazelnuts. A pinch of flakes sea salt or a dash of chilli powder will give these barks an interesting flavour profile.

Earlier this year, a date bark was also going viral. It got a lot of fans as it tastes just like a healthier version of a Snickers bar, with peanut butter, dates and chocolate. This bark uses mejool dates as a caramel replacement. When this dried fruit is frozen, it makes for a chewy toffee-like texture that some how tastes exactly like caramel.

Banana and Chocolate bark

Recipe

Ingredients:

• 3 – Bananas
• 1/2 cup – Creamy peanut butter
• Small handful of peanuts
• 3/4 cup – Chocolate chips
• 1 tbsp – Coconut oil
• Pinch of flaky salt

Method:

• Thinly slice bananas and place on parchment paper in vertical lines
• Once all the bananas are on the parchment, place another piece of parchment paper on top.
• Use the bottom of a jar or cup to press down all the bananas
• Once the bananas have been pressed, remove the top layer of parchment/wax paper
• Drizzle peanut butter on top and evenly spread over all the bananas
• Chop up a small handful of peanuts and sprinkle on top of the peanut butter
• Add the chocolate chips and coconut oil to an oven-safe bowl and warm either on the stovetop or in the microwave until fully melted
• Pour the melted chocolate on top of the bananas and evenly spread
• Sprinkle with a pinch of flaky salt on top and place in the freezer for at least 8 hours, or overnight and enjoy!