Top 5 “Healthy” Junk Food Recipes

Let’s be real here, I’m just like you and LOVE junk food. In fact, I bet I love certain ones way more than you. I attribute this largely to the fact that there are so many foods I can’t eat due to my digestive issues, so I crave those things so much more. Just like anything else in the world, we always want what we can’t have. (This is where moderation comes in… as long as you don't have food allergies or intolerances.)

That being said, I’m all about making junk food “healthy”. These 5 recipes are healthier than your average junk food because all the ingredients are natural whole real foods with no additives or added sugars. They are also all gluten and dairy-free, vegan, and so much more!

If you read my last blog post The Veleo Approach, point #6 was about eliminating sugar. Two of these recipes actually have no sugar whatsoever and are sweetened with dates! The other 3 are sweetened with maple syrup, a much better and healthier alternative than most sugars/sweeteners (but remember, it is still considered to be a "sugar").

If you're going to eat some sort of junk when you have a sugar craving, these 5 recipes are much better alternatives. Just remember that these are still special treats, not something to be consumed daily just because they are "healthy" junk food. They are still junk after all.

Here are my top 5 “healthy” junk food recipes (in no particular order):

1. Almond Butter Cups

Ingredients:

Chocolate:

1/2 cup vegan chocolate chips
1 tbsp coconut oil

Filling:

Natural nut butter, warmed and stirrable
Maple syrup (optional)

Note: The chocolate chips do not have to be vegan, it just means they are dairy-free. Since I'm dairy- and sugar-free, I make a variation with unsweetened chocolate and maple syrup instead of regular chocolate chips. This way I'm sure there's no dairy, and the only sugar is pure maple syrup instead of the sugar added to chocolate chips.

Instructions:

Put chocolate chips in a microwave-safe bowl and heat for 20 second intervals, stirring between each, until melted.
Use a peanut butter cup candy mold or a standard muffin tin with paper muffin liners.
Add 1 tsp of melted chocolate to the bottom of the molds/liners. Swirl the chocolate around so it coats the side as much as possible.
Place in the freezer for 10 minutes to firm up.
Add a dollop of the butter filling, and spread it out in the center.
Add chocolate over top to seal the cup.
Place cups back in the freezer until completely firm.
Store in freezer or fridge.

2. Raw Walnut Brownies

Ingredients:

2 cups whole walnuts

2 1/2 cups dates, pitted

1 cup cacao powder

1 cup raw almonds/walnuts, roughly chopped

Directions:

Place walnuts in food processor and blend on high until nuts are finely ground.
Add cacao and salt, then pulse to combine.
Add dates one at a time through the feed tube of the food processor while it's running. (Mix should end up like cake crumbs but when pressed will stick together. If it doesn't, add more dates.)
In a large bowl, combine the walnut-cacao mix with the extra chopped nuts.
Press mixture into a lined cake pan. Place in freezer until firm and easy to cut.
Store in fridge.

Notes: If you want gooier brownies, omit the extra cup of chopped nuts and remove 1/2 cup of dates.

3. Almond Quinoa Brittle

Ingredients:

2 tbsp coconut oil

1/2 cup maple syrup

1/2 cup uncooked white quinoa

3/4 cup sliced almonds, chopped

1/4 GF rolled oats (if not using, replace 1/4 cup with combo of other ingredients)

2 tbsp chia seeds

2 tbsp hemp seeds

1 tbsp flax seeds

1 tbsp coconut sugar

1/4 tsp cinnamon

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
Combine the maple syrup and coconut oil in a microwave-safe bowl. Cover the bowl and microwave until the oil is melted.
Add the rest of the ingredients to a medium bowl. Pour the maple syrup mixture over and mix well to combine.
On the prepared pan spread the mixture as thinly and evenly as possible.
Bake for 15 minutes then rotate the pan and continue baking another 5-10 minutes, until it turns golden brown.
Let cool completely and then break into pieces.
Store at room temperature, fridge or freezer.

4. Pistachio Date Cookies

Ingredients:

2 cups pistachios

1 cup date paste (or chopped dates)

1 tbsp coconut oil

1/4 tsp cinnamon

Directions

Preheat oven to 325 degrees and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
Blend pistachios to desired consistency (I like mostly smooth with some small pieces).
Add coconut oil and cinnamon, then date paste gradually.
Blend until mixture gets sticky. If you're able to easily stick it together to make a ball, it's ready. If mixture doesn't stick, add more date paste.
Roll into small balls and place on baking sheet.
Bake for 25 minutes until cookies get a bit darker and slightly firm (as they cool, they will firm up even more).
Let cool and store at room temperature, fridge or freezer.

Notes: Once I made these a bunch of times I started making different variations, like adding in coconut flakes, or using cashews and almond butter instead of pistachios. It's all yummy!

5. Chocolate Bark

Ingredients:

3/4 cup coconut oil

1/2 cup maple syrup

1 cup cocoa powder

1/2 tsp vanilla extract

Nuts, coconut flakes, chili pepper flakes, cocoa nibs, etc. (optional)

Directions:

Place coconut oil in a microwave safe bowl and heat until melted.
Mix all the ingredients well together, no clumps.
Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and pour mix on top creating a thin layer.
Add nuts, coconut flakes, chili pepper flakes, cocoa nibs, etc. on top. (Optional.)
Place in fridge or freezer until hard and easy to break.
Store in freezer to avoid melting.

Notes:

You can play around with the amounts of ingredients for different consistencies and therefore different uses. For example, if the consistency is thicker, you can put it in a square backing pan, make it thick layer and voila, you have fudge!
You can also put the liquid chocolate on top of the Raw Walnut Brownies and let it harden like that, delish!