If you’re anything like me, you have a sweet tooth! It’s just one of those things that sometimes, you have to give in to 😉 As we all know, sweets can be fattening and unhealthy. As I have been watching what I eat, I was really craving puppy chow. I knew how fattening and unhealthy that was… So I came up with a much healthier alternative. And quite honestly, I think it tastes better than the original.
Skinny Oatmeal Banana Cookies
I love sweets and often have a sweet tooth, which can be a problem with trying to watch what I eat, but I have a great little treat to share today! These are super simple, quick and tasty cookies that are healthy! You will need 2-3 ripe bananas, 1/2 cup rolled oats and a small handful of unsweetened chocolate chips.
Begin by mashing your ripe bananas in a bowl until a smoother consistency. Add in oats and chocolate chips (if desired). You could also add raisins, cranberries or nuts. Mix all ingredients together until completely combined. Place in a pre-heated oven at 350 and bake for 10-12 minutes. Let cool and enjoy!
I have to say, I was pretty excited at how simple, yet yummy these were and the kids just ate them up, literally!!
Scrumptious Apple Pie
Who doesn’t love a good apple pie?! Well today I felt brave enough to attempt one by scratch. Yes, that’s right, I didn’t use a recipe and it turned out delicious!! Last Fall we went to our local fruit farm (Lynd’s) and picked way too many apples, so I froze some in our deep freezer. I went to the basement two days ago and brought them up to thaw. They felt a little mushy but perfect for cooking!
Here’s what you’re going to need:
- pre-made pie crust- 2 rolls
- at least six cups of sliced apples
- 1/2 cup of sugar
- a pinch of salt
- a dash of cinnamon
- 5 tablespoons of flour
- 2 tablespoons stick butter
- caramel sauce for drizzle
The thing I love about this pie is we had a variety of apples we picked, so some are tart, and some are sweet . Great mixture! Anyways, start by washing, peeling and slicing your apples into slices and place them into a saucepan. Add your sugar, flour, salt, cinnamon and stick butter to the pan over low heat. Let this cook and thicken, it will smell like heaven!! While your pie filling is cooking, grab your pie plate and crust. Unroll one piece of the crust and place into the pie plate, thumbing off any extra dough. Grab your second roll of pie crust, roll it onto a flat surface and cut it into about 1/2 inch pieces, length wise. I wanted to do a braid design for my crust, so I grabbed three pieces of the dough and simply began to braid them. I cut off the top and bottom and pressed it onto my pie pan, continue this until completely finished. I did about three sets all the way around. Grab some foil and gently cover your crust. By this time, your pie filling should be thick and fragrant. Remove from heat and pour into your pie crust. I cut a few additional strips of dough to place on top of the pie filling in a criss-cross design. Drizzle a little bit of caramel sauce over top of the entire pie. Bake in a 375 degree oven for 25 minutes, remove the foil from the crust and bake an additional 7-10 minutes. And ta-da, you have a beautiful pie that it looks like you’ve been slaving over all day to make!
My husband and dad both had seconds, and my husband requested that I make this again for Thanksgiving! I hope you enjoy this recipe, I’ll be keeping it around 😉
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Pumpkin Crumb Cake, Yum!
One of my favorite things about Fall is all the yummy food! I love to cook and bake, and this past weekend I decided I’d give a tasty recipe I found a try! Pumpkin crumb cake, hello! Here’s what you’re going to need :
For the cake batter:
- 1 3/4 cup all purpose flour
- 1 1/2 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 3/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 cup ( 1 stick ) unsalted butter
- 1 1/4 cups sugar
- 3 large eggs
- 1 cup canned pumpkin puree
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- 1/3 cup milk
- 1/2 cup chopped walnuts ( optional )
For the topping:
- 2/3 cups rolled oats
- 1/2 cup all purpose flour
- 1/2 cup firmly packed brown sugar
- 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
- 6 tablespoons unsalted butter
For the topping, begin by mixing the oats, flour, brown sugar and cinnamon together. Start to add the butter, creating a crumbly consistency. Set aside. Preheat your oven to 350. Grease a 9X5X3 inch pan. Begin to mix flour, pumpkin spice, baking soda, powder and salt together in a bowl. Add your butter and sugar together, while slowly stirring in your eggs one at a time. Mix well. Add pumpkin puree and vanilla. Slowly begin to stir in your milk. Add walnuts, if you choose. Bake at 350 for 45 minutes, or until a toothpick in the center comes out clean. Voila! A simple, delicious Fall dessert sure to become a family favorite!
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