How to Satisfy Cravings While Staying Nauti

HAPPY (almost) VALENTINES DAYYY
I know everyone is SO excited for Valentines Day this Friday strictly because it's a free day to eat as much chocolate and sweets as you want without feeling ~as~ guilty. I know all you Nauti Warriors wanna prep that bod for spring break so if you are looking for some sweetness with a little less guilt, you have come to the right place. I have recently cut dairy from my diet which I thought was going to be way harder considering ice cream is one of my favorite foods and I have a MAJOR sweet tooth. That being said, I thought it would be fun to share with you guys some of my favorite guilt free dessert options for you and your valentine(s) to enjoy together ;) are you ready??

Really anything from Trader Joes because it's healthy right??
Have a Trader Joes on campus is very dangerous especially because of how big their frozen treat aisle is. They have anything you could ever want whether it be cupcakes, cookies, chocolates, or cakes. A healthier alternative I recently discovered is their chocolate hummus. This stuff is no joke and is the perfect topping for a pretzel/graham cracker or dip for strawberries. If you're feeling crazy, you could double up on the chocolate and layer it on top of your cookie of choice. So yummy I promise. 

Chocolate. Bananas. Peanut Butter.
Honestly anything can be made into a tasty treat. This one is so simple but gets the job done beautifully and is more diy for a girls night in. There are a lot of ways you can incorporate these three ingredients. One way is chopping up the banana, making a sandwich out of two pieces with a nut butter of your choosing in the middle, dipping in chocolate and freezing it. Another way is a banana boat where you can cut a banana to make it kind of like a hot dog bun, fill it with chocolate chips, nut butter, maybe some cookie crumbles for that extra crunch and drizzling some honey on it. I know it doesn’t sound THAT exciting but it can be fun to do with friends with lots of fix ins of your choice! Guilt free but so so so good. ***anyone who is dairy free: buy the Enjoy Life chocolate chips! They can be found at the Vons near campus and taste just at good as any other chocolate :)

It’s Sweet, It's Salty, It’s Perfection.

It’s POPCORN! Saying I love popcorn is an understatement. Sure it may just be popped kernels but there are endless things you can do to dress up popcorn to make it a sweet tasty treat. You can start with an air popped bag of popcorn from Trader Joes or pop a bag of skinny pop if you prefer it warm. Next all you need is some fix-ins, my favorites are cinnamon, chocolate chips (could melt and drizzle it in if you prefer that), melted peanut butter to thin it out for drizzling purposes, and even honey! Go crazy really and add whatever your heart desires. Fair warning: your hands may get a little sticky while eating it but it’s worth it.

Pressed Juicery

I know we all know what this is. However I wouldn’t be sharing my favorites if I didn't include this on the list. This place is amazing because it really can be as healthy as you want it with just fruit as your toppings or you can really indulge and get chocolate chips, chocolate sauce, peanut butter, candied nuts or other yummy options. I usually get the chocolate and vanilla swirl option with whatever toppings i may be feeling at the time - but no matter what you get it's pretty guilt free while still satisfying your sweet tooth. Oh and since its Valentine’s day make sure you get the biggest size.

Saving the best for last: So Delicious Dairy Free Ice Cream

I have tried MANY “healthier” ice creams that satisfy my raging sweet tooth and this is BY FAR the best. It has more calories in the whole pint compared to brands such as HaloTop or others, but that doesn't mean I don't eat the whole pint on occasion…. Whoops. My favorite flavors are the Snickerdoodle and Salted Caramel Cluster and I promise you they do not disappoint. I am not the biggest coconut fan, so I usually steer clear of anything coconut milk based, so both of these flavors are based with cashew milk and it makes it oh so creamy. I can guarantee I will be eating one of these on Friday.

Hopefully these can bring you some guiltless sweetness to your V-Day, but of course I don't blame you if you just get a tub of ice cream and shamelessly eat it. Life’s all about moderation anyways so it doesn’t matter what you decide to munch on as long as it brings you happiness. You all deserve to treat yourself!

XOXO

Brooke