Almond Joy Low-Fat, sugar-free, high protein Muffins

Ingredients:

1 C Splenda (or sugar)

1.5 C Old fashioned oatmeal

.5 C Oat bran

1 C Coconut flour

.5 C Almond flour (or meal)

.5 C Whole Wheat flour

2 t baking powder

.5 t salt
.5 C unsweetened coconut
.33 C vanilla whey powder
1 t vanilla extract

6 eggs

3 C milk (divided)

1.5 C chocolate chips

.5 C slivered or chopped almonds

Directions:

• 1.       Combine first 12 ingredients in mixing bowl with 2 cups milk.
• 2.       Let mixture rest for .5 to 1 hour.
• 3.       Add remaining cup of milk and mix well.
• 4.       Stir in chips & nuts.
• 5.       Heap into a greased muffin tins and bake @ 350° for 30-35 minutes until plump and slightly browned.
• 6.       Cool, wrap, & refrigerate.
• 7.       Yield: 12 large muffins or 24 small.
• 8.       Muffins are dense and filling!

Louise's Healthy Power Bars

Instead of spending $$$ on expensive granola and/or power bars in the questionable section of your local supermarket . . . Try making these yourself.  Change up ingredients (like different kinds of fruit, nuts, flavored whey powders, add coconut, etc.).  The following is my favorite recipe:

Ingredients:

1/3 C unsweetened applesauce
1/4 C almond butter
2 T peanut oil
10 packets of splenda (or 3 T sugar or other sweetener)
1/4 C agave nectar
3 large eggs
1/2 t vanilla
3/4 C whole wheat flour (feel free to experiment with some of the newer flours on the market, like almond, coconut, or soy)
1/2 t baking soda
1 t nutmeg
1/2 t salt
1/4 t ginger
1/2 C vanilla whey powder
2 C oats
1 C dried apricots (snipped into quarters with kitchen shears)
1/2 C sliced almonds (or similar nuts)
Nonstick cooking spray

Directions:

1. Heat oven to 350 degrees.
2. Beat together first seven ingredients.
3. Add dry ingredients and mix well.
4. Fold in dry fruit and nuts.
5. Thoroughly spray a 9 X 13 glass baking dish with nonstick spray.
6. Spread batter evenly in sprayed pan.
7. Bake 30 minutes or until toothpick comes out clean.
8. Cut into 24 bars.
9. Store in a covered container or glass cookie jar. 

Note: each cookie contains approximately 128 calories and packs a powerful protein punch!

Louise’s Award Winning Pumpkin Crisp

Requested by Stephanie W.

Louise’s Award Winning Pumpkin Crisp
Categories: Crisps, Cobblers
Yield: 16 servings

4 Eggs, beaten
1 cup Sugar
1 teaspoon Salt
2 teaspoon Cinnamon
1 teaspoon Nutmeg
½ teaspoon Cloves
¼ teaspoon Ginger
¼ teaspoon Allspice
2 cup Cooked mashed pumpkin, sweet potatoes, or winter squash
12 oz Can of Evaporated Milk
1 – 18.25 oz. Pillsbury Yellow, white, or spice cake mix
½ cup Chopped pecans, walnuts, almonds, or a combination
1 cup of melted margarine or butter

Instructions:

1. Mix first 8 ingredients together.
2. Pour into a 13x9 inch lightly greased pan.
3. Sprinkle cake mix evenly over pumpkin mixture.
4. Sprinkle chopped nuts over the cake mix, and then pour melted butter evenly over all.
5. Bake at 350 degrees for 1 hour (or more). It should be a bubbling golden brown
6. Serve warm with vanilla ice cream or cold with whipped cream.

Note from Louise: In the 90’s my former employer ran a recipe contest: the criteria being a low [per serving] cost as well as utilizing Pillsbury Cake Mixes. At the time our kitchen was festooned with free USDA sweet potatoes and almonds, which allowed us to produce the above recipe for $.19 per serving. Our kitchen won the $500 first prize for this dessert recipe. We did not win for the version that they created in their test kitchen, however. The Vice President of our company happened to be visiting on a day when we had made our batch using the free USDA sweet potatoes. We later discovered that it was OUR version of the recipe that won us the prize. For some reason the sweet potatoes work better for this recipe than the pumpkin, but we have made it using winter squash also and received rave reviews. Feel free to experiment and let me know if you find any other winning combinations!