Make Healthy Meals

* this crumble has a greater amount of fruit and only a small amount of topping.  This is a great way to get that extra sweet fix while keep calories low.

4 plums, stoned and cut into quarters
4 apricots, stoned and cut into quarters
¼ cup brown sugar
½ cup whole oats
¼ cup whole wheat flour
½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
½ teaspoon nutmeg
¼ cup unsalted real butter, soft

Preheat oven to 350F.  Place the plums and apricots in a non-stick baking dish (or crumble baking dish).  Pour over 2 tablespoons of water.

In a separate bowl mix the oats, flour, sugar, spices and butter.  Sprinkle this mixture over the fruit.  Now sprinkle a little brown sugar over mixture.  Place in a hot oven and back for approximately 40 minutes or until fruit is tender.

Serve with a side of natural vanilla ice cream, low-fat natural yogurt or on its own!

½ cup unsalted real butter
½ cup caster sugar
1 tablespoon clear honey
1 cup plain flour, sifted
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 pinch of salt
1 cup oatmeal oats
½ cup chopped apricots

Topping:

2 tablespoons chopped dried apricots
1/r cup toasted, chopped almonds

*note: to toast chopped almonds simply place in non-stick pan over high heat for a minute or two, tossing regularly.

Preheat the oven to 325F.  lightly grease a cookie baking sheet.  Place the butter, honey and sugar in a small saucepan and heat over low heat until the butter melts and sugar dissolves.  Remove from heat and set aside.

Place the flour, oats, salt, baking powder, and apricots in a large bowl.  Pour the butter mixture into the bowl and mix well to form the dough.  Divide the dough into small rounds.  Place each round (1/2 inch) on the cookie baking sheet.  Scatter a few apricots and chopped almonds over each cookie, lightly pressing into the dough.

Bake for 15 minutes or until lightly golden.  Cool for approximately 5 minutes and transfer to wire rack to cool completely.

1 tbsp butter
2 cups fresh strawberries, hulled and halved
2 tbsp brown sugar
1 tbsp balsamic vinegar
vanilla ice cream

Melt butter in a large skillet. Add the strawberries, brown sugar and balsamic vinegar and cook over medium heat until strawberries are completely heated.

Serve over ice cream.

Editor’s Note:

Also very good over other desserts where you might use strawberries.

2 cups flour, sifted
1/2 cup light olive oil
1/4 cup milk

Mix flour, oil and milk together until it can form a ball. Flatten and roll out to the size needed for your pie.

Editor’s Note:

Add more milk if the mixture needs more liquid.

This pie crust has some advantages, since olive oil is better for you than butter or shortening. But it can be harder to roll out. Some people get better results by freezing the oil for an hour or so before getting started. Rolling it out between sheets of wax paper can also be helpful.

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