“Skinny” Brownie Pudding Parfait

A few weeks ago I shared my 10 Tips For a Healthy Start to the New Year, because well, even if you didn’t need them I sure did! After an extremely hectic holiday season, which included a lot of travel (read: not much exercise and not very healthy diet) and all the delicious holiday festivities, I definitely needed to hit the restart button.

We are now almost half way through the month of January (yikes!) and I wish I could report that my 2015 goals are off to a smashing good start. And while I have made a conscious effort to eat better (eating salad when I wanted a burger, drinking kale and spinach packed smoothies every morning), I have not really gotten back into a regular exercise routine. But I guess exercising a few times and overall eating healthy is better than what I was doing… so I’m not going to beat myself up too much!

One thing that I have always been a firm believer of is everything in moderation. In the past when I totally restricted sweet treats or other “not so good for you” foods, then I felt deprived and things usually didn’t end well. But if I did treat myself to a small serving or made smarter decisions when cravings hit (like having baked sweet potato fries instead of traditional French fries), then I felt satisfied without blowing all that healthy eating and exercising.

Making healthy choices when it comes to meals is usually pretty easy for me (I actually LOVE lean salads and packed green smoothies); but I will admit I have a bit of a sweet tooth and always want a little treat, usually chocolate, after dinner. That is why I was happy to discover these new Special K Brownies, which are only 80 calories. These new brownies are perfectly portioned (just a few bites), are made with real cocoa, chocolate or caramel chips, and topped with a drizzle of chocolate fudge and come in two tasty flavors: Divine Fudge and Heavenly Caramel. If you are a chocolate lover, and who isn’t, then these brownies are for you!

My “Skinny” Brownie Pudding Parfait came to me one night when “power watching” some of my favorite shows, when I wanted a special treat that was “just a little bit more” indulgent but still figure friendly. I whipped up some “skinny” chocolate pudding, made with good for you Greek yogurt mixed with cocoa powder and a little sugar (you can use whatever sweetener you prefer, I also like using maple syrup or honey) then topped with fresh strawberries and a diced Divine Fudge Special K Brownies; all layered in a small bowl for a pretty treat! Go on! Grab a spoon and take 5 minutes to enjoy a rich chocolaty treat, a good chick-flick or gossip magazine, and a few moments just for you!

“Skinny” Brownie Pudding Parfait
by Heather H. at Kitchen Concoctions: www.kitchen-concoctions.com
Printable Version
Prep Time: 8-10 minutes Serves: 2

Ingredients:
4 tablespoons cocoa powder
1 cup 0% plain Greek yogurt
1-1½ tablespoons brown sugar or sweetener of choice
½ cup diced strawberries
2 Divine Fudge Special K Brownies, diced

Directions:
To form pudding, in a small bowl stir together cocoa powder, Greek yogurt and sugar (or sweetener of choice); stirring until well combined.

Divide chocolate pudding mixture between two small serving bowls. Top pudding with diced strawberries. Top strawberries with diced brownies. Serve immediately.

For more ideas and information visit Special K online and follow them on Facebook and Twitter. And check out the new Special K® Brownies when they hit store shelves nationwide January 2015!

This post is sponsored by FitFluential on behalf of Special K Brownies.