Your imagination could go wild with substitutions on fruit…you could do 4 c. apples & 2 c. cherries or 4 c. pears and 2 c. raspberries…the combos are practically limitless! The cinnamon and nutmeg pair well with any fruit…they add a warmth and “homey” flavor to almost any baked dish, so don’t think you have to omit them for the different fruits.

Serves: 1 person (or 6-8 if you share)

Filling:

4 c. peaches, peeled, pitted, & sliced to a medium thickness (or use frozen… I did)

2 c. blueberries, washed & drained (again, frozen work just fine)

1 Tbsp. all-purpose flour (I like unbleached)

3/4 c. white sugar

1/2 tsp. cinnamon

1/8 tsp. nutmeg

Pastry Topping:

1 1/2 c. all-purpose flour  (unbleached)

1 tsp. baking powder

1/2 tsp. Kosher salt

1 Tbsp. white sugar

1/4 tsp. cinnamon

1/8 tsp. nutmeg

2 Tbsp. vegetable oil

1/4 c. nonfat plain yogurt (I like Stoneyfield Farm or Trader Joe’s)

2 Tbsp. nonfat milk

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Preheat oven to 350.

Spray 9” square pan with cooking spray

In a large bowl, combine fruits and flour…toss to mix well. In small bowl, combine sugar and spices, mix well (this ensures you don’t get any clumps of spices in the fruit since the moist fruit can sometimes “grab” clumps of spices).  Add to fruit and toss to mix well. Place in prepared pan and distribute evenly over bottom of pan.

{You can do this next step by hand or use a stand or hand mixer…follow same sequence of adding ingredients.}

In food processor, put flour, baking powder, salt, sugar, cinnamon, and nutmeg. Pulse to combine. Run processor on level 1 and add oil through feeding tube or oil dispenser JUST until combined. Add yogurt with same method. Finally, add milk. Stop processing as soon as mixture looks like a dough—over processing will lead to a tough crust when baked.

Lightly flour counter and turn dough out—it will be very soft and sticky. Add enough flour so dough is workable and gently knead 3-4 times…just until you can roll dough without it sticking to rolling pin. Create a 9” square with the dough. Flour your rolling pin and roll dough up onto rolling pin—sort of like you are rolling up a poster. Then, unroll dough over fruit mixture in pan. Cut a medium sized “x” in middle of dough. Sprinkle dough evenly with white sugar.

Bake for 40-50 minutes or until crust is golden brown and fruit is bubbly. Serve with ice cream, frozen yogurt…whatever you like.

Provenance: Moosewood Restaurant Low-Fat Favorites cookbook (this is where I got the original recipe but changed quite a few things)

2 ½ c. all purpose flour

1 ½ tsp. cinnamon

½ c. white sugar

1 tsp. baking powder

½ c. unsulphured molasses

1 tsp. ground, powdered ginger

1 tsp. ground cloves

½ tsp. baking soda

½ tsp. salt

1 egg

¼ c. water

1. Set aside the flour and water.

2. Combine all other ingredients

3. Add flour and alternate with adding the water. You may not need all the water, add until dough is moist but not overly sticky

4. Wrap in plastic wrap (or gallon size zip top plastic bag) and then wrap in aluminum foil

5. Refrigerate a few hours or overnight. You can place in the freezer if you are in a hurry and want to make them the same day. You want the dough to feel firm enough to roll out while holding it’s shape.

6. When ready to roll out dough, PREHEAT oven to 375. Sprinkle surface with powdered sugar (this keeps the cookies from tasty too “floury”). Re-sprinkle as needed to prevent dough from sticking. Roll dough to ¼” thick. Use desired cookie cutters.

7. Place on cookie sheet and bake for 6-7 minutes. Cookies are already brown, so it is easy to overbake. Cool on cooling rack and frost as desired.

A simple yet wonderful dessert every guy should learn how to make. You can substitute for the cherry pie filling with apple or peach filling too.

1 stick butter, softened

1 c. brown sugar, firmly packed

½ c. granulated sugar

½ c. vegetable oil

2 large eggs

2 tsp. pure vanilla extract

2 c. unbleached, all-purpose flour

½ c. unsweetened cocoa powder

4 oz. Andes Mint chips

4 oz. semi-sweet chocolate chips

½ tsp. Kosher salt

*Preheat oven to 350

* In large bowl, cream together butter and both sugars. In small bowl, add dry ingredients (flour, cocoa powder, and salt).

*Add eggs 1 at a time…blending well after each egg. Add vanilla and oil.

*Add dry ingredients to butter mixture…blend well.

*Add Andes mint chips and chocolate chips. Mix well.

*Place 1” apart on ungreased cookie sheet

*Bake for 12 minutes. Cookies are already brown due to the cocoa powder…so make sure you use a timer…you can burn them easily.

*Cool completely. May be stored on counter in airtight container for 4 days

Utilizing some simple ways to shave off some unwanted fat and calories can put some extra sparkle in your table decorations, a delicious & beautiful dish on your holiday table—with no guilt trips afterward. And, to top it all off, this is VERY simple to throw together and doesn’t require the lengthy baking time of the traditional pumpkin pie.

The texture is a bit softer than traditional pie, but has that classic pumpkin pie flavor. Yum!

Serves: 8

FILLING:

16 oz can pumpkin puree (NOT pumpkin pie filling)

3 egg whites

1/2 c. brown sugar, firmly packed

1/2 c. evaporated SKIM milk

2 tsp. cinnamon

2 tsp. ground ginger

1/4 tsp. ground cloves

1 tsp. pure vanilla extract

2 tsp. molasses (optional, but lends a rich depth of flavor)

STRESEL TOPPING:

3/4 c. oat flour (grind up 3/4 c. old fashioned rolled oats in food processor until consistency of flour)

3 Tbsp. unbleached, white flour

1/2 tsp. cinnamon

2 1/2 Tbsp. brown sugar

2 Tbsp. vegetable oil

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Preheat oven to 350

Spray 9-inch pie pan with cooing spray.

In large bowl, mix ingredients for filling. Combine well with a whisk. Pour into pie pan.

In medium bowl, combine streusel topping. Combine well with wooden spoon. Sprinkle a thin, even layer over filling mixture (you may not use all of the topping)

Bake, uncovered, for 35-40 minutes or until filling is set (doesn’t jiggle) and is lightly brown on top.
Cool on wire rack. Serve at room temp. Leftovers need to be covered and refrigerated.