Super Quick "Baked" Apple

This is my go-to recipe when I need a low-cal dessert, snack, or another notch on my 5-A-Day (or is it 9-A-Day?) belt.

Ingredients:
Apple, all sliced up
1t (or so - depends on your tastes) Cinnamon
Splenda packet
2 T water

Directions:
Combine all ingredients in a microwave safe bowl. Microwave for 1 minute. And you have essentially have a a pie, minus the crust. You could also throw in a few squirts of I Can't Believe it's Not Butter Spray for a more authentic pie-like taste, but I like it just fine without it.

Nutrition:

Calories: 95.4
Total Fat: 0.6 g
Cholesterol: 0.0 mg
Sodium: 26.2 mg
Total Carbs: 25.3 g
Dietary Fiber: 6.2 g
Protein: 0.4 g

Easy Peanut Butter Chip Cookies

Ok, not exactly sinless - but with all the extra time you saved in baking them, you could easily run a mile or two and burn off the calories you consumed eating them.

Ingredients:

1 cup sugar
1 cup smooth peanut butter
1 egg
7 T chocolate chips

Directions:

Combine all ingredients until well mixed. Drop by the spoonful onto cookie sheet. Press down dough with fork. Bake at 350 degrees for 8 minutes.
For lower calorie cookies, omit chocolate chips.

Number of Servings: 30

Nutritional Info:

• Calories: 87.5

• Total Fat: 5.0 g
• Cholesterol: 6.4 mg
• Sodium: 38.1 mg
• Total Carbs: 9.6 g
• Dietary Fiber: 0.5 g
• Protein: 2.4 g

Low Fat Banana Bread

You could also add some chopped walnuts for a little crunch and a boost of protein. Nutrition info below is for a nutless bread.

Ingredients:

1.5 cup flour

1.25 teaspoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

1/8 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon vanilla

2 egg whites

1 cup mashed banana

3/4 cup sugar

1/4 cup applesauce

Directions:

Combine banana, egg whites, applesauce, sugar, vanilla, and cinnamon. Add dry ingredients (flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt) until well mixed. Pour batter into bread pan sprayed with cooking spray. Bake at 350 degrees for 40-50 minutes or until toothpick inserted into the loaf comes out clean.

Number of Servings: 20

Nutritional Info:

Calories: 84.2
Total Fat: 0.2 g
Cholesterol: 0.0 mg
Sodium: 96.2 mg
Total Carbs: 19.5 g
Dietary Fiber: 0.7 g
Protein: 1.6 g

More baking with splenda! Low Cal Blueberry Muffins

No pic for these bad boys either. They're super moist, but incredibly delicious.

Ingredients:
1.5 C Flour
3/4 C Splenda
2 tsp baking powder
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
2/3 C fat free vanilla yogurt (I used Dannon Light & Fit)
2/3 C water
3/4 C Blueberries

Directions
Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

Combine and mix dry ingredients. Then add water and yogurt, mix then add berries and stir carefully. Fill muffin cups sprayed with cooking spray 3/4 full. Bake for 18 minutes.

Number of Servings: 12

Nutrition Facts (Per muffin):
Calories: 71.1
Total Fat: 0.3 g
Cholesterol: 0
Sodium: 193.5 mg
Total Carbohydrate: 15.9 g
Dietary Fiber: 2.4 g
Protein: 2.8 g

Light and Basic Cherry Crisp

I figured I'd post this one while cherries are still in season. I made this a few weeks ago, so unfortunately I don't have a pic to go with the recipe. I promise to remember to take pics for recipes I make going forward.

Ingredients
4 cups pitted fresh or frozen cherries
2/3 cup splenda (you can substitute with sugar if you prefer)
4 tablespoons flour
1/2 cup flour
1/2 cup oats
1/2 cup brown sugar
1 stick light butter

Directions
Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.
In a large bowl, combine cherries, splenda, and 4 tablespoons flour. Pour into 8x8 pan.
In a medium bowl, combine 1/2 cup flour, oats, and brown sugar. Cut in butter until crumbly. Sprinkle over cherries. Bake in preheated oven for 30-40 minutes, or until topping is golden brown.

Number of Servings: 12

Nutritional info (Per serving):
Calories: 127.4
Total Fat: 4.6 g
Cholesterol: 13.4 mg
Sodium: 62.8 mg
Total Carbs: 22.0 g
Dietary Fiber: 1.6 g
Protein: 2.0 g