Healthy(ish!) Thanksgiving Desserts to Prep Ahead

This year Thanksgiving falls on a Thursday. That’s perfect! Although here at Hello Chef we come from around the world, we can’t wait to celebrate this all-American holiday. Just the thought of that juicy turkey with all the fixings… Drool! So, in the view of the melting pot that United States is, we figure we’re allowed to crash the party.

No matter how much we love cooking, we don’t want to return to the kitchen after a long and loud dinner for some dessert prepping. The sweet bites have to be ready and waiting to be devoured.

Here are our recipe picks!

Healthy Apple Crumble

Serves 4–6

Cooking time 35 min

Ingredients:

4 apples

4 Tbsp coconut sugar or muscovado sugar, divided

1 tsp cinnamon

1 (over)ripe banana

1 1/2 cups rolled oats

2 Tbsp coconut oil (for example Earth’s Finest Organic Coconut oil with Vanilla)

1/2 tsp salt

vanilla ice cream, for serving (optional)

Method:

1. Preheat the oven to 200C. Peel apples and cut into small cubes. Place on an oven casserole. Sprinkle with half of the coconut or muscovado sugar, and cinnamon.

2. Peel and mash banana. Combine with rolled oats, coconut oil, salt and the rest of the sugar. Spread the mixture evenly on top of the apple cubes.

3. Bake in 200C oven for 25–30 minutes until the apples are soft and the top is nicely browned. If the crumble starts to brown too much, cover lightly with foil.

4. Let cool, refrigerate and heat up just before serving. Enjoy as is, or with vanilla ice cream.

Pro tip:

Add cardamom, ginger, cloves, nutmeg, vanilla and other spices of your choice into the apple cubes!

Chocolate and Caramel Fruit Bites

Serves 4

Cooking time 10 min

Ingredients:

2 apples

2 bananas

200g dark chocolate

100g caramel sauce

2 Tbsp desiccated coconut

2 Tbsp chopped white almonds

Method:

1. Wash apples carefully and cut to wedges. Slice bananas.

2. Break chocolate to cubes and melt in a microwave oven or on stovetop.

3. Have the fruit pieces ready on a plate, melted chocolate and caramel sauce in small bowls and desiccated coconut and chopped white almonds in separate small plates. Serve the dessert so that everyone can dip and assemble their own sweet bites.

Pro tip:

Make your own caramel sauce and once cooled, add a bit of flaky salt to make delicious salty caramel.

Date and Coconut Bites

Serves 4–6

Cooking time 10 min

Ingredients:

200g soft dates

4 Tbsp rolled oats

4 Tbsp almond flour

1 tsp cinnamon

1/2 tsp cardamom

1/2 tsp ginger

1/8 tsp grounded cloves

1/8 tsp nutmeg

3 Tbsp desiccated coconut

Method:

1. Destone dates and set aside.

2. In a food processor, combine rolled oats, almond flour and all the spices. Mix until smooth.

3. Add half of the dates and continue mixing. Once smooth, add the rest of the dates and continue mixing until smooth and doughy.

4. Roll the mixture into balls and roll in desiccated coconut. Store in the fridge. Bring to room temperature 20–30 minutes before serving.

Pro tip:

Use your imagination with toppings! Roll the balls in finely chopped pistachios, almonds or chocolate.