Pumpkin Cupcakes with Caramel Frosting

Ingredients:

Cupcakes:

• 1 cup whole wheat pastry flour
• 1 tsp. baking powder
• 1 tsp. ground cinnamon
• 1/2 tsp. ground ginger
• 1/2 tsp. baking soda
• 1/2 tsp. salt
• 1 cup canned pumpkin puree
• 2/3 cup granulated sugar
• 1/3 cup canola oil
• 2 large eggs
• 2 tbsp. light molasses

 Frosting:

• 1/2 cup dark brown sugar
• 2 tbsp. unsalted stick butter
• 2 tbsp. low-fat milk
• 1/2 cup confectioners' sugar
• 1/4 tsp. vanilla extract

 Makes 12 Cupcakes

1. Preheat the oven to 350 F. Line 12-cup muffin pan with paper liners
2. To make the cupcakes, whisk together flour, baking powder, cinnamon, ginger, baking soda, and salt in small bowl. Whisk together pumpkin, sugar, oil, eggs, and molasses in a large bowl. Add flour mixture to pumpkin mixture and whisk until smooth. Spoon batter into prepared muffin cups. Bake until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean, about 20 minutes. Cool in pan for 10 minutes. Remove cupcakes from pan and cool completely on rack.
3. To make frosting, combine brown sugar, butter and milk in small saucepan over medium heat, Cook, stirring occasionally, until mixture comes to boil. Boil 3 minutes. Remove from heat and let cool for 30 minutes.
4. Add confectioners' sugar and vanilla to brown sugar mixture. With an electric mixer on medium speed, beat until smooth. Spread thin layer of frosting on cooled cupcakes.

 

WW POINTS VALUE: 6 pts (1 cupcake per serving)

 

Note: This recipe appears in the WW Tastier than Takeout Cookbook. These cupcakes are perfect for this time of year with the holidays and all. Don't worry if they don't look like the elegant desserts you find at a bake shop or fancy restaurant. These fall treats are to die for and will quickly warm your kitchen and soul. I really love how the flavors of pumpkin, cinnamon, ginger and homemade caramel blend so well together. These are not your typical cupcakes because they're not loaded with as much sugar and other additives like other cupcakes. They are fluffy and moist and you won't miss the buttercream frosting. You can also use coconut oil or Butter Infused Olive Oil from The Imperial Olive in Williamsburg, VA. You can visit www.TheImperialOlive.com for more information. These cupcakes are perfect for dessert or as a take-home treat for your dinner guests. 

Caramel-Apple Tart

Ingredients:

• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• 1/8 tsp table salt  
• 4 tbsp. unsalted butter, cold, divided
• 1/3 cup buttermilk, cold
• 2 Tbsp all purpose flour, for rolling out dough
• 4 large Granny Smith apples
• 2 tsp. fresh lemon juice
• 1/4 cup granulated sugar
• 1 Tbsp fat-free caramel topping   

Makes 8 Servings

1. Place oven rack in lowest position; preheat oven to 400ºF. Place cookie sheet in oven on rack.
2. Place 1 cup flour and salt in a large bowl. Cut 3 tablespoons cold butter into 4 to 5 pieces; work butter into flour mixture with a pastry cutter or fork (pieces of butter should resemble small peas). Add buttermilk and work dough until it just starts to come together (do not overwork dough; pieces of butter should still be visible).
3. Gather dough together into a ball and wrap well in plastic wrap. Pat dough into a hamburger shape; chill for at least 20 minutes (or up to 2 days).
4. To roll out dough, dust a large piece of wax paper with flour; set dough in middle of flour. Dust top of dough with flour and place a second large piece of wax paper on top. Roll out dough to an 11- or 12-inch circle; remove from wax paper and place in a 10-inch round cake or tart pan. Work top edge into a decorative scallop. Chill for at least 20 minutes (or up to 2 days).
5. Peel, core and slice apples into 1/8-inch-thick slices; place in a bowl as you work and sprinkle with lemon juice. Arrange apple slices in pan in concentric circles—like a rose—starting on the outside rim; apple slices should overlap tightly. Sprinkle sugar over tart and dot with remaining tablespoon of butter.
6. Bake on heated cookie sheet until apples are tender but not mushy, about 40 to 45 minutes. (If apples get too brown at any point, place a loose piece of aluminum foil over tart and continue baking.)
7. Remove tart from oven to cool. Drizzle caramel over tart, slice into 8 pieces and serve immediately.

WW POINTS VALUE: 6 pts. (1 slice per serving)

 

Note: This recipe appears on www.weightwatchers.com. The fall and winter holiday season is upon us and this is the perfect dessert. This was a healthy version of apple pie and it was so delicious. Making the pie crust can be challenging but the positive part is that you know what's in your pie crust-no added questionable ingredients. I also highly recommend adding spices such as cinnamon, nutmeg, ground ginger and/ or cloves. The caramel drizzle also adds a nice finishing touch to this dessert. You can but any kind of fruit in this pie such as pears, plums, peaches, nectarines, apricots, cherries, and any kind of berry and it will be so delicious.

 



Braised Balsamic Carrots

Ingredients:

• 2 medium shallots or 1/2 small red onion, minced
• 1 tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 1/2 lbs. baby carrots
• 2 tbsp. balsamic vinegar
• freshly ground black pepper
• 2 tsp. granular sugar substitute
• salt
• 2 tbsp. chopped fresh chives (optional)

Makes 4 (1-cup) Servings

1. In a large saucepan, combine the shallots and oil. Add the carrots, vinegar, pepper to taste and 1/3 cup water. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Reduce the heat to medium, cover, and cook for 20 minutes.
2. Uncover the pan, stir in the sugar substitute, and cook until the liquid has evaporated, about 3 minutes. Remove the pan from the heat, cover, and let sit for 2 minutes.
3. Season with salt to taste and stir in the chives (if using). Serve warm.

WW POINTS VALUE: 3 pts.

 

Note: This recipe appears in the South Beach Diet Super Quick Cookbook. Don't worry if this side dish looks messy. It's really delicious and is packed with flavor. It's a colorful way to eat your vegetables. If you have babies, puree this side dish and serve them this because they will eat these carrots. The balsamic vinegar adds a right amount of tart to the dish and the chives give it a nice finish. I highly recommend making an extra batch of these carrots because they make a great snack the next day. Plus, they're tastier than baby carrots from a bag.

Quick Creamed Spinach

Ingredients:

• 1 bag (16-oz.) frozen spinach, thawed
• 3/4 cup skim milk
• 4 oz. reduced-fat cream cheese, cut into chunks and softened
• 2 tsp. extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 small onion, minced
• pinch ground nutmeg
• salt
• freshly ground black pepper
• 1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese

Makes 4 Servings

1. Place the thawed spinach in a colander set over a bowl; squeeze  to extract the juice. Pour 2 tablespoons of the juice into a cup and reserve. Discard any remaining juice.
2. In a medium saucepan, combine the spinach juice, milk and cream cheese. Bring to a simmer  over low heat, stirring and pushing the cheese against the pan to break up. (The mixture should be well combined but will not me smooth.) Remove the pan from the heat.
3. In a large skillet, heat the oil over medium-low heat. Add the onion and cook, stirring frequently, until softened, about 3 minutes.
4. Add the spinach, stirring to coat. Stir in the milk mixture and cook until bubbling, about 3 minutes.
5. Season the spinach with nutmeg and salt and pepper to taste. Sprinkle with Parmesan and serve  hot.

WW POINTS VALUE: 4 pts.

 

Note: This recipe appears in the South Beach Diet Super Quick Cookbook. I really love spinach and cheese mixed together. This version of creamed spinach is creamy and delicious and so comforting. Frozen chopped spinach dramatically cuts down the prep time of the classic side dish. The key to this dish is the cream cheese. I highly recommend using Kraft Philadelphia 1/3 Less Fat Garden Vegetable Cream Cheese for a creamier texture and packed with more vegetable flavor. Parmesan cheese always makes everything better. This classic side dish is perfect with chicken, steak, fish, turkey, pork, lamb or duck and great for a family or holiday gathering.

 

Mini Turkey Meatloaves

Ingredients:

• 1 1/4 lbs. extra-lean ground turkey breast
• 2 slices multigrain bread (1 oz. each), chopped to very fine crumbs
• 1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
• 1/4 cup sun-dried tomatoes (in oil), drained and minced, plus 1 teaspoon oil from the jar
• 4 scallions, minced
• 1 large egg
• 2 tbsp. tomato paste
• 1 tsp. cider vinegar

Makes 4 Servings (1 meatloaf per serving)

 

WW POINTS VALUE: 7 pts.

1. Heat the oven to 425 F. Line a rimmed baking sheet with foil or parchment paper.
2. In a large bowl, combine the turkey, bread crumbs, Parmesan, sun-dried tomatoes, scallions, egg and 1 tablespoon of the tomato paste. Blend well and form into 4 small loaves 4 inches long and 2 inches wide.
3. In a small bowl, blend the sun-dried tomato oil with the remaining 1 tablespoon tomato paste, the vinegar, and 2 teaspoons of water.
4. Place the meatloaves on the baking sheet and brush the tops with the tomato paste mixture, Bake for 18 minutes, or until cooked through but still juicy. Serve warm.

Note: This recipe appears in the South Beach Diet Super Quick Cookbook. I never like meatloaf as a kid but I love it now as an adult because the healthy meatloaves I've cooked are packed with flavor. Lean ground turkey is so delicious as burgers, meatloaf, chili, or even in dumplings you won't miss the ground beef. Turkey is also great for anyone who doesn't like beef but loves meals packed with lean protein. I cooked this meatloaf for the first time and it was so delicious. Who knew that scallions, Parmesan cheese and sun-dried tomatoes would make a yummy combination? Don't worry if the meatloaf looks a little messy. It comes out so good in the end packed with flavor. This meal is perfect any night of the week whenever you want comfort food.