Most desserts out there are made with refined grains, sugars and oils. Yuck- definitely not whole-food based and certainly not healthy. You can enjoy delicious sweet treats made from wholesome ingredients that are so nutrient-packed you can even eat them for breakfast. And I am not kidding when I tell you that they literally can be whipped up in a few minutes and do not involve any baking. All you need is a food processor. Here are a few ideas to get you started:

Fudge

• 1 cup walnuts
• 1 cup dates (pitted)
• 1/4 cup cacao powder
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• Pinch sea salt

Put all ingredients in food processor and blend. Form into balls or squares and store in refrigerator or freezer.

Frozen Banana Ice Cream

• 2-3 frozen bananas (peel and slice into quarters before freezing)
• Optional: cacao powder or frozen berries to taste

Process ingredients in food processor until smooth and creamy.

Chocolate Pudding

• 3 ripe avocados
• 1/2 cup cacao powder
• Pinch sea salt
• 1 cup dates (pitted and soaked in hot water to soften)

Blend up all ingredients (minus date soaking water.) Add water in small amounts to get things moving. If you have a Vitamix or a similar type of powerful blender, use this to get the pudding super smooth.

No-Bake Oatmeal Raisin Cookies

• 1 cup rolled oats
• 1 tsp cinnamon
• Pinch sea salt
• ½ cup dates (pitted and soaked in hot water to soften)
• ½ cup raisins
• ½ cup chopped nuts (optional)

Process oats, cinnamon, and sea salt in food processor until coarsely ground. Add dates and blend again. Add some of the soaking water if necessary until you get a dough-like consistency. Finally add the raisins (and nuts if using) and pulse until incorporated. Shape dough into cookies and refrigerate or freeze.

Berry Pie

Pie Crust

• 2 cups raw nuts
• 1 cup dates (pitted)
• Pinch sea salt

Blend ingredients in food processor and press into a pie plate.

Pie Filling

• 5-6 cups fresh berries (strawberries, blueberries, cherries, etc)
• 1 cup dates (pitted and soaked in hot water to soften)
• Juice from one lemon or orange

Blend 2 cups of the fruit, the soaked dates (minus the water), and the citrus juice until smooth. In a large bowl hand mix the remaining fresh fruit with the liquid fruit and pour into pie crust. Let chill in fridge before serving.

As you'll notice, many of these desserts use dates or other dried fruits for a sweetener. You can also try agave, maple syrup, or brown rice syrup which are all better choices than the white stuff but are still highly concentrated and not considered whole-food.

Another tip for new ideas for healthful desserts is to do a web search for "raw food desserts." You will find all sorts of incredible recipes for pies, cakes, and cookies that consist of ingredients such as fruits, nuts, seeds, and cacao (cocoa powder). However, please be aware that some of them call for large amounts of coconut oil or agave which I do not recommend (except for the occasional indulgence.) Of course, there is always fresh fruit for dessert! A bowlful of berries can be so sweet and satisfying- and low in calories.