We’ve all died and gone to heaven thanks to a divine piece of carrot cake. But having dessert vegetables shouldn’t be limited to that beta-carotene goodness. There are plenty of other veggies that fit the bill and are worthy of ending your meals on a high note.
Who needs cherries on top when there are so many more things you can try? If tomatoes have taught us anything, there is no need to put up a wall between fruits and vegetables and just keep them separated all the time. There are plenty of fruity things that go great in your main course: how about some apple or pears with your steak, pineapple on your pizza (I know it’s a huge controversy, but still!) and so on.
When you reverse the situation, you’ll find that there are plenty of main course veggies to also work as dessert vegetables – quite worthy of hitting your sweet spot without many transformations. And when it comes to sugar-laden desserts, incorporating more healthy veggies into the mix is an added bonus, after the taste and the great texture.
5 dessert vegetables to try
1. Carrots
Yes, carrots are still the one and only king when it comes to dessert vegetables. How can you use them to satisfy your sweet tooth without reproach? If you grate the carrots, then you have an amazing foundation to build on. And you can add those thin strips to plenty of desserts. It will work especially since carrots do have a sweet note. Make a cake with them or add them to a pudding!
Since we’re on this topic, parsnips act in many ways like carrots. So grate them too and use their sweetness in cakes and cookies and whatever else you can use carrots for. Maybe even mix the grated veggies together and make a super carrot-parsnip cake.
2. Corn
Another veggie with plenty of sweetness in its flesh, corn can be easily used to make ice cream! There’s a great tapioca and corn pudding traditional and popular in Thai cuisine. Mix it with coconut to make another type of pudding and your mind will be completely blown! You can use the corn kernels in making cookies or pancakes. And you can also add corn for a spin on classics like pannacotta or creme brulee.
3. Beets
Are you ready to accept pink pancakes in your life? Because if you add some beets to your pancake mix, you will end up with great (and sweet!) pancakes that are arresting visually, but also when you take those bites. These root vegetables do contain plenty of sugar, and you can add them to chocolate, too. That means you can make beet chocolate cookies and beet brownies, without missing a… beat. I will cower my head in shame with one final pun: take the path less beet-en and use this veggie in your desserts.
4. Sweet potatoes
What’s in a name? This time, the information that these potatoes are sweet. Puree them and use them in whatever creamy dessert you feel they belong to. Like puddings, or souffles. You can bake them into a tart or bring their lovely flavor to a layer cake. Are you curious to see how their consistency blends with some homemade meringues? What are you waiting for? Go ahead and try!
5. Zucchini
Here’s another veggie you can shred for incredibly tasty and sweet results. Make some zucchini cupcakes for a real original breakfast or snack. Add it to shakes or smoothies, because they have that unforgettable cool factor. There’s also a variety of breads you can make using zucchini and adding other sweet things like chocolate, carrots, apples or bananas.
