Treat Your Mother on Mother’s Day with these 3 Desserts!

By Nutritional Weight & Wellness Staff
May 6, 2014

By Kristin Oriogun with assistance from Brenna Thompson, RD, LD

Mother’s Day is just around the corner. What better way to pamper your mom than to surprise her with some delicious sweet treats? The good news is that delicious does not have to mean disastrous for the waistline. If your mom loves her sweets but likes to keep things on the healthier side, the following recipes will help both of you enjoy Mother’s Day guilt-free.

1. Chocolate-Covered Strawberries

Chocolate-covered strawberries make an easy and elegant dessert. There’s no need to special order this treat once you discover how easy it is to make them yourself. Our recipe uses dark chocolate with 70% cocoa or higher and strawberries to provide a healthy dose of antioxidants.

Ingredients:

• One 3.5-oz. bar of 70% or higher dark chocolate (purchase two bars if you plan to dip more than one dozen berries)
• One 16-oz. package of strawberries
• Chopped nuts and/or coconut (optional)

Step 1: Roughly chop the chocolate bar into pieces.

Step 2: Gently melt the chocolate using a double boiler.

If you don’t have a double boiler, it’s easy to make your own using a glass mixing bowl and a saucepan. Fill saucepan with water and place on medium-low heat. Place mixing bowl filled with chocolate on top of the saucepan and constantly stir chocolate until it is nicely melted. This technique prevents the chocolate from burning.

Step 3: Wash and dry strawberries thoroughly.

Holding the strawberry by the stem, dip one by one in the melted chocolate and carefully place on parchment paper.

Step 4: Let the chocolate-dipped berries set for 1-2 minutes and transfer to fridge.

Or, for an extra special touch, gently coat the berries in chopped almonds and/or shredded coconut. Refrigerate berries for at least 30 minutes before serving.

2. Pears Sautéed in Butter with Pecans

This recipe not only tastes delightful and is easy to make, it’s also guaranteed to fill your home with a wonderful aroma that will make Mother’s Day extra special.

Ingredients

• 2 large, ripe pears of any variety (you know the pear is ripe when it is slightly soft to the touch)
• ½ cup chopped pecans
• 2 Tbsp. butter
• ¼ tsp. cinnamon
• ½ Tbsp. 100% real maple syrup to sweeten (optional)
• Mint or basil, homemade whipped cream for garnish (optional—see berries and cream recipe below)

Step 1: Wash pears, then slice thinly to approximately ¼ inch thickness.

Step 2: Melt butter in sauce pan over low-medium heat. Be careful not to burn. Add pears to the sauté pan and sprinkle evenly with cinnamon.

Gently and constantly stir the pears to evenly cover with the butter and cinnamon. Cook for several minutes until the pears reach a nice golden-brown color.

Step 3: When pears have reached desired color, add the pecans to the pan.

The pears become softer as they cook, so take care to handle them gently. Taste a slice of pear and add maple syrup to desired sweetness. Pears are naturally sweet, so you may choose to omit this step.

Step 4: Transfer to a serving dish or individual dessert plates and serve immediately.

For visual appeal, garnish with a sprig of mint or basil. For extra decadence, add a dollop of homemade whipped cream.

3. Berries and Cream Parfait

Our Berries and Cream Parfait is a surefire way to make mom smile. There is simply nothing like the taste of real whipped cream!

Ingredients:

• 1 cup of high-quality, organic heavy whipping cream.
• 2-4 cups mixed berries of your choice. Strawberries, blackberries and raspberries make a great combination.
• 1-2 Tbsp. of 100% real maple syrup
• Orange or lime zest for garnish (optional)

Step 1: Place mixing bowl and beaters (or whisk) in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes or the freezer for 10 minutes. This allows the cream to whip more quickly and easily. Beat cream on high for about 2-4 minutes or until soft peaks form.

Don’t over-whip or you might end up with lumpy or butter-like whipped cream. Once the cream comes close to the desired consistency, drizzle in 1-2 Tbsp. of maple syrup to taste and continue to beat for 20-30 seconds until maple syrup is fully incorporated and soft peaks have formed.

Step 2: Bring your fancy wine or parfait glasses out of storage and alternate layers of berries with layers of cream.

Top the final layer of cream with a bit of lime or orange zest to add a nice touch of color and flavor to the dish.

Click here for a printer-friendly PDF of these recipes.

Mother’s Day is a special holiday that deserves special attention. Your mother will know she is appreciated when she sees these delicious and healthy treats. If it’s just you and your mom for the day, choose one of the above treats to share together. For even more fun, invite a few of your mom’s favorite friends and family and create a dessert buffet where you can sample all three of these treats. The best part is that all of these recipes are simple and easy to make, which means you’ll spend less time in the kitchen and more time making memories with mom!

From all of us at Nutritional Weight & Wellness to all of you moms and moms-to-be, we wish you a very happy Mother’s Day. Thank you for all of your hard work and dedication. We sincerely appreciate you!