24. Cherry Glazed Chocolate Muffins with a Cherry Center

I am starting to experiment with muffins. Yes, I said it. I want, no I need something other than cereal for breakfast, and I don't really enjoy eggs. Now over the next few weeks you will all be subjected to my muffin whims! Seriously though, I was looking through the Weight Watchers site for a muffin recipe that caught my eye and this one certainly did. It looks like a cupcake, and its chocolate. Um, hello! Where have you been all of my life?! Now I followed the recipe to a T and my glaze was not nearly as pretty as theirs. To be fair, I added 3 drops of red food coloring to the glaze to give it more "pop". My muffins turned out amazingly pretty! It doesn't really matter though, these muffins are very satisfying and filling and easy to make ahead of time for a weeks worth of breakfasts or snacks! Plus, there are cherries in the center. Have I mentioned how much I like cherries? This recipe is straight from Weight Watchers! This is in no way my recipe! I just had to share the wealth!

Cherry Glazed Chocolate Muffins with a Cherry Center - 3 points per serving
Serves 12
Special Equipment: Muffin or Cupcake pan

2 spray(s) cooking spray
1 1/2 cup(s) all-purpose flour
1/2 cup(s) unsweetened cocoa
1 cup(s) powdered sugar
1 tsp baking soda
3/4 tsp table salt
3/4 cup(s) Neufchatel cheese, softened
1 1/4 cup(s) water, warm, divided
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 Tbsp vinegar
1/2 cup(s) unsweetened frozen sour red cherries, pitted, left whole, or cherries jarred in water (about 12 cherries)
1 tsp butter, softened
1/2 cup(s) powdered sugar
1/4 tsp vanilla extract
1/8 cup(s) unsweetened frozen sour red cherries, pitted, finely chopped or cherries jarred in water (about 3 cherries)
3 tsp water, warm, or more if necessary

1. Preheat oven to 350ºF and coat a 12-hole muffin tin with cooking spray or muffin liners.

2. Sift together flour, cocoa, 1 cup of powdered sugar, baking soda and salt in a medium bowl; set aside.

3. Using an electric mixer, cream Neufchatel cheese, about 1/2 cup of warm water and 1 teaspoon of vanilla together in a large bowl until blended.

4. With mixer running on slow, add flour mixture in small batches, alternating with remaining 3/4 cup of warm water, until batter is thoroughly blended; add vinegar and mix well.

5. Fill each muffin hole with a tablespoon of batter (you’ll have about 1/2 the batter left). Place a whole cherry in center of each muffin hole and top with remaining batter so each hole is about 2/3 to 3/4 full.

6. Bake until a toothpick inserted in center of a muffin comes out clean, about 25 to 30 minutes. Cool muffins for 5 minutes in tin and then remove muffins to a wire rack to finish cooling completely.

7. While muffins are cooling, make glaze: Combine butter, 1/2 cup of powdered sugar, 1/4 teaspoon of vanilla, 3 chopped cherries and 3 teaspoons of warm water (add another teaspoon of water if glaze is too thick). Spread each cooled muffin with a thin layer of glaze. Yields 1 muffin per serving.

Enjoy!

14. Oven "Fried" Apples

The inspiration for this dish came from the online Weight Watchers Message Boards. This was such a great idea! I have been craving fried apples, but fried apples are pretty high in points. These were tasty, but I would make a few changes. 1. I would peel the apples next time, I think the skin gives them a different texture. 2. I would use apple pie spice instead of pumpkin spice or I would just use cinnamon and nutmeg. 3. I would use a smaller baking dish. :)

These can be serves as a side dish, or over vanilla ice cream, or on top of a waffle in the morning! They are yummy and so versatile and only 2 points per serving!

Oven "Fried" Apples - 2 points per serving
Serves 6.

8 cups sliced apple (about 4 large apples)
1/4th cup maple flavored sugar free pancake syrup
4 tbsp light margarine
2 tsp pumpkin pie spice (Its what I had!)
2 tbsp lemon juice

Preheat oven to 350.

Arrange the apples in an 8-inch square pan. Sprinkle on the cinnamon, nutmeg, syrup and lemon juice. Toss or stir the apples to coat them evenly with the spices and syrup. Dot the top of the apples with margarine or butter. Bake for about 30 minutes.

If you prefer your apples to steam a little then cover the pan with tin foil before baking.

Enjoy!

13. Mini Faux Apple Pies

This recipe comes to us from Ashley, budding diet kitchen diva! Sorry that the picture isn't great, it was hard to get a good shot with the blast of cool whip white on top!

My household loves this idea too. I mean, who doesn't love apple pie?

My only issue with this recipe is that it isn't crispy enough for me, but we are working on a solution to that problem that doesn't involve a Fry Daddy... In the mean time enjoy!

Just a note: These were made using ramekins. Not everyone has these little baking dishes, so I think that if you secured the stop with tooth picks that it would still be fine in the oven, you could probably even use cooking twine. So do not fear!

Mini Faux Apple Pies - 4 Points per serving
Makes 1 serving
Special Equipment: Ramekin.

1 Whole Wheat Wrap (any brand, just be careful of the points)
1 1/2 small or 1 medium apple sliced
Pinch of Splenda
1 tsp Dark Brown Sugar
2 shakes of Cinnamon (To taste)
1 tsp smart balance 37% light spread margarine
2 short sprays of pam or similar.

Preheat the oven to 350.
Use one short spray of pam on the wrap, and press it down into the ramekin.
Mix the sliced apples with the splenda, brown sugar, cinnamon and margarine, then add to the ramekin. Close the top and use your 2nd short spray of pam to spray the top.
Bake for 15 minutes or until golden brown.

Enjoy!

12. Pumpkin Cake

FINALLY. I get to post this cake! I haven't wanted to yet because I wasn't sure of all of the details of the recipe until today. This is sooo goood! It's moist and full of flavor and only 6 points per slice including the icing! How amazing is that?

This recipe comes to us from Ashley, a fellow diet blogger and good friend.

Pumpkin Cake - 6 points per slice, including icing.
Serves 10.

One 15oz can Packed Pumpkin (pure, not pie mix)
One package Spice Cake Mix (Any brand we use Duncan Hines)
1/3 Cup Water

Bake for 35-40 min (or until you stick a knife in the middle and it comes out clean) on 350.

For the icing:

1 package low fat cream cheese
1 (regular size) container low fat cool whip
Splenda and Cinnamon to taste (I used one Tsp. Splenda and 4 'shakes' of the Cinnamon shaker)

Whip until smooth and well blended.

You can either now ice the cake or serve each slice with a dollop on top! Up to you!

Enjoy!

8. Triple Berry Smoothie

EDIT: Picture uploaded!
Okay, so my camera was dead. I don't have a picture yet! However, this was AMAZING and easy so when I make it again tomorrow I will take a picture and edit this for those of you interested. The color is deep and red, so rich and inviting and it tastes so good! If there is one fruit you dislike I imagine you could substitute any that you love! It is important that the fruit (except banana) be frozen so that you get that smoothie texture that everyone loves.

Triple Berry Smoothie - 3.5pts per serving
Serves 2
Special Equipment: Blender

1 cup FROZEN raspberries
1 cup FROZEN cherries
1 cup FROZEN blue berries
1 cup almond milk
1 tbsp Splenda (OPTIONAL)

Add to a blender and blend until you get a consistency that you like. Pour into two glasses and enjoy!

Do this! You wont regret it!

2. Cup Fakes

When I got home tonight my wonderful Weight Watchers friend, Ashley (the one who gave me all of the info for the program) was in the kitchen...baking. Yes, baking. I know, I was frightened at first too. I felt like I was doing so well, and here was this person who I thought was supporting me standing in my kitchen like the enemy! She looked at my face, and said: "Eat one, they are worth 4 points each and I wanted cupcakes!"

Sweet relief! She made these using a premixed fat free muffin mix, and ...regular icing... You can use any fat free, low calorie muffin mix you want.

Cup Fakes - 4 points each
(1 box of muffin mix makes 11 servings, Ashley used 2 boxes, and made 22. )
Special Equipment: Muffin or Cupcake pan

1 box Krusteaz Fat Free Cranberry Orange Supreme Muffin Mix
1 can Duncan Hines Whipped Cream Cheese Frosting

Bake the muffins as directed on the box.
After they cool, top them with 1 tablespoon of icing each.

That's it! So easy and it really does kill a craving for cupcakes!

I know this isn't a very original recipe, but I know sometimes I get desperate and need something to get me over my hump. Sometimes, its a hug, and sometimes its a craving. Whatever helps you stay on track is what I feel (I know so early in my journey) you need to do.

Luck!