Make Your Own Fruit Popsicles

Ingredients:

4 Nectarines (Any fruit will do, I just had these on hand)
2 T honey
1/4 C of water

Dice up fruit. Add fruit, honey, and water to blender or food processor. Blend until smooth. Pour in popsicle mold or small plastic cups. Place in freezer for at least 5 hours or overnight. If using a plastic cup, cover with aluminum foil and then poke popsicle stick in.

--Adapted from FoodNetwork.com

*So easy and so much more healthy than the sugar filled popsicles in the store.

Baked Pears

Ingredients

* 2 medium ripe pears, peeled and halved
* 4 teaspoons butter
* 1 teaspoon lemon juice
* 2 teaspoons honey
* 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
* juice of 1 orange

Directions

1. Place pear halves, cut side up, in a shallow 1-qt. baking dish. Place butter in the center of each; drizzle with lemon and orange juice. Combine honey and cinnamon; sprinkle over pears. Cover and bake at 350 degrees F for 15-20 minutes or until heated through.

--Allrecipes.com

Baked Apples

Baked Apples

- 6 Apples
- 1/4 cup walnuts, pecans, or almonds
- 1/4 cup Butter (can substitute w/Coconut Oil)
- 1/4 cup natural brown sugar (or better yet, sub. w/ agave, honey or maple syrup)
- 1/4 cup currants or raisins

Core the apples – making lots of room in the center for the stuffing. Mix all of the other ingredients in a small bowl, until well incorporated.

Stuff the center of each apple with the raisin nut mixture, pile it high on top until all of the raisin nut mixture is used.

Butter a rectangular baking dish, and pour 1/2 cup of pure water at the bottom of the pan.

Place the apples in the pan. Bake at 375 degrees for approx. 1 hour – basting with the water every 20 minutes or so.

Each apple can be cut in half to serve 2.

--Bethany Hamilton from her blog: http://bethanyhamilton.com/2010/10/recipe-baked-apples/

*SO GOOD!!! It tastes super decadent and yet is still healthy.

Sweet Baked Butternut Squash

Ingredients

* 1 butternut squash (2 pounds)
* 2 tablespoons butter, melted
* 1/4 teaspoon salt
* 1/8 teaspoon ground cinnamon
* 1/8 teaspoon ground nutmeg (I didn't have nutmeg, so I used pumpkin pie spice instead)
* 1/8 teaspoon pepper
* 6 teaspoons honey

Directions

* Cut squash in half lengthwise; discard seeds. Brush squash halves with butter. In a small bowl, combine the salt, cinnamon, nutmeg and pepper; sprinkle over squash halves. Place 2 teaspoons brown sugar in each half. Sprinkle remaining brown sugar over cut sides of squash.
* Place in an 11-in. x 7-in. baking dish coated with cooking spray. Cover and bake at 350° for 40 minutes. Uncover; bake 15-25 minutes longer until squash is tender. Yield: 6 servings.

--Adapted from tasteofhome.com

*Could be a dessert!

Date Brownies

1/2 c honey
3/4 c pitted dates--chopped
3/4 c almond flour
1 t baking soda
1 t fresh lemon juice
1.5 stick butter--softened
2 eggs beaten
2 oz pecan nuts--crushed
1/4 t salt

Preheat oven to 300 degrees F
Line an 8 in square pan

Place the honey in a medium pot and heat on medium. Add the dates, almond flour, baking soda and lemon juice and stir. Then add the butter and when melted add the beaten eggs, pecan nuts, salt and combine well. Remove from heat and pour mixture into the pan and bake for 30 minutes or until top feels firm. (It took 40 minutes for my batch).

Let cool for 10 minutes, cut. Let cool completely and store in refrigerator in an airtight container.

--Sandra Ramacher

*They really look like chocolate brownies! The dates definitely bring out a sweet flavor... it's not quite chocolate, but is super good!

Forbidden Island

Forbidden Island

First, the coconut cookie:
2/3 Cup Unsweetened Coconut (the kind that is finely shredded for baking)
1/3 Cup Ground Almonds
1 Tablespoon Walnut Oil ( or extra virgin olive oil )
1 Tablespoon Almond Butter
2 Tablespoons Blue Agave Syrup (also could use honey)
( Simply mix together in a mixing bowl and form into 4 ball/cookie islands on a cookie sheet. Bake at 375 degrees for about 10 mins. Make sure the baking sheet has some olive oil on it to make it easier when you need to take them out and put them on plates. )

Now, the Island Topping:
2 Cups Diced Mangos
1 Cup Diced Banana's
2 Tablespoons Blue Agave Syrup (also could use honey)
cinnamon
( saute the mangos and bananas for about 3 mins, then add the cinnamon and agave. Then, saute for another 5 mins stirring constantly. Put even amounts of topping on the cookie islands and serve immediately. )

--Jeremy