Healthified Apple Crisp

Two dessert recipes in a week, wow aren't you lucky! My grandma has an apple tree in her front yard. It is some variety of a golden delicious apple and is honestly the most amazing apple I have ever eaten in my life. I look forward to that first cold evening in September that turns the starches in the apple into sugar and makes them incredible tasting! It is such a funny tree though, they have never sprayed it for worms, the apples are never thinned, so the tree is completely loaded with huge apples and hardly a worm hole in any of them. For as long as I can remember grandma would give us empty buckets and we would go and pick up all of the apples that had fallen on the ground. She would cut off any worm holes or bad spots and make us apple crisp and it hot out of the oven with a scoop of vanilla ice cream is so good. Sadly apple crisp is usually loaded with butter and sugar and isn't the most healthy thing to be eating. But luckily there are some good alternatives! Try this out and I think you won't even miss that extra butter and sugar!

Healthified Apple Crisp
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Total Time: 50 minutes
Servings: 8

6 cups sliced unpeeled cooking apples (6 medium)

1/4 cup frozen apple juice concentrate, thawed

1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

3/4 cup old-fashioned or quick-cooking oats

1/4 cup whole wheat flour

1/3 cup packed brown sugar

1/4 cup butter or no-trans-fat 68% vegetable oil spread stick, softened

1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/4 teaspoon ground ginger

Reduced-fat vanilla ice cream, if desired 

 

• Heat oven to 375°F. Spray 8-inch square (2-quart) glass baking dish with cooking spray. In medium bowl, mix apples, apple juice concentrate and 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon until well mixed. Spread in baking dish.
• In same medium bowl, mix remaining ingredients until crumbly. Sprinkle over apples.
• Bake uncovered 25 to 35 minutes or until apples are tender and topping is golden brown. Serve with ice cream.

For variety, stir 2 to 4 tablespoons ground flaxseed into the topping mixture before sprinkling over apples.

Good apples for apple crisp are the same as those that are good in apple pie, such as Braeburn, Jonathan, McIntosh or Northern Spy.

Source: Live Better America
 
 

 

Cacao Nibs

Cacao Nibs are something I am just recently discovering.  They are rich, intense and slightly bitter and have all of the advantages of chocolate--lots of antioxidants, magnesium and iron--without having any of the sugar.  These amazing little treats are bits of cacao beans that have been separated from their husks and come in both roasted and raw varieties.  You can use them just like chocolate chips in granola; stir them into your ice cream or even peanut butter; sprinkle them on oatmeal or caramel popcorn or add them to your diet with the following yummy tips.

Crave-Buster Candy: Grind cacao nibs in a coffee grinder; melt honey and coconut oil in a small saucepan; then stir in both ground and whole cacao nibs. Add walnuts, stir to coat; and bake at 350 degrees for 10 minutes.  Cool and then break into large pieces.

Sugar-Free Smoothie: In a blender combine almond milk, cacao needs, chia seeds and a frozen banana; puree until thick and creamy.

Easy Mole: Mix dried chipotle powder, coriander, cinnamon, garlic powder, black pepper, salt and a pinch of ground clove with ground cacao nibs. Add sesame seeds, olive oil, and tomato sauce and simmer until think for a rich mole sauce.

Breakfast Treat: Stir whole and ground cacao nibs and minced pecans into pancake batter; cook; and top with cacao nibs and maple syrup.

Seductive Dessert: Combine coconut milk, vanilla extract, honey, cacao nibs, and cornstarch in a small saucepan, and simmer for 10 minutes until thickened. Pour into small cups or ramekins and chill until firm. Sprinkle with cacao nibs before serving.

I haven't been able to find cacao nibs in most grocery stores but have seen them in stores like Sprouts or Whole Foods.  Give them a try, they are a tasty little indulgent but healthy treat!

Butterscotch Bars

I have the biggest sweet tooth and I have learned that if I completely cut sweets out of my diet that I end up going crazy and eat everything in sight.  So when I am needing something sweet I have learned that I can have a small piece of something and it curbs that craving.  And that little bit of something sweet is even better if its made a little bit healthier.  Cooking Light changed up this recipe to make it a little healthier.  You may even end up liking this version better!

Butterscotch Bars

A small square of these rich bars is enough to satisfy a dessert craving.  The flour and oats mixture is somewhat dry after combined but it serves as a solid base for the soft butterscotch chip layer and a crumbly, streusel-like topping.

1 cup brown sugar
5 T butter, melted
1 tsp vanilla extra
1 large egg, lightly beaten
9 ounces all-purpose flour (about 2 cups)
2 1/2 cups quick -cooking oats
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp baking soda
Cooking spray
3/4 cup fat-free sweetened condensed milk
1 1/4 cups butterscotch morsels
1/8 tsp salt
1/2 cup finely chopped walnuts, toasted

Preheat oven to 350.

Combine sugar and butter in a large bowl. Stir in vanilla and egg. Weigh or lightly spoon flour into dry measuring cups; level with a knife. Combine flour, oats, 1/2 tsp salt, and baking soda in a bowl. Add oat mixture to sugar mixture; stir with a fork until combined (mixture will be crumbly). Place 3 cups oat mixture into the bottom of a 9X13 PAN coated with cooking spray; press into bottom of pan. Set aside.

Place sweetened condensed milk, butterscotch morsels, and 1/8 tsp salt in a microwave safe bowl; microwave at HIGH 1 minute or until butterscotch morsels melt; stirring every 20 seconds.  Stir in walnuts. Scrap mixture into pan, spreading evenly over crust.  Sprinkle evenly with remaining oat mixture, gently pressing into butterscotch mixture. Bake at 350 for 30 minutes or until the topping is golden brown.  Place pan on a cooking rack; run a knife around outside edge. Cool completely.

Yield: 36 servings (serving size: 1 bar)

Mexican Chocolate Raspberry Parfaits

Here is an easy, healthier and tasty dessert to have for Cinco de May!

Mexican Chocolate Raspberry Parfaits
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Total Time: 15 minutes
Servings: 4

1 1/4 cups light chocolate soy milk
1 box (4 oz) chocolate instant pudding
1/4 tsp ground cinnamon
1 slice angel food cake torn into pieces
1/2 cup (thawed) fat free whipped topping
1/2 cup fresh or frozen raspberries
Grated chocolate, if desired

In medium bowl beat soy milk, pudding and cinnamon with wire whisk until mixture is blended and thickened.

To assemble spoon 2 tablespoons pudding into each of 4 small parfait glasses.  Layer each with 1/4 of the cake, 1 tablespoon whipped topping, and 2 tablespoons of the raspberries.  Top each with the remaining pudding and whipped topping.  Garnish with grated chocolate.

Source:  Live Better America

Yogurt Cupcake Bites

Strawberries are coming in season and I just can't seem to get enough of them.  I wanted to do a dessert with them but wanted something a little healthier.  These little cupcakes require no baking and only take a few minutes to put together.  The hardest part is waiting for them to chill and set up!  Give them a try, it will satisfy that sweet tooth and not undo all of your hard work of eating right.

Yogurt Cupcake Bites

Prep time: 10 minutes
Total time: 1 hour 10 minutes
Servings: 4

1 container (6oz) light fat free strawberry yogurt
1/2 cup thawed reduced fat whipped topping
4 strawberries, cut in half

Place mini paper baking cup in each of 8 mini muffin cups.  Spoon slightly less than 2 T yogurt in each cup.  Top each with a small dollop of whipped topping.  Cover with foil or plastic wrap.  Freeze at least one hour.  Top with strawberry half before serving. 

1 serving (2 bites): 50 calories;  1 1/2 g fat