How to Dress Up Your Dessert and Keep Your Resolutions

The following is a post sponsored by Fiber One. For our sponsored post policy, click here.
Fiber One asked us to share a few FBG-approved dessert tips to celebrate the release of their new products — Protein Cookies & Crème, 90-Calorie Mint Fudge Brownies and Crunchy Cookies — and we were all over it, because, well, you know us. We love finding smart, healthier ways to enjoy the things we love (like dessert!) instead of giving them up. That’s how you make a good food resolution stick!
Five of our top tips for dressing up dessert are below. What would you add?

These Mint Chocolate Chip Brownies from Fiber One are super tasty on their own, but they only get better with a little ice cream! Photo credit: Fiber One

1. Include ingredients that pack a nutritional punch.

When it comes to dessert, it can be tempting to go all out and indulge in everything you’ve considered off-limits the rest of the day, but take a step back and think about what you really want. You probably want something that’s sweet, but also satisfying, so including something like your favorite fruit to a scoop of fro-yo is a great way to add substance and flavor without adding a ton of calories.
Or, consider using your culinary (or recipe-Googling) skills to craft a dessert including one of the tasty treats from Fiber One — with five grams of fiber per serving, they’ll help you to feel full without chowing down on a huge bowl of sweets. Dessertify has some ah-mazing ideas for doing just that, like this super-delish Mint Chocolate Chip Ice Cream Sandwich using the Fiber One Mint Fudge Brownies.

2. Serve it up in a smaller dish.

It’s incredibly easy to overdo your portion sizes when you’re eating dessert out of a large bowl or dinner plate — a sensible portion on a big ol’ dish can look pretty pathetic! If you’re scooping out ice cream, use a mug (and not one that holds a whole pot of coffee) instead of a cereal bowl, and if you’re having a brownie or cookie, pop it on a saucer or small salad plate.

Plating it doesn’t have to be too involved. These chopped Fiber One Cookies & Creme protein bars on top of fro-yo look nice and tastes so yummy. Photo credit: Fiber One

3. Plate it and make it pretty.

When you get a fancy dessert in a restaurant, it’s generally more than just a piece of chocolate on a paper towel, right? Take an extra minute or two and focus on the presentation of your dessert. Set it out on a pretty plate, and arrange it so that you can see — and appreciate — everything you’re about to nosh on. Even just artfully arranging, say, chopped up bits of a Cookies & Crème protein bar over yogurt (frozen or otherwise!) can really jazz up a dish.
Outside of the basic ingredients, think about unexpected garnishes that will enhance the flavor or overall experience. Snag a sprig of fresh mint or consider sprinkling just a smidge of coarsely ground sea salt onto the top. Sure, it might get messy once you take a bite, but let’s cross that bridge when we come to it, shall we?

4. Savor the experience.

One of our best-loved Fit Bottomed Girls Anti-Diet tips is to take time to enjoy the experience of your food, and that’s especially important when it comes to those sweets that you really, really crave. Don’t stand at the pantry and take mindless bites of your dessert, but, once it’s plated and gorgeous, sit down and study it. Notice the various textures of the food in front of you, and notice how you feel before you’ve even taken a bite. Are you excited? Impatient?
Eat slowly, taking small bites and focusing on how your dessert tastes as it hits your tongue. Does it leave a lingering flavor after you’ve chewed and swallowed? And, once you’ve had a bite, do you still feel as excited as you did before you had your first bite? Don’t take your next bite until you’re truly done with the last!

5. Share with a friend or loved one.

Whether you cut the calories in half by splitting a single serving or each enjoy a full portion and just share the experience, great food is only enhanced by fabulous company. (You could always split the difference and each have a Crunchy Cookie but share a glass of milk to dip it in.) And hey, won’t it be nice to have someone other than yourself appreciate the effort you made with the presentation?
What do you do to dress up your dessert without turning a sensible treat into a complete calorie bomb? I’m a big fan of adding cinnamon to just about everything, especially a little vanilla ice cream, and then top it with some of those Cookies & Crème crumbles … —Kristen
Thanks for sponsoring this post, Fiber One!