Superfood Menu Ideas: 2 Yummy Desserts

If you are planning a menu for a get-together, party, or just an upcoming family meal, you are faced with a lot of choices for what to serve. If you are like most people, preparation time, nutrition, budget, and taste are all factors to consider in your decision about what to prepare. And, choosing the right dessert can be even more of a challenge, since you would like to strike the right balance between calories and taste.

By choosing superfood-based desserts, you do not have to sacrifice taste for health. The term "superfoods" encompasses any number of super-nutrient-rich foods that treat the cells of your body well while going easy on your digestive system and at the same time bolstering your immune system. The class of foods known as superfoods includes certain types of greens (e.g., spirulina, algae, and chlorella), anti-oxidants, sea vegetables, probiotics, essential fatty acids, enzymes and herbs. All of these are excellent sources of healthy energy that your body craves. Eating superfoods regularly make you healthier by contributing to the creation of robust body tissues, better immunity against disease, and better cell regeneration.

Of course, what your dinner guests will mainly care about is the taste of the food you serve. That is why I have created the following two superfood-based desserts for you to try. The first is a raw chocolate pudding made with avocado (don't knock it until you've tried it!) that is very easy to make and is a real crowd pleaser. The second is a creamy banana-mint shake that will leave everyone feeling refreshed and energized. Here is how to add either of these delicious treats to your superfood menu:

Recipe #1: Raw Chocolate Pudding

Ingredients: Fresh Thai coconut, avocado, cacao powder, coconut oil, spirulina-based superfood powder, agave nectar. Equipment Needed: Vita-prep (or equivalent) blender.

Blend:
- 2 tablespoons agave
- 1.5 cups of Thai coconut water (or substitute with purified water and add some extra agave)
- 1 avocado (make sure it is fully ripe)
- 2 tablespoons cacao powder
- 1 tablespoon cold-pressed coconut oil
- 1 teaspoon spirulina-based superfood powder

Chill before serving.

This dessert is a real treat for pudding lovers or anyone who likes chocolate but also appreciates a light treat that doesn't weigh one down after a large meal. Your guests will appreciate the great taste, and you can have fun revealing to them the healthy ingredients you used to make this sumptuous pudding. Totally smooth, creamy, fabulous!

Recipe #2: Banana-Mint Shake Paradise

Ingredients: Ripe banana, pure water, spirulina-based superfood powder, hemp seeds, herb-pharm peppermint extract. Equipment Needed: Blender.

Blend:
- 1 ripe banana peeled and frozen
- 1 cup pure water
- 2 tablespoons spirulina-based superfood powder
- 2 tablespoons hemp seeds
- 10 drops herb-pharm peppermint extract

Serves one, so multiply each quantity shown above by the number of people in your party. This is total body nutrition refreshment!

Nutrition starts at the family dinner table. Whether you are raising kids, living with your significant other, entertaining guests, or cooking for one, today you have more options than ever available to you concerning the food you serve. While cost is always a factor for most people when deciding what to serve, so are taste and speed of preparation. The next time you plan a healthy menu and are looking for a delicious dessert choice, try one of these superfood-based dessert recipes to round out your meal with a delightfully-sweet, nutritious taste that everyone will enjoy.