No Sugar Added Apple Crisp (makes 2-4 servings)

The original recipe was given to me verbally last September while I picked apples for homemade applesauce. I don't remember the ingredients but I know sugar, honey, maple syrup weren't amongst them. When I decided to try this recipe for the first time, I used Opal apples (which I didn't bother to peel as I was pressed time) and chose a variation of my No Sugar Added Granola Recipe for the topping. Second time, I used Cortland apples (which I peeled) and the same topping.  Sadly, this is not another “What to do with One Ripe Banana” recipe.

I recommend using a good baking apple such as a Cortland if you like sweet or a Granny Smith if you prefer tart. 

No Sugar Added Apple Crisp (makes 2-4 servings) 

2-3 medium apples or 2 large apples (this is about 1 pound of apples), peeled, cored and diced into large chunks 

3/4 cup quick cook old-fashioned rolled oats 

1/2 cup raw sunflower seeds 

1/4 cup unsweetened shredded coconut 

1/4 cup chopped walnuts 

3 ½ tablespoons unsweetened applesauce 

2 tablespoons olive oil 

1/2 teaspoon cinnamon 

pinch kosher salt (optional) 

pinch ground nutmeg (optional) 

¼ cup raisins (optional) 

1) Place oven rack on middle run setting and preheat oven to 350 degrees farenheit. 

2) In medium bowl, mix oats, sunflower seeds, shredded coconut, nuts, salt (optional), cinnamon, nutmeg (optional), applesauce, olive oil. Mix until dry ingredients are coated.  Set aside.

3) Peel, core and dice apples into large chunks. Place apples in bottom of 8-inch by 8-inch baking dish. Evenly top apples with oatmeal mixture. 

4) If you like a sweet apple crisp, top oatmeal mixture with raisins. 

5) Bake 35-45 minutes or until majority of topping is golden to toasty brown. 

6) Remove crisp from oven and let cool 30 minutes before serving. 

7) Store any leftovers in airtight container in refrigerator.

First version of this recipe, waiting to cool

before tasting

Peanut Butter Cupcakes (makes about 24 cupcakes)

A recent perusal through recipes uncovered this one from my Better Homes and Garden New Cook Book (7th printing) which I haven't made for many years. I'd top these cupcakes with chocolate frosting. 

Peanut Butter Cupcakes

½ cup peanut butter 

1/3 cup shortening or butter 

1 teaspoon vanilla extract 

1 ½ cups brown sugar 

2 eggs 

2 cups all-purpose flour 

2 teaspoons baking powder 

½ teaspoon salt 

¾ cup milk 

Set oven rack to middle rung. Preheat oven to 375 degrees farenheit. 

In a large bowl, cream together peanut butter, shortening or butter and vanilla extract. Gradually add brown sugar, beating until light and fluffy. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each. 

Sift together flour, baking powder and salt; add alternately with milk. Mix thoroughly. 

Place bake cups in muffin pans; fill ½ full with cupcake batter.  

Bake cupcakes 20 minutes or until done. Cool in muffin pans for 5 minute before turning onto racks. Let cupcakes cool completely before frosting. 

Store cupcakes in air tight container.

No Sugar Added Granola or Another Recipe on What to do with One (or half) Ripe Banana

This is another “What to do with One Ripe Banana” recipe which is a variation of my Pecan Cranberry Granola Recipe without the added sugar of maple syrup or sweetened coconut.  

Using quick cook old-fashioned rolled oats gives you the option to bake the granola or not. 

As with my Crunchy Granola Bars recipe, I've provided both half and whole banana recipes. 

Whole (one banana) recipe (makes about 6 cups) 

1 ripe banana, mashed 

3 cups quick cook old-fashioned rolled oats 

2 cups raw sunflower seeds 

1 cup unsweetened shredded coconut 

1 cup chopped walnuts or chopped pecans or chopped almonds 

½ cup unsweetened applesauce 

1/2 cup olive oil 

1 teaspoon cinnamon 

1/4 teaspoon kosher salt 

1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg (optional) 

1) If baking granola, place oven rack on middle run setting and preheat oven to 300 degrees farenheit.

2) In a large bowl, mash ripe banana. 

3) Add the oats, sunflower seeds, shredded coconut, nuts, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg (optional).

4) Add olive oil, applesauce. Mix until dry ingredients are coated and mashed banana combined with dry ingredients. 

5) If baking granola, go to step 6. If not baking granola, go to step 9. 

6) Spread mixture in an even layer on a medium- to large-size cookie sheet. 

7) Bake 30-55 minutes until a golden to toasty brown. 

8) Remove granola from oven and let cool completely on cookie sheet. 

9) Store granola airtight container. 

Half (half banana) recipe (makes about 3 cups) 

½ ripe banana, mashed 

1 ½ cups quick cook old-fashioned rolled oats 

1 cup raw sunflower seeds 

½ cup unsweetened shredded coconut 

1/2 cup chopped walnuts or chopped pecans or chopped almonds 

¼ cup unsweetened applesauce 

¼ cup olive oil 

1/2 teaspoon cinnamon 

1/8 teaspoon kosher salt 

1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg (optional) 

1) If baking granola, place oven rack on middle run setting and preheat oven to 300 degrees farenheit.

2) In a large bowl, mash ripe banana. 

3) Add the oats, sunflower seeds, shredded coconut, nuts, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg (optional).

4) Add olive oil, applesauce. Mix until dry ingredients are coated and mashed banana combined with dry ingredients. 

5) If baking granola, go to step 6. If not baking granola, go to step 9. 

6) Spread mixture in an even layer on a medium- to large-size cookie sheet. 

7) Bake 30-55 minutes until a golden to toasty brown. 

8) Remove granola from oven and let cool completely on cookie sheet. 

9) Store granola airtight container.

Small batch flat loaf Irish Brown Bread (2-4) servings depending upon how you slice it

In mid-2023, a friend of mine introduced me to NuCook, a digital health program designed to teach healthy cooking and lifestyle tools. In perusing their recipes, I came across a recipe for Irish Brown Bread. While the recipe I found would make far more than I would eat in a month, I decided to half the recipe and modify the ingredients to match what I had in the house. 

Due to this recipe using both baking soda and baking powder for leavening, it is deceptively high in salt/sodium. If you're someone who is mindful of salt/sodium content in food, I recommended staying away from this recipe or consuming this in very small amounts over a long period of time which is what I do. 

Small batch flat loaf Irish Brown Bread 

1¼ cups whole wheat flour 

¼ cup quick cook old fashioned rolled oats 

1 teaspoon sugar 

¾ teaspoon kosher salt 

¾ teaspoon baking powder

¾ teaspoon baking soda 

1 tablespoon lemon juice or vinegar 

1 (scant) cup milk Non-stick cooking spray (optional) 

Place oven rack on middle rung. Preheat oven to 450 degrees farenheit. 

Place the lemon juice or vinegar in the bottom of 2 cup liquid measuring cup and fill the cup with milk to equal 1 cup. Set aside to allow milk to “sour”. 

In medium to large mixing bowl, stir together the flour, oats, sugar, salt, baking powder and baking soda. Gradually add the “sour” milk. Dough will be very “wet and loose”. Set aside for 3 – 5 minutes to allow dry ingredients to absorb wet ingredients. 

If desired, line a cookie sheet with aluminum foil. Spray with non-stick canola oil cooking spray. 

Turn dough out onto cookie sheet and shape into ½-inch high round, rectangle or square. 

Place in pre-heated over and bake for 5 minutes at 450 degress farenheit. Reduce heat to 400 degrees farenheit and bake for another 30 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center of dough comes out clean. 

Remove from oven and let cool 10-20 minutes before serving. Store in airtight container in refrigerator for up to 1 week.

Irish Brown Bread baked on cookie sheet

lined with aluminum foil cooling 

before being served

Black Bean, Corn and Butternut Squash Casserole

This recipe is based on one for “Three Sisters Chili” from my 2010 date book. Not wanting make chili for a crowd, I modified this recipe to be a casserole dish which could be served as a side for chicken or paired with rice or foccacia bread for a vegan meal. 

If you like spicy, you'll like this dish. If you don't like spicy, I suggest skipping this recipe. 

Black Bean, Corn and Butternut Squash Casserole (makes 8-inch x 8-inch casserole) 

1 ½ cups black beans, rinsed and drained OR ¾ cup black beans soaked and cooked 

¼ cup onion, diced 

½ teaspoon minced garlic 

1 tablespoon canola or olive oil 

1 ½ – 1 ¾ cups butternut squash puree (this is approximately 1 – 15 ounce can of butternut squash) 

½ cup corn 

½ cup sun dried tomatoes, sliced 

½ teaspoon cumin 

½ tablespoon chili power (optional, see below for recipe) 

½ teaspoon dried oregano 

½ teaspoon black pepper 

Place oven rack on middle rung. Preheat oven to 350 degrees farenheit. 

Line 8-inch by 8-inch baking dish with aluminum foil as this will make clean-up easier. 

Place beans, corn, sun dried tomatoes in baking dish. Add cumin, oregano, black pepper and chili powder (if using). Mix gently. Set aside. 

In a 7 ½ -8 inch skillet cook oil, onion and garlic over medium-high heat, stirring occasionally until garlic browns and your kitchen smells of garlic,--about 5-10 minutes. Add to baking dish. Mix gently. 

Spread butternut squash puree over top of mixture. 

Bake in oven 35-45 minutes or until squash shows faint signs of browning. 

Remove from oven. Cool 5 – 10 minutes. Serve. 

Chili powder recipe (makes 1 - 2 tablespoons) from Substitute Ingredients by Becky Sue Epstein 

½ teaspoon cumin 

½ teaspoon dried oregano 

¼ teaspoon black pepper 

¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper 

¼ teaspoon garlic powder 

¼ teaspoon paprika 

1/8 teaspoon dried parsley 

1/8 teaspoon dried lemon peel 

Mix all ingredients together in small bowl. Store unused portion in airtight container.

Black Bean, Corn and Butternut Squash Casserole 

ready for serving 

Honey Ginger Bear Cookies

While looking for my gingersnap recipe recently, I found this one. 

I have no idea how many cookies this makes, but I do remember using Cinnamon Red Hots to decorate the cookies before baking them to save time decorating after cookies were baked. 

Honey Ginger Bear Cookies (yield unknown) 

1 cup (2 sticks) butter or margarine at room temperature 

1 1/4 cups brown sugar 

1 egg 

1/3 cup honey 

2 ¼ cups all purpose flour 

2 tablespoons ground ginger 

1 ½ teaspoons cinnamon 

¾ teaspoon baking soda 

Cinnamon Red Hots (optional) 

1) In a large bowl cream butter or margarine and sugar. Stir in egg and molasses. Add flour, ginger, cinnamon, baking soda and mix well. 

2) Place dough in refrigerator to chill about 1 hour. 

3) Place oven rack on middle run setting. 

4) Preheat oven to 325 degrees farenheit. 

5) Line cookie sheets with parchment paper or aluminum foil coated with non-stick cooking spray. 

6) Remove dough from refrigerator. Roll 1/3 dough, ¼ inch thick on floured surface. Cut rolled dough with bear cookie cutter and place bear on prepared cookie sheet. (Optional) place a cinnamon red on cookie for bear's nose. Repeat as many times as needed. 

7) Bake 10 to 12 minutes. Carefully lift parchment paper or aluminum foil from cookie sheet and place on cooling rack. When cookies are firm, remove from parchment paper or aluminum foil. Decorate or serve. 

8) Store cooled cookies in airtight container.

Lemon Soy Dressing (makes 1 cup)

In looking for salad dressing recipes with an “Asian-like” flavoring, I found this one in my revised 13th edition of The Fanny Farmer Cookbook. I like to use dressing when making a salad of baby spinach, shredded carrot and roasted almonds. 

Lemon Soy Dressing (makes 1 cup)

2 tbsp soy sauce 

1/3 cup lemon juice 

¼ cup canola or olive oil 

¼ cup water 

Mix together well or shake in a bottle all ingredients.