Chocolate Almond Panna Cotta with Cherry Sauce
This panna cotta is made with almond milk, making it dairy-free and lower in calories! There is no added sugar and it packs an intense punch of deep, rich chocolate. Fresh summer cherries provide a sweet and fruity counterpoint to this gluten-free, no-bake dessert. Try making it vegan with agar agar or vegetarian gelatin!
Omg, you guys. I cannot even stand myself lately.
I am getting so fat. Sorry, real talk. That number on the scale just keeps creeping up and up and up. Ugh!
Can I blame it on you? This blog? Or maybe it’s just my age? Am I really eating that much??? I thought I was being pretty good…?
Who knows. Whatever it is, I have to put a stop to it. I’d love to be all, “I’m just happy to be healthy,” and “I love my curves,” but really, I just feel so uncomfortable in my clothes, and the fact that it’s summer and everything’s on display does NOT help matters. So, I downloaded this app on my phone to help me stay on track. Now that my kids are older and more independent, I DEFINITELY need to make an effort to move around more, so I’m resolving to do a minimum of 20 minutes, 4 days a week on my elliptical, and hopefully I can squeeze some strength training in too, in the form of a yoga routine here and there on onDemand. (Maybe putting all this out there will make me more accountable, lol!) After entering in all of this info, my phone tells me I can eat 1,200 calories a day, and I should lose a pound a week. Sounds reasonable enough, right?
But noooooooooo! Seriously, you guys, that is soooo much harder than it sounds! Take yesterday as an example.
Breakfast:
- Double shot of espresso with 1/2 cup 2% milk and a teaspoon of sugar
- One slice whole wheat toast with 2 tablespoons natural peanut butter and a teaspoon of honey
386 calories
Lunch:
- One cup of gazpacho
463 calories
Snack:
- Two Wasa Crispbreads with one wedge of Laughing Cow cheese
82 calories
Dinner:
- One skinless chicken thigh
- 1/2 cup white beans cooked (with herbs & lemon) in chicken stock
- Half a dozen Kalamata olives
508 calories
Ok, so I’m 90 calories over for the day.
!
Did I mention I was starving??? Like, all day???
And also, did you notice, NO COOKIES???
Seriously. This is going to be hard.
Maybe this will be the toughest week, as my stomach shrinks and my body suffers from symptoms of cookie withdrawal. Or maybe I just need to find lower-calorie meal options that are more satisfying. Bearing that in mind, I bring you this richly satisfying treat that is packed with intense chocolate flavor, offers fresh seasonal fruit, and clocks in at a little under 150 calories per serving. Also it’s gluten and dairy-free, woot!
This dessert is super-simple to put together. I mean, you don’t even have to turn your oven on! In my book, that gets major points in the month of July. 😉
You are going to love the rich, deep, and intense chocolate flavor of the panna cotta, with that subtly nutty back note. And the creamy, pudding-like texture is so refreshing in the summertime!
Those sweet, juicy cherries provide such fresh and seasonal contrast. I am a huge lover of the cherry/chocolate combo! Black forest FTW, baby.
Bathing suit season may already be half over, but it’s never too late to feel a little better about yourself and the food choices you’re making, right? With this recipe, you don’t have to deny yourself dessert. This one is dairy-free, gluten-free, vegan, low cal, low fat, no-bake, and super satisfying. 😉
So, what do you think? Am I going to be able to maintain this for the next twelve weeks to reach my goal? Have you ever found yourself in a similar situation? How did you deal with it? Do you have any ideas for me, for low-cal meals that will help me feel fuller and less deprived? Can’t wait to hear your comments…!
*Also just want to quickly mention that if you don’t already have one of these, it’s worth it’s weight in gold for bakers, moms of small children, and cherry lovers in general! Makes quick work of the pits and it works for olives as well. I love mine!*
**This recipe was included in Foodie Recipes’ Summer Harvest Cookbook App, available on iTunes**
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This panna cotta is made with almond milk, making it dairy-free and lower In calories! There is no added sugar and it packs an intense punch of deep, rich chocolate. Fresh summer cherries provide a sweet and fruity counterpoint to this gluten-free, no-bake dessert. Try making it vegan with agar agar or vegetarian gelatin!
- 1 cup unsweetened almond milk
- 1 teaspoon vanilla bean paste (extract can be substituted)
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1/4 teaspoon almond extract
- 1/4 ounce unflavored gelatin (1 packet)
- 4 ounces semisweet chocolate
- 1 cup fresh cherries, pitted and roughly chopped
- 1/4 cup water
- 1 1/2 tablespoons granulated sugar
- 1 1/2 teaspoons cornstarch
- 1/2 teaspoon almond extract
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Place the almond milk, vanilla, salt, and almond extract in a small pot.
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Sprinkle the gelatin over the surface and set aside for five minutes.
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Chop the chocolate into small pieces.
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Warm the almond milk mixture over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until barely simmering.
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Stir in the chopped chocolate until completely melted and well incorporated.
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Divide the mixture equally into four individual dessert dishes, and chill until set (about 2 hours).
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Place all of the ingredients in a small pot and cook over medium heat until thickened.
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Cool completely and spoon over the panna cottas.
