We all know what a huge sugar freak I am. Like sweet, sweet nectar from the gods, it’s safe to assume that I will enjoy anything that has even the slightest hint of sweetness. Why then–you might be wondering–would I choose to be a vegan bikini competitor and subject myself to the most bland, boring, sugarless diet possible? Well DUH, because clearly I enjoy torturing myself and deem vanity far more important than sanity.

Truth is, I’ve actually discovered ways to enjoy dessert AND my body all at the same time. Sounds too good to be true, doesn’t it? And perhaps a little kinky? Don’t get too excited. I just mean there are ways to satisfy a sweet tooth without eating a week’s worth of calories in one sitting then feel super guilty about it.

Before I share my best craving buster recipes, let it be known that I never claim my vegan desserts to be “decadent.” I am, after all, the queen of juice pulp oat loaf and protein powder bean brownies.

I’m all about high protein and low calories when it comes to treats and I have created quite a few over the years that have become my competition prep saviors when those brutal sugar cravings hit.

So without further ado, here go my top five “craving buster” vegan bodybuilding sweet treats!

And please forgive the ghetto, accompanying instagram pics. I lost my phone in Mexico this week and **sigh** I’m totally that idiot who never backed up their photos.

1) Protein-Packed Rice Pudding

Who doesn’t love rice pudding? I used to make it ALL THE TIME when I was vegetarian because it’s such a creamy, delicious, comfort food. And I still make it as a vegan bikini competitor, just a healthier, higher protein version. All I do is mix up some Jacked on the Beanstalk Vegan Protein Powder with unsweetened vanilla almond milk and some pure vanilla extract. Add some pre-cooked white rice to the mix, sprinkle with cinnamon, (raisins optional) and voila: rice pudding fit for a vegan bodybuilding queen.

2) Chickpeas with Powdered PB and Calorie-Free Syrup

Okay I know this sounds pretty foul but desperate times call for desperate measures. I invented this vegan competition diet dessert when I was trying to force down a full cup of beans everyday and getting pretty sick of eating them with cilantro, lime juice and chili powder EVERYDAY. So I thought “how can I turn this cup o’ beans into something sweet and satisfying but without all the extra calories?” Hello powdered peanut butter and Walden Farms Calorie-Free Pancake Syrup!

Don’t get me wrong, these items are totally gross “diet foods” and I’m a big believer in eating nutritionally-dense WHOLE foods. Let it be known there is no way in Hell I’d be eating this stuff in the off-season. But alas, when every last calorie counts and I’m trying my damnest to enjoy eating, this ghetto, chemical-laden treat ain’t too shabby. And of all the Walden Farms zero calorie products, the pancake syrup is by far the most edible. PS stay clear of their peanut butter “spread.”

3) Pan-Fried Tofu with Cinnamon & Maple Syrup

Being Canadian, I simply can’t always do the Walden Farms zero calorie pancake syrup when prepping simply because it just doesn’t hold a flame to the real stuff. So in honour of my heritage and the spelling of “honour” with a “u,” sometimes the best vegan bodybuilding treat on Earth is a big ol’ slab of organic tofu fried in a non-stick pan with a tiny bit of coconut oil, maple syrup and lots of cinnamon. Seriously, it’s sooooo damn good. And where I come from, we put maple syrup on everything. Even tofu. Pretty sure my grandpa would be rolling in his grave at the thought of me eating Walden Farms.

4) Rice Cake Crunchy Bowl

I really struggled coming up with a sexy-sounding name for this competition diet “sweet treat.” As the picture reads, yes, it totally looks like a bowl of puke. But don’t judge a book by its’ cover! This is one of my all-time fave craving busters. It actually tastes like an ice cream cone and is the perfect combo of sweet and crunchy. I basically just mix up some Jacked on the Beanstalk Vegan Protein Powder in Vanilla or Chocolate (depending on my mood) with a bit of water or unsweetened vanilla almond milk and some powdered PB. Once smooth, I then crush a rice cake into the mix, sprinkle some cinnamon on top, stir it up then eat the crap outta it!

5) Plain ol’ Protein Pudding aka Sludge

This list just wouldn’t be complete without including my everyday, all-day, go-to competition diet fave: good ol’ protein pudding aka “sludge” to the bodybuilding.com world. As I’ve said many times, I much prefer to eat my calories than drink ’em. And when it comes to protein powder, I will always choose pudding over shakes. The trick is finding a TASTY vegan protein powder with a non-chalky or gummy consistency. I’m loving Jacked on the Beanstalk Vegan Protein Powder, especially the chocolate flavour. It’s brown rice-based (aka easier for digestion) and unlike most rice powders, it’s not super chalky either. I just mix it with water and a little nut butter (or powdered PB depending on the day) in the little bowl that permanently sits atop my kitchen counter and eat it several times a day.

I may or may not have gotten my one-year-old niece addicted to protein pudding too.

And on that note, time to whip me up some puddin’ of my own. Hope you guys like these sweet treat ideas. Try ’em out and let me know what you think!

– Samantha Shorkey, Jacked on the Beanstalk