fruit

Healthier Pumpkin Pie

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A slice of pumpkin pie on a plate

Serves: 9

Preparation: 30 minutes

Cook Time: 1 hour

Use 100% pureed pumpkin, not pumpkin pie mix which has added sugar! Substitute 1 cup fresh pureed pumpkin for 1 cup canned pumpkin puree.

Ingredients

  • 1 (15 oz.) can pumpkin puree*
  • 3 eggs
  • 1/2 cup sugar
  • 1/4 cup low-fat milk (can substitute skim or unsweetened dairy-free milk)
  • 1 tsp. vanilla extract 1
  • 1/2 tsp. cinnamon
  • 1/2 tsp. nutmeg
  • 1/2 tsp. ground ginger
  • 1/2 tsp. allspice
  • 1/4 tsp. salt
  • 1 9-inch bottom pie crust

Directions

  1. Wash hands with soap and warm water.
  2. Make pie crust as directed.
  3. Preheat oven to 350° F.
  4. Make the filling: In a large mixing bowl, add the pumpkin puree, eggs, sugar, milk, vanilla, cinnamon, nutmeg, ground ginger, allspice, and salt. Mix until completely smooth.
  5. Pour mixture into pie crust.
  6. Bake for 50 to 60 minutes or until filling is no longer jiggly. Check every 20 minutes to make sure pie crust doesn't burn!
  7. Allow pie to cool completely before slicing.
  8. Store leftover pie in refrigerator.

Banana Bread

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Banana Bread in a wooden board and a banana on the side


Makes 12 Servings

Ingredients

  • 3 ripe bananas
  • 1 egg
  • 2 Tbsp vegetable oil
  • 1/4 cup skim milk
  • 1/2 cup sugar
  • 1 tsp salt
  • 1 tsp baking soda
  • 1/2 tsp baking powder
  • 1 1/2 cups flour

Directions

Preheat oven to 350ºF. Mash bananas with a fork in a mixing bowl. Add the egg, oil, milk, sugar, salt, baking powder, and baking soda. Mix well with a fork. Slowly stir in the flour into the banana mixture. Stir for 20 seconds or until the flour is moistened. Lightly spray a loaf pan with cooking spray; pour the batter into the loaf pan. Bake for 45 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the middle comes out clean. Let the bread cool on a wire rack for 5 minutes in the pan. Then remove from pan and cool completely. Cut into 12 slices.

Candy Corn Fruit Cocktail

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candy corn fruit cocktails

Serves: 4-8

Ingredients

  • pineapple, cut into bite sized chunks (fresh or canned in 100%  juice)
  • oranges, cut into bite sized chunks (or use fresh clementines or canned madarin oranges in 100% juice)
  • vanilla yogurt (low-fat or fat-free)

Directions

  1. Wash hands with soap and warm water.
  2. In a clear glass or plastic cup, layer pineapple, then oranges.
  3. Top with yogurt and a few pieces of candy corn.
  4. Refrigerate until ready to serve.

Apple Pancakes

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5 pancakes on a white plate, with 2 apples behind it


Makes 6 Servings
A fall breakfast favorite for the whole family!

Ingredients

  • 1 cup applesauce
  • 1/4 cup dry milk powder, non-fat instant
  • 1 cup water
  • 2 eggs
  • 1 tablespoon canola oil
  • 2 cups all-purpose flour
  • 2 tablespoons sugar
  • 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
  • 2 teaspoons baking powder

Directions

  • In a medium mixing bowl, combine applesauce, dry milk powder, water, eggs, and oil.
  • Add flour, sugar, cinnamon, and baking powder.
  • Stir until mixture has only small lumps.
  • Place large skillet on medium-high heat.
  • Spray skillet with non-stick cooking spray.
  • Pour 1/2 cup batter onto skillet.
  • Turn pancake when bubbles form on top of batter.
  • Cook the other side for about 1 minute or until golden brown.

Apple Monsters

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Apple monsters

Serves: 8

Try yellow or green apples for more color and fun!

Ingredients

  • 1 apple
  • 1/3 cup, plus 2 teaspoons peanut butter, divided (use soy or sunflower butter for peanut allergies)
  • Puffed rice cereal
  • 4 red grapes, each sliced vertically in half
  • 8 green grapes
  • 16 chocolate chips

Directions

  1. Wash hands with soap and warm water.
  2. Quarter and core the apple so you have 16 thin wedges.
  3. Spread 1 teaspoon peanut butter on each apple slice.
  4. Lay half of the apple slices on top of the other halves to create the "mouth."
  5. Push puffed rice "teeth" gently into the peanut butter.
  6. Place one red grape half in the center of each bottom slice to create the "tongue."
  7. To create the "eyes," slice the ends off the green grapes, then cut each grape in half horizontally. Using the tip of the knife, make a small slit in the top of each grape half, then place a chocolate chip, pointy-end down, into the grape, pushing the point into the slit you cut.
  8. Place two dabs of peanut butter on the top portion of each "mouth," then gently press a grape "eye" onto each dab.
  9. Enjoy immediately, or store in the refrigerator for an hour or two before serving.

Berry Refrigerator Oatmeal

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Berry Refrigerator Oatmeal

Berry Refrigerator Oatmeal


Makes 2 Servings

Ingredients

  • 3/4 cup plain low-fat yogurt
  • 2/3 cup quick-cooking or old-fashioned oats
  • 1/2 cup milk
  • 3/4 cup (total) fresh or frozen raspberries, strawberries or blueberries
  • 1 banana
  • 1/4 teaspoon ground ginger or ground cinnamon

Directions

  1. Wash hands with warm water and soap.
  2. Peel banana and mash it with a fork.
  3. In a medium bowl, stir together yogurt, oats, milk, 1/2 cup of the berries, mashed banana, and ginger or cinnamon.
  4. Spoon into container with a lid. Cover and refrigerate overnight or up to 2 days.
  5. Before serving, spoon oatmeal mixture into 2 serving bowls (or eat it from the jar and know that it’s 2 servings).
  6. Sprinkle with the remaining ¼ cup berries.
  7. Eat the oatmeal cold, or heat in a microwave-safe dish.

Basic Tomato Sauce

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tomato sauce and small tomatoes

Makes: 6 servings

Serving size: 1/4 cup

Ingredients

  • 2 Tbsp. vegetable oil
  • 1 onion (medium, chopped)
  • 3 cloves garlic (chopped)
  • 1 pound fresh tomatoes, (seeds removed and chopped) OR 1 can (14 ½ oz), peeled tomatoes (chopped)
  • 3 Tbsp. fresh basil (chopped) OR
  • 1 Tbsp. dried basil
  • 1/2 tsp. black pepper
  • 1/4 tsp. salt
  • 1 tsp. sugar
  • 3 Tbsp. tomato paste

Directions

  1. Heat oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the onion and cook until soft.
  2. Stir in garlic and cook 1 minute. Stir in tomatoes, black pepper, sal, and sugar. If using dried basil, add it here as well.
  3. Cook 15 minutes.
  4. Stir in tomato paste and cook another 15 to 20 minutes. Add the fresh basil during the last 3-4 minutes of cooking.

Peanut Butter Banana Pockets

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Peanut Butter Banana Pockets

Peanut Butter & Banana Pockets


Makes 4 Servings

Ingredients

  • 4 teaspoons peanut butter
  • 2 whole-grain tortillas
  • 1 banana, sliced
  • 2 strawberries, sliced
  • Cinnamon
  • Cooking spray

Directions

  1. Wash hands with warm water and soap. 
  2. Wash strawberries. 
  3. Spread 2 teaspoons of peanut butter on each tortilla. 
  4. Put half of banana and strawberry slices on half of each tortilla.
  5. Sprinkle with cinnamon and fold in half, pressing gently. 
  6. Coat large frying pan with cooking spray. Heat to medium-high. 
  7. Cook one tortilla at a time until each side is golden brown, about 2 minutes per side.
  8. Cut each tortilla in half and serve. 

Apple Butternut Squash Cobbler

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Ingredients

Apple Mixture

  • 3 medium size apples, cored and sliced
  • 1 medium butternut squash, peeled, seeds removed, diced small (Microwave squash on HIGH for about 5 minutes to soften before cutting.)
  • 1/2 cup sugar 1 tsp. cinnamon
  • 1/2 cup flour

Topping

  • 1 1/2 cup oats
  • 1/2 cup brown sugar
  • 1/2 tsp. baking powder
  • 1/2 tsp. baking soda
  • 1/2 cup canola/vegetable oil

Directions

  1. Preheat oven to 350° F.
  2. Grease a 9"x 13" pan.
  3. In a bowl, combine all ingredients listed above the line for the apple mixture and pour into the baking pan.
  4. In another bowl, combine all ingredients listed below the line for the topping; spread the topping over the apple mixture.
  5. Bake for 40 minutes.
  6. Slice and serve.