Pumpkin Muffins

INGREDIENTS:
One 15-oz. can pure pumpkin
1 1/4 cups whole-wheat flour
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
1 egg
1/2 cup unsweetened applesauce
1/2 cup 1% milk
1/2 cup Splenda No Calorie Sweetener (granulated)
1/4 cup Splenda brown sugar
1/4 cup Dried Cranberries or raisins - chopped (optional)
2 1/4 tsp. baking powder
1 1/2 tsp. cinnamon
1 tsp. ground nutmeg
1/4 tsp. ground cloves
1 tsp. vanilla extract
1/2 tsp. salt
1/3 cup chopped pecans (optional)

Directions: Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a large bowl, combine both types of flour, Splenda, Splenda brown sugar, baking powder, spices, salt, and pumpkin pie spice (in other words, all dry ingredients except for the dried cranberries, raisins or nuts). In a medium bowl, mix together pumpkin, egg, applesauce, milk, and vanilla extract (all the wet ingredients). Add this mixture to the bowl with the dry ingredients, and stir until just blended. Slowly sprinkle chopped dried cranberries or raisins and/or nuts into the batter, making sure they don't all stick together, and mix to distribute them. Spoon batter into a large loaf pan (about 9" X 5") sprayed with nonstick spray. Bake for about 50 minutes, until the top of the loaf is firm to the touch. (Bread may be moist inside. This doesn't mean it's undercooked.) Allow to cool, and then cut into 8 slices. Or evenly distribute the batter among 8 cups of a muffin pan sprayed with nonstick spray. Cook 35 minutes at 350 degrees. Let cool and Enjoy!

Yogurt Cream and fruit- Lite version

I LOVE The Pioneer Woman Cooks website. But unfortunately most of her recipes are not ones I can eat and stay successful with losing weight. She posted a recipe this week on Yogurt Cream that you eat with berries or other fruits. It looked so good. But being made with heavy cream, full fat yogurt and brown sugar, it was out of the question. Here is my lightened up version. It is really good. I had trouble not eating it all before dinner (it was our dessert). Might not be as good as the full-fat one, but this one I can enjoy and still see my scale going down.

INGREDIENTS
1 1/2 cup plain nonfat yogurt
1 scant cup fat free half-and-half
1/2 cup Splenda Brown Sugar
1 tsp. pure vanilla or almond extract
1/8 cup splenda

Mix together the yogurt and half-and-half in a bowl that can be covered securely with plastic wrap. Stir in vanilla. Sprinkle brown sugar Splenda and regular Splenda on top of yogurt. DO NOT STIR. Cover tightly with plastic wrap and place in the refrigerator for several hours. Before serving stir well with a whisk. Serve with favorite berries for a good afternoon snack or refreshing dessert, or layered in a parfait glass with a bit of granola for a yummy breakfast treat. Could also be served as a yummy dip for a fruit.

EDITED Recipe: I decreased the amount of half-and-half. It was too runny after it sat for awhile. I also strained it through a cheese cloth (same method as making the yogurt cream cheese) until it was thicker. It made it even better. I think strained it would make a better consistency for fruit dip. I am going to use the strained liquid in my smoothies.

Lemon Blueberry Smoothies

I love smoothies. I often have one in the afternoon to keep those late afternoon cravings at bay. Also helps get in those fruit and dairy servings that I sometimes struggle with. Here is a favorite one, but you can definitely change it up to suit your own tastes.

INGREDIENTS
1 (8 ounce) container blueberry sugarfree, nonfat yogurt
1/4 cup skim milk (may need to add more to make it blendable)
1 cup frozen blueberries
1 cup frozen strawberries
1/4 - 1/2 teaspoon sugar-free powdered lemonade mix (I also like Crystal Light Raspberry Lemonade)
1 packet of Splenda

Place yogurt, milk, blueberries, strawberries, and lemonade mix in a blender. Pulse until smooth and creamy.

Can't get much more simple than that. I make smoothies with just about any flavored yogurt and frozen fruit.

Another one of my favorites is peach yogurt with frozen mangoes and peaches! Get creative!!

Baked Oatmeal Muffins

This is a great way to have a fast breakfast for those on-the-go days.

INGREDIENTS
1/4 cup canola oil
2/3 cup splenda
2 eggs
3 cups dry oatmeal
1 to 2 teaspoon cinnamon
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup fat free milk
1/2 cup plain nonfat yogurt
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 teaspoon baking powder
Wisk oil, splenda, and eggs. Add cinn, baking powder, salt, vanila and wisk again. Add oatmeal then milk and yogurt and mix. Spray a muffin tin pan with non-stick spray. Bake at 350 for 25 minutes. - Makes 8 muffins.

Variations:
My FAVORITE - add a cup of fresh blueberries
Add some chopped or thin sliced apple.
Peanut butter & mini chocolate chips .
Can be baked in a 9-inch round cake pan or 9x9 cake pan and cut into 8 pieces.

Store individual muffins in zipper bags in the freezer. Heat in the microwave for about 1 minutes and breakfast is served!