Pumpkin Muffins (No sugar added)

I have been experimenting with sugar alternatives. I wanted to give honey a try in sweetening my baked goods. The less processed the better right? Well maybe. I got some help from a blog from vegetarian times that says "Use 3/4 cup honey per 1 cup sugar, and reduce the liquid used (e.g., milk, water) by 1/4 cup if using more than 1 cup honey in a recipe. Check baked goods 10 minutes before the end of cooking time; honey can make them brown faster." (That link has some other sugar alternative suggestions too, you should check it out!)

So that is what I tried here. These where really good, and my roommates eat them up quickly. They make great breakfast muffins or late night snacks.


Ingredients:
1 Can of pumpkin
1/3 cup melted butter
1/2 cup honey
1 egg
1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ginger
1 tsp baking soda
 dash of salt
1 1/2 cups flour

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350.  Mix pumpkin, butter, sugar, and egg together. Add nutmeg, cinnamon, ginger, baking soda and salt to the mixture. Then gently stir in flour. Be careful not to over-mix. Pour mixture in to muffin tin filled with cupcake liners. Fill each muffin 3/4 full with batter. Bake for 30 minutes or until toothpick come out clean. 

Pumpkin Apple Dutch Crunch Pie

I dearly love pumpkin pie! It is my all time favorite food! I once tried a pumpkin apple dutch crunch pie from my favorite pie lady in Chico, the Sweet Cottage! If you are ever in Chico in the summer on a Thursday afternoon, or a Saturday morning (year around), check her out at the farmers markets. She has the best teas and ice cream sandwiches as well as the best pies around! Anyway, I decided to try to replicate her pie for thanksgiving this year. For a number of years I have been in charge of the pumpkin pie for my families thanksgiving. I have tried lots of different ways to make it: from scratch, with whipped egg whites for a fluffier pie, but this one is my new favorite. Next time however I am going to add a crust because homemade crust is the best part of a pie! 

http://www.bettycrocker.com/recipes/dutch-apple-pumpkin-crisp/15d2823d-2ec8-4d0b-9a61-e844cdc55817

INGREDIENTS

1 1/2 cups chopped peeled apples (2 small)

3/4 cup flour

3/4 cup packed brown sugar

1/4 cup butter or margarine, softened

1/4 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice

1 cup canned pumpkin (not pumpkin pie mix)

1/3 cup granulated sugar

1/4 cup milk

1 egg

2 tablespoons flour (use Pamela's flour for Gluten Free) 

1/2 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice

Whipped cream, if desired

Heat oven to 350°F. Spread apples over bottom of 9-inch glass pie plate. Microwave uncovered on High 4 to 6 minutes or until apples are crisp-tender.

Meanwhile, in small bowl, toss 3/4 cup flour, the brown sugar, butter and 1/4 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice until crumbly. Set aside.

In medium bowl, beat remaining ingredients except whipped cream with wire whisk until smooth. Pour over apples. Sprinkle with flour mixture. Bake 30 to 35 minutes or until golden brown and set. Cool 20 minutes. Serve warm with whipped cream.

Oatmeal Applesauce Cookies (no sugar or flour added)

This is pretty easy and doesn't take too much ingredients. Perfect for quick healthy fall cookies! They were inspired from quick oats cookies!

Ingredients:
1 cup applesauce
1 cup quick oats
1 teaspoon of cinnamon
1/2 cup of chocolate chunks or chips (I just chopped up a Theo chocolate bar, but you really could any add ins you wanted like nuts, or coconut. The possibilities are endless!)

Directions:
Preheat oven to 350 F.
Mix together oats and applesauce till well combined. Add in cinnamon and chocolate.
Scoop out small balls onto a cookie sheet. I used a tablespoon to measure them out. The more surface area this cookie has the more of a crunchy cookie texture it will have; less surface area the more moist and soft it will be.
Pop in the oven for 15 minutes or until the cookies have browned.
Enjoy these easy and healthy cookies with some tea; I paired mine with cinnamon tea and it was amazing!

See so quick and easy and no sugar or flour needed!

Caramel Apple Cider Cookies!

Here is the recipe for Caramel Apple Cider Cookies, which I found on Pinterest. These were a wonderful precursor to my trip to Apple Hill last fall. These cookies are best right out of the oven when the caramel is still hot, but we discovered the microwave can heat the center back up alright. However a toaster oven might work best! Warning these will go fast!

Ingredients

1 cup unsalted butter, nearly melted
1 cup granulated sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 (7.4 ounce) box Alpine Spiced Apple Cider Instant Original Drink Mix
2 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
3 cups all-purpose flour
1 (14 ounce) bag Kraft Caramels

Instructions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (190 degrees C).

Cream together butter, sugar, salt, and all 10 packets of apple cider mix until smooth and fluffy. Beat in eggs and vanilla extract, then mix in the baking soda and baking powder. Add the flour and mix until just combined.

Scoop the dough into small quarter sized balls, scraping off the excess as you go up the bowl. Flatten the dough slightly in your hand and place a caramel in the center. Work the dough around the caramel sealing well. Place the cookies two inches apart on the sheets.

Bake for 12 to 14 minutes or until golden brown around the edges. After baking, carefully slide the parchment with the cookies onto the counter. Let cool until they are no longer soft but still slightly warm. Twist gently to remove, and cool the rest of the way upside down on a cooling rack.
If cookies get too cool before you twist them off, freeze the whole sheet for a few minutes and they'll come right off.

Best enjoyed warm and with some spiced apple cider.