Healthy Recipes to Satisfy Unhealthy Cravings

When late-night cravings and the three-o'-clock snack time hit, all we can think about is indulging our sweet tooth with a pint of store-bought ice cream or opening a bag of our favorite potato chips stashed in the kitchen. When these cravings strike, we try our best not to give in to temptations, no matter how strong they get, and stick to our diet plan.

This is an everyday struggle for a lot of people, especially those who are still in their first few weeks of the journey to health. As a result, people tend to rack their brains out just to resist these temptations. But the truth is, it’s not always advisable to deprive yourself of the things you want; sometimes, these extreme measures will only make you want to binge-eat more. Instead, listen to your body and reach for a treat.

Look for snacks that contain a combination of proteins, carbs, and healthy fats. Like the three legs of a stool, these nutrients balance each other out to help you feel satiated for longer hours.

To help you in your constant struggle to resist those food cravings, here are some healthy recipes you can try to have guilt-free and satisfying food snacks that provide you with more nutrition than unwanted fats and calories.



Sweet potato chips

Opening a bag of potato chips is one of our go-tos when we want to munch on crispy treats during afternoon snack time. But keep in mind that potato chips are high in sodium and fat. The healthy alternative to this crispy treat cravings are sweet potato chips. 

Although sweet potatoes contain more calories than a bag of potato chips, sweet potato chips are high in fiber that helps you feel full and satiated after eating. Experts often advise that those trying to reach or maintain a healthy weight should eat foods that are higher in fiber because these foods can add bulk with fewer calories.

Ingredients:

- 1 medium sweet potato (about 8 ounces), sliced into 1/8-inch-thick round
- 1 tablespoon canola oil
- ¼ teaspoon sea salt
- ¼ teaspoon ground pepper

Directions:

Step 1
Place sweet potato slices in a large bowl of cold water. Soak for 20 minutes. Drain and pat-dry with paper towels.

Step 2
Return the sweet potatoes to the dried bowl. Add oil, salt, and pepper; toss gently to coat.

Step 3
Lightly coat the air-fryer basket with cooking spray. Place just enough of the sweet potatoes in the basket to form a single layer. Cook at 350°F for about 15 minutes, flipping and rearranging into a single layer every 5 minutes. Using tongs, carefully move the chips from the air fryer to a plate.

Step 4
Let the chips cool for 5 minutes. Serve immediately and store in an airtight plastic container for up to 3 days.

Cauliflower pizza

This delicious pizza crust is made from steamed cauliflower and is the best option if you are looking for a low-carb alternative to the classic store-bought pizza. Instead of binging out on your flour dough pizza, try this healthy recipe for less calories and more nutritional value.

Ingredients:

- 340g cauliflower
- ½ cup light mozzarella cheese, grated
- 1 egg (lightly beaten)
- ½ tsp dried oregano
- ½ tsp dried basil leaves
- 1tsp garlic powder
 
Directions:

Step 1
Heat oven to 230°C (210°C fan-forced) and line a baking sheet with baking paper sprayed lightly with oil.

Step 2
Chop cauliflower into chunks and place in a food processor. Pulse until you’ve got cauliflower rice (basically just cauliflower florets pulsed until they resemble rice grains). You should have about 3 cups.

Step 3
Remove cauli rice and place into a microwave-safe container, cover with plastic wrap, and microwave on high for 8 minutes.

Step 4
Allow to cool slightly, place into a tea towel, and squeeze as much moisture from the cauli rice as possible (this is the secret to a crispy base).

Step 5
Place cauli rice in a bowl and mix with remaining ingredients. Season with salt and pepper. Pour ingredients out onto the baking paper and shape into a thin layer about 25 cm in diameter.

Step 6
Bake for 15-20 minutes until golden. Sprinkle over toppings and continue to cook for 5-10 minutes until golden and bubbly.

Low-calorie strawberry nice cream

This luscious strawberry nice cream is a great healthy ice cream alternative. It's all fruit, dairy-free, vegan, and contains no added sugar, but still rich in sweet berry flavor.

Ingredients:

- 1 pound fresh strawberries
- 2 medium-sized bananas
- 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
- ¼ cup ice-cold water, as needed

Directions:

Step 1
Coarsely chop strawberries and peeled bananas. Spread the strawberries and bananas on separate sides of one baking sheet or on two sheets. Freeze until solid or for at least 12 hours.

Step 2
Let strawberries thaw at room temperature for 15 minutes. Transfer to a food processor; pulse until finely chopped. Add the frozen bananas and lemon juice; process until smooth. Add 1/4 cup cold water, if needed, to achieve desired consistency, stopping to scrape down sides of the bowl as needed. Serve immediately or, for a firmer texture, transfer to a freezer-safe container and freeze for up to 30 minutes.

Protein Donuts

Protein donuts are also a good switch from your classic sugary sweet donuts. It is an easy, high-protein treat made with simple ingredients that are gluten and dairy free. It satisfies your sweet tooth and provides you with more nutrition instead of the sweet dangers of your regular sugary treat.

Ingredients:

- 1/4 cup peanut butter
- 2 eggs
- 3 tablespoons honey
- 1 tablespoon melted coconut oil
- 1/2 cup almond milk
- 1 cup oat flour
- 1/2 cup protein powder
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1 teaspoon baking soda

Directions:

Step 1
Preheat the oven to 325.

Step 2
In a bowl, whisk together nut butter, eggs, honey, coconut oil, and almond milk. Stir in remaining ingredients.

Step 3
The batter should be somewhat thick, but if it is clumpy or difficult to stir, add a little more milk or water.

Step 4
Spray your donut pan with coconut oil or cooking spray. Fill your greased donut pan 3/4 full.

Step 5
Bake at 325 for 10-15 minutes, until golden brown on top.

Step 6
Allow donuts to cool and glaze with peanut butter or greek yogurt/honey mixture if you'd like (1/2 cup greek yogurt + 1 teaspoon honey).

Takeaway

These are just some of the healthy recipes you could try at home, or you could also mix it up and create one of your own treats, as long as you remember the food trifecta—proteins, carbs, and healthy fats.

Resisting mouthwatering temptations could be a major challenge especially if you starve yourself during your meals. So a great tip would also be eating food that is high in fiber so that you would feel satiated most of the time. Another great way to also overcome these unhealthy cravings is to drink water and stay hydrated all the time.



But above all else, one effective way to curb these unhealthy food cravings is a daily dose of workout sessions. Not only does it help you burn unwanted fats and calories, but it also reduces your appetite for high-calorie junk foods through the development of brain function and cognition.

How Garmin can help

Now that you know some healthy recipes, you are now quite ready to get on with your fitness goals. But in continuing on this path to wellness, you might want to track your busy days ahead, especially if you want a daily update on how well you are doing so far.

Fortunately, Garmin provides its users compact and stylish devices that let them track their health. The Venu 2s smartwatch offers both a classic style and a number of features that keep you up to date on the health trends.



It lets you tune in to your mind and body and collects the necessary data in order to know how you are doing in terms of stress levels, respiratory rates, sleep scores, pulse ox rates, and even menstrual cycles for women.

So if you’re looking for the perfect training partner that boosts your performance day by day, strap on the Venu 2s smartwatch and enjoy living your life to the fullest by staying connected, on trend, and on track in your journey to wellness.