Strawberry-Banana Muffins - sugar free

Strawberries and banana in a muffin that is sugar free. YUMMMM.

Ingredients:
3/4 cup applesauce
1/2 cup butter
1 egg
2 bananas, mashed
2 Tbsps. vanilla Greek yogurt
2 tsps. vanilla
2 cups flour
1 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. cinnamon
1/2 tsp. salt
1 cup strawberries, chopped

Directions:
Preheat oven to 425°F.
In a large mixing bowl, blend together applesauce, butter, egg, bananas, Greek yogurt, and vanilla.
In a separate bowl, mix together flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, and salt.
Combine dry ingredients with wet ingredients, and mix in strawberries.
Scoop batter into lined muffin tins.
Bake for 5 minutes at 425°F, then lower to 350°F and bake for an additional 15 minutes.
Serve and enjoy!

Gooey Gingerbread Cupcakes

Cinnamon, molasses, applesauce, ginger . . . you can taste the Christmas flavors in these cupcakes. Having little helpers makes it more fun. Thanks to Celia and Netti Fedele-McLeod, Sarah Holcombe and big helper, Al McLeod.

Licking the bowl is the best!

Seriously stirring the batter.

Which decorations will they choose?

Gingerbread Cupcakes

Frosting Ingredients:
1/2 cup reduced-fat cream cheese
1/4 cup light butter or light buttery spread
1/2 tsp. cinnamon
1/4 tsp. vanilla extract
1/3 cup powdered sugar

Cupcakes Ingredients:
1 3/4 cups moist-style spice cake mix (about half a box)
1/2 cup egg whites or fat-free liquid egg substitute
1/4 cup unsweetened applesauce
3 tbsp. molasses
1 tsp. vanilla extract
1 tsp. cinnamon
3/4 tsp. ground ginger
1/8 tsp. ground nutmeg
Optional topping: cinnamon

Directions:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line a 12-cup muffin pan with baking cups, or spray it with nonstick spray.

In a large bowl, combine all frosting ingredients except powdered sugar. With an electric mixer set to medium speed, beat until smooth, 1 - 2 minutes. Continue to beat while gradually adding powdered sugar. Beat until smooth, another 1 - 2 minutes. Cover and refrigerate. 


In another large bowl, combine all cupcake ingredients. Whisk until smooth and uniform. Evenly distribute batter among the cups of the muffin pan. 



Bake until a toothpick inserted into the center of a cupcake comes out clean, 16 - 18 minutes. 



Let cool completely, about 10 minutes in the pan and 25 minutes out of the pan. 



Spread with frosting.

MAKES 12 SERVINGS
Thanks to Hungry Girl for the recipe.

Flourless Candy Cane Chocolate Cake

Forget the cookies. This may be what Santa wants with his milk this year.

Santa would also like the Chocolate Icebox Cake on page 80 in Tastes & Treasures.

Flourless Candy Cane Chocolate Cake
Ingredients:
One 15-oz. can black beans, drained and rinsed 

1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder 

1/2 cup (about 4 large) egg whites 

1/3 cup unsweetened applesauce 

1/3 cup canned pure pumpkin
1/4 cup Truvia spoonable calorie-free sweetener (or another no-calorie granulated sweetener
1 1/2 tsp. baking powder 

1 tsp. vanilla extract
1/4 tsp. salt 

1/8 tsp. peppermint extract
1 tbsp. mini semi-sweet chocolate chips
1 full-sized candy cane (or 3 minis), crushed

Directions:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line a 9" round cake pan with foil, and generously spray with nonstick spray. 


Place all ingredients except chocolate chips and candy canes in a food processor. Puree until completely smooth and uniform. 

Fold in chocolate chips.
Transfer mixture into the cake pan, and smooth out the top. 

Bake until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out mostly clean, 35 - 40 minutes. 
Immediately sprinkle with crushed candy cane(s).

Let cool completely, about 1 hour. 

Refrigerate leftovers. (This cake tastes great chilled.) 

MAKES 8 SERVINGS

Thanks to Hungry Girl for the recipe.

Healthy Cookies

My daughter has made these with the help of the granddaughters. Lots of fun for the kids to make and even better to eat.

Spinach Cake Mini Muffins

Feeding a toddler healthy foods can be a challenge. These muffins are easy to make with wonderful ingredients.

Tastes & Treasures cookbook has recipes for Blueberry muffins and Sour Cream muffins. They can also be made into "mini muffins".

Spinach Cake Muffins

Ingredients
1/2 Cup Unsweetened Applesauce

1 Large Egg

2 Tsp Vanilla Extract

1 Cup Fresh Spinach, packed

1/3 Cup Sugar

2 Tbsp Vegetable, Olive or Canola Oil

1 1/2 Cups All Purpose Flour

1 Tsp Baking Powder

1/2 Tsp Baking Soda

1/2 Tsp Salt

Directions
1. Preheat oven to 350 F.

2. Place the first 6 ingredients in a food processor and puree
3. Place the remaining ingredients in a separate bowl and combine.

4. Pour the spinach puree in a large mixing bowl.

5. Slowly mix the dry ingredients into the wet until combined.

6. Scoop batter into a greased mini muffin tin, filling each cup 2/3 of the way.

7. Bake for 12 minutes.


Note: Freezes well in plastic baggies.

Makes 24 mini muffins

October is National Cookbook Month

Fall is a great time to try out your cookbook recipes and October is National Cookbook Month.

The Historical League's first cookbook (sold out), Arizona's Cooking Heritage, features a pioneer woman holding up two Gila Monsters on the cover. That recipe is interesting but tongue in cheek. Tastes & Treasures is filled with delicious menu ideas and the photographs are inspiring. You can also enjoy the history of Arizona leading up to it's Centennial celebrations February 1912-2012.

Spicey Sweet Applesauce

Apple Mash
Fall and the scent of apples are in the air. Time to make a delicious low calorie, low fat version of applesauce. Try this spicey hot version from www.hungry-girl.com. Better yet, combine this recipe with Garland's Apple Tart, page 48 Tastes & Treasures cookbook, for a unique taste treat.

Ingredients

8 Fuji apples, peeled, cored, and cut into chunks 
3 tbsp.
Red Hots cinnamon-flavored candies 

1 tbsp. light whipped butter or light buttery spread (like Brummel & Brown), room temperature 

1/2 tbsp. lemon juice 

1 tsp. vanilla extract 

1 tsp. cinnamon 

1/4 tsp. ground nutmeg

1/8 tsp. salt

Directions

Place apples and Red Hots in a crock pot.
In a small bowl, combine all other ingredients. Add 2 tbsp. water and mix well. Pour mixture over the contents of the crock pot, and stir to coat.
Cover and cook on high for about 4 hours or on low for 7 - 8 hours, until apples have softened and candy has dissolved.
Stir well and serve.

PER SERVING (heaping 1/2 cup): 121 calories, 1g fat, 63mg sodium, 30g carbs, 2.5g fiber, 23.5g sugars, 0.5g protein -- POINTS® value 2*
So hot yet soooo coool... This stuff is fantastic as a side dish, snack, or tasty dessert.