Category Archives: Desserts

Cottage Cheese Banana Bran Muffins

Posted on September 5, 2025 | Comments Off on Cottage Cheese Banana Bran Muffins

I got the original recipe from the internet but modified it a lot.  I used brown Splenda, barley flour, 1/2 of a banana instead of oil, I added a half a banana to give it a little more banana tasted (it’s not strong, I might use 2 large ones next time and add only 3/4 c. milk) and added cinnamon and vanilla.  I doubled their baking soda and baking powder, didn’t add salt.  They also didn’t have “add-ins” like almonds, raisins, etc.  Makes 12 muffins.  Without the add-ins, only 2 points!

Ingredients:

  • 1 c. quick oats
  • 1/4 c. oat bran 
  • 1/4 c. brown Splenda
  • 1 c. barley flour (all purpose can also be used)
  • 1 tsp baking soda
  • 2 tsp baking powder
  • 3/4 tsp cinnamon (more or less depending on how much you like cinnamon)
  • 1 c. milk
  • 2 large eggs
  • 1/2 c. cottage cheese
  • 1 tsp vanilla, a little more if you like
  • 1.5 medium bananas
  • 1/2 c. sliced almonds, golden raisins, or other preferred add-ins

Preparation:

  1. Preheat oven to 350 F
  2. Mix dry ingredients in a bowl, not add-ins
  3. Mix wet ingredients in a separate bowl, not add-ins
  4. Incorporate wet and dry ingredients (hold the add-ins for the next step), mix well but don’t overmix
  5. Once mixed, stir your add-ins to the batter
  6. Spoon into 12 greased muffin wells (using silicone muffin cups in a muffin tin works well)
  7. Bake for 25 min.
  8. Enjoy!
 

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Posted in Desserts

June’s Oatmeal Cookies

Posted on July 5, 2022 | Comments Off on June’s Oatmeal Cookies

June made these soft oatmeal cookies and they were really good. She adds raisins in hers.

Ingredients:

  • 1 cup butter, softened
  • 1 cup sugar (1 c. baking Splenda)
  • 1 cup packed brown sugar (1/2 c. brown Splenda)
  • 2 eggs
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1-1/2 cups all-purpose flour (1.5 c. whole wheat)
  • 1 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 3 cups quick-cooking oats
  • 1 cup raisins (optional)

 

Preparation:

  • In a large bowl, cream butter and sugars until light and fluffy. Beat in eggs and vanilla. Combine the flour, baking soda, cinnamon, baking powder and salt; gradually add to creamed mixture and mix well. Stir in oats.
  • Shape into 1-1/2-in. balls. Place 2 in. apart on ungreased baking sheets. Bake at 350° for 10-12 minutes or until golden brown. Cool for 1 minute before removing to wire racks.

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Rhubarb Cheesecake Squares

Posted on July 9, 2021 | Comments Off on Rhubarb Cheesecake Squares

I got this recipe from another site, but quite frankly, I didn’t find the author put enough cheesecake filling in. I also made it a little more nutritionally friendly. Note: Baking Splenda can be substituted with white or brown sugar and whole wheat flour can be substituted with all-purpose.

Ingredients:

Crust

  • 2 c. whole wheat (if you use the optional rolled oats and coconut, reduce the flour amount by a 1/2 cup)
  • 1 c. baking Splenda
  • 1 c. large flaked rolled oats (optional)
  • 1 c. shredded coconut (optional)
  • 1 c. butter, chilled

Filling

  • 4 c. chopped rhubarb
  • 1- 3 oz. pkg. strawberry or raspberry Jell-O
  • 3 bricks cream cheese (room temperature)
  • 2 1/2 c. baking Splenda (divided)
  • 3 eggs
  • 1 tsp. vanilla

Preparation:

  1. Preheat the oven to 350 F
  2. In a bowl, combine flour and sweetener. Cut in the butter and mix until texture is like coarse crumbs.
  3. Mix in coconut and rolled oats
  4. Pour half of the crust mixture into a greased 9×13 pan and press into the bottom and sides to create the crust
  5. Bake in the oven for 15 minutes and remove
  6. In a medium-sized bowl, coat the rhubarb with the jello and 1/2 c. of
    the sweetener and set aside. You can steam the rhubarb in the microwave for 5 minutes if you want to ensure it will be soft enough for someone without teeth to enjoy
  7. In a new bowl, combine cream cheese and sweetener until light and fluffy. Add eggs and vanilla. Mix at medium speed until well-blended
  8. Pour the cream cheese mixture over the partially-baked crust, and spread it evenly with caution to avoid breaking the crust up
  9. Sprinkle the rhubarb mixture over the cream cheese (be aware that the cream cheese mixture is soft, so you won’t be able to do a lot of spreading without getting it all mixed up). Top with the remaining crust mixture
  10. Bake at 350 degrees F for 45 minutes
  11. Cool on a cooling rack for about an hour before cutting into it
  12. Refrigerate for a couple of hours, but if you can’t wait at this point, that’s ok. Slice into it and enjoy!

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Spaghetti Squash Pie

Posted on October 27, 2019 | Comments Off on Spaghetti Squash Pie

This year we had an abundance of spaghetti squash from our garden.  Today I finally tried to make a pie out of it, similar to a pumpkin pie.  It turned out great!  Basically it’s pumpkin pie, but with spaghetti squash.

Ingredients:

  • 1 small spaghetti squash (about 2 c.)
  • 1/4 -1/2 c. water
  • 1/2 can evaporated milk (coconut milk will do too)
  • 1/2 tsp. salt
  • 2 tsp. cinnamon
  • 1/2 tsp. nutmeg
  • 1/2 tsp. ginger
  • 1/4 c.brown Splenda
  • 2 large eggs
  • Pie shell

Preparation:

Cut and peel the squash, microwave with the water for about 18 min.  Drain and mash well (I used my immersion blender).

Add remaining ingredients (except pie shell, of course) and mix well.  Pour into a pie shell.  Bake at 375F for about 15 min. then reduce heat to 350F and bake for another 20 min. or until the center has completely set.  Let cool/refrigerate before serving.

 

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Posted in Desserts, Recipes

Red River Cookies/Cake – Base

Posted on August 17, 2019 | Comments Off on Red River Cookies/Cake – Base

So I’ve tried making cookies with this recipe and cake.  Both turn out well.  This recipe doesn’t make sweet cookies or cake so if you’re looking to use up the leftover Red River cereal and want something sweet, you’ll have to add sweetener, sugar, honey, maple syrup or whatever it is you’re wanting to make it sweeter with.   It would probably do well in a loaf pan as a “bread”.   I find it very nice with Betty Crocker French Vanilla icing.

Ingredients:

  • 2 c. all purpose flour
  • 2 tsp. baking powder
  • 1 tsp. salt
  • 1 tsp. cinnamon
  • 1/2 tsp. nutmeg
  • 1/2 tsp. ginger
  • 1/4 c.brown Splenda
  • 2 medium mashed bananas
  • 1 1/4 c. cooked Red River cereal
  • 2 large eggs
  • 1 tsp. vanilla extract
  • 1 tsp. almond extract

Preparation:

Mix the dry ingredients together and set aside.  Mix the remaining ingredients.  When everything is mixed, if you want to add chocolate chips (or butterscotch etc. chips), shredded coconut, raisins, almonds or whatever, fold them into the batter now.

Cake:

Pour batter into a greased pan.  Bake at 350 C for about 45 – 60 min.   Check doneness periodically after 40 min.

Cookies:

Drop a tablespoon of batter onto a cookie sheet and leave about an inch of space between each.  Repeat until there’s no more room left.  Bake at 350 C for about 20 min.

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Peanut Butter Banana Bread

Posted on August 16, 2019 | Comments Off on Peanut Butter Banana Bread

OK, so we call it bread but it’s really cake in the shape of bread 😉 Anyhow, I came across a recipe for this and changed it up to make it a little healthier. Here goes…

Ingredients:

  • 2 c. all purpose flour
  • 1 tsp. baking soda
  • 1/2 tsp. baking powder
  • 1/2 tsp. salt
  • 1/4 c. sweetener (baking Splenda)
  • 1/4 c.brown Splenda
  • 4 medium mashed bananas
  • 3/4 c. creamy peanut butter
  • 1/4 c. honey
  • 1/3 c. milk
  • 2 large eggs
  • 1 tbsp. vanilla extract
  • 1 c. chocolate chips (optional)

Preparation:

Mix first 6 ingredients (dry ones) and set aside.  Mix remaining ingredients except chocolate chips.  When everything is mixed, if you want to add your chocolate chips (or butterscotch etc. chips), fold them into the batter now.  Pour batter into a greased loaf pan.  Bake at 350 C for an hour or so.

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Posted in Desserts, Recipes

Honey Butter Tarts

Posted on April 21, 2019 | Comments Off on Honey Butter Tarts

I made butter tarts using honey this weekend and they turned out really well.  I made 3 without raisins, 5 with.  The ones without raisins turned out a little runny, but good nonetheless.  The ones with raisins were pretty normal…

Ingredients:

  • 1/4 c. soft butter
  • 2 Tbsp. brown Splenda
  • a pinch of salt
  • 1/2 c. honey
  • 1 egg
  • about 1/4 c. raisins (optional)
  • about 1/4 c. pecans or walnuts (optional)

Preparation:

Mix the first 5 ingredients well until a creamy texture is achieved.  Fold the raisins and/or nuts into the mixture.  Spoon mixture into unbaked tart shells and bake for about 20 min. at 375 C.  Remove from oven (they’ll be runny when they’re hot so be careful!) and let cool thoroughly.  Refrigerate for a half hour if they’re still a bit runny to thicken them up.

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Posted in Desserts, Recipes

Banana Cake

Posted on March 10, 2018 | Comments Off on Banana Cake

I found a banana cake recipe on Canadian Living’s site but modified it somewhat.  This is what I came up with and it’s quite good.

Ingredients:

  • 1 c baking Splenda
  • 1 1/4 c all-purpose flour
  • 1 c whole wheat flour
  • 1 1/4 tsp baking soda
  • 1 tsp cinnamon
  • 1/4 tsp salt
  • 1/2 c vegetable oil
  • 1/4 c water
  • 1/2 c sour cream
  • 2 large eggs
  • 1 1/4 tsp vanilla
  • 1 1/4 c mashed banana (about 3)

Preparation:

Mix dry ingredients in a bowl.  Mix wet ingredients and bananas in another bowl.  Incorporate dry ingredients into wet ones and mix well (a hand blender or beater does wonders).  Pour into a greased cake dish (I used a 9″ square Pyrex dish) and bake at 350F for 50 – 60 minutes.

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Apple Dumplings

Posted on January 20, 2018 | Comments Off on Apple Dumplings

Oh my, my new favourite recipe for the Instant Pot (IP)!  I love experimenting and finding out that I’m a genius in the kitchen 😉  I didn’t take specific measurements but I’ll try to be as accurate as possible.

Ingredients:

  • about 2 c. homemade bisquick mix (bought stuff would work too)
  • Milk, about a 1/2 cup but you’ll have to use a judgment call
  • 1 beaten egg
  • 1/2 c. white baking Splenda (or sugar if you prefer to use real sugar)
  • 2 apples, peeled, cored, and sliced into about 8 chunks
  • 1/4 lb butter
  • about 1 tbsp brown Splenda (use real brown sugar if you prefer)
  • about 1 tsp cinnamon
  • 1 c. water

Preparation:

Set the IP to the sauté setting and add butter.  As soon as it melts, add cinnamon and brown Splenda.  Mix well and turn to the “Keep Warm” setting.

Mix bisquick and baking Splenda in a mixing bowl.  Add the egg and a little milk, mix well.  Keep adding milk until the mixture reaches a doughy consistency.  You don’t want it to be thin and it’s a little easier to work with if it’s a little on the dryer side than too wet/sticky.  Once well mixed and the desired consistency is reached, add the cup of water to the IP and mix well.  Take a piece of apple and wrap it completely in a layer of dough.  It will be a messy task, don’t be afraid to use your hands.  Place in the IP.  Repeat until there’s a loose layer of dumplings in the IP.  Don’t put more than one layer in.

Place the cover on the IP and set to Manual setting and pressure cook for 15 min.  You can let it vent naturally or do a quick release.  It’s awesome with ice cream, especially maple walnut.  Enjoy!

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Posted in Desserts, Instant Pot, Recipes

Homemade Bisquick

Posted on January 20, 2018 | Comments Off on Homemade Bisquick

This is a basic recipe I use for just about everything…  I’ve made cookies with it, dumplings (sweet ones and savory ones), biscuits…  It’s very versatile.

Ingredients:

  • 2 c. all purpose flour (although whole wheat also works)
  • 2 tbsp baking powder
  • 1/2 tsp salt
  • 2 tbsp cold butter

Preparation: Mix all in dry ingredients.  You can either use a pastry blender to  cut the butter into it, but I prefer doing a couple of batches at a time in my food processor.  Whichever method you prefer, blend until it reaches an almost fine crumbly kind of texture.  You may want to add a bit more butter if it’s not reaching the consistency that  you like.  It should not be wet.  I put it in a Ziploc freezer bag and store in my cupboard for months at a time.

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Posted in Breads and Doughs, Desserts, Recipes