Applesauce Oatmeal Muffins (Sugar-free)

Rating: 5 stars
Prep time: Very easy

I use no-sugar-added applesauce and whole wheat flour in these delicious muffins. The natural sugar and the high fiber content make this my current favorite snack - they seem to have almost no impact on my blood sugar. Awesome!

1/2 c. white flour*
1/2 c. wheat flour
1/2 t. cinnamon
1/4 t. nutmeg
1/2 t. salt
3/4 c. rolled oats
3 t. baking powder

1/2 t. baking soda
1 egg
1/3 c. milk
Just under 1/4 c. oil

1/4 c. honey
2/3 c. applesauce

Preheat oven to 350, spray pans with cooking spray. In medium-sized bowl beat egg, then add oil, honey, and milk; stir in applesauce. Add dry ingredients; stir until just barely combined.

Bake for 15-20 min. Yield: one dozen muffins.

*I tried these with a whole cup of wheat flour, but they ended up just too dry, so I usually do half-and-half.

World's Best Hot Chocolate

Rating: 5 stars
Prep time: Medium (as far as hot chocolate goes)

Trust me, after a few batches of this, you won't be able to go back to Swiss Miss!

2/3 cup sugar*

1/3 cup Hershey's unsweetened cocoa

1/8 teaspoon salt

1 cup water

5 1/2 cup milk

1 (12 ounce) can of evaporated milk or 1 1/2 cups cream

1 Tablespoon vanilla

In a saucepan, combine sugar, cocoa, and salt; add water. Cook and stir over medium heat until mixture boils. Boil and stir 2 minutes. Stir in milk and evaporated milk (or cream) and heat. Do not boil. Remove from heat and add vanilla. Makes 8 cups.

*The original recipe calls for a full cup of sugar, but I have never actually made it with that much. It is VERY overly sweet to me. I use 2/3 cups, which (oddly enough) doesn't make the cocoa taste darker, just brings out the chocolate flavor a little more and makes it healthier. 

Tuscan Chicken Pasta

Rating: 5 stars
Prep time: Very, very easy!

Recipe adapted from this blog.

6 Tbs. olive oil
1 clove garlic (or 1/8 tsp garlic powder)

2-4 chicken breasts (depending on size - the ones I get are big so I usually only use 1-2)
Salt and pepper
1 lb. penne pasta
Baby spinach (I usually use about half of a big bag)
1-2 T lemon juice (or juice from 1-2 lemons)
1 cup grated Parmesan cheese

Bring water to boil in large pot. Meanwhile, combine garlic and oil in bowl and microwave 1 minute.

Transfer 1 Tbs. oil from bowl with garlic mixture to large skillet. Add chicken breasts and season with salt and pepper. Cover (unless you want to get spattered with oil!) and cook on medium-high heat until each side is browned; reduce heat to low and cook for about 10 more minutes. (I use frozen chicken - if you use fresh chicken, you won't have to cook as long.)

Add salt and pasta to boiling water and cook until al dente. Drain pasta and transfer to large bowl. Cube chicken and add to pasta, along with spinach, remaining oil, lemon juice, and Parmesan. Season with salt and pepper. Enjoy

I also like to add things to this meal - it is DELICIOUS with peas fresh from the garden! I think sometime I'd like to try garbanzo beans as well.