This delicious, low-fat banana bread is now a favorite of mine:

• 1 cup flour
• 1/2 cup Spelt flour (or whole-wheat flour)
• 1/2 cup brown sugar
• 1 1/2 teaspoons cinnamon
• 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/4 teaspoon baking powder
• 2 eggs (or 1 egg & 2 egg whites)
• 1/4 cup canola oil
• 1/2 cup unsweetened applesauce
• 1 cup mashed bananas
• 1/2 cup dried cherries
• 1 tablespoon flour to mix with cherries

Mix first seven dry ingredients in a bowl. In a larger bowl, mix the eggs, oil, and applesauce. Add bananas and stir until mixed well. Add the flour mixture until all ingredients are moistened. Mix cherries with 1 tablespoon flour and add to mixture. Pour into greased 9″x 5″ loaf pan. Bake at 350 degrees for 1 hour or until toothpick inserted in the middle of the bread comes out clean. Let cool.

After the bread has completely cooled, wrap tightly in plastic wrap for freshness. Store at room temperature for up to a week. Flavor is best at room temperature.

FIRST LAYER:

• 3 ounce package of lime Jello
• 1 cup boiling water
• 1 cup cold water

Dissolve Jello in boiling water. Add cold water and pour into loaf pan. Let it sit until firm.

SECOND LAYER:

• 3 ounce package of lemon Jello
• 1 cup boiling water
• 3 ounces of cream cheese, softened
• 1 small can crushed pineapple with the juice
• 1 teaspoon vinegar

Dissolve Jello in boiling water. Add cream cheese and beat until smooth. Cool. Add pineapple with the juice and the vinegar. Pour on top of the first layer. Let sit until firm.

THIRD LAYER:

• 3 ounce package of cherry or raspberry Jello
• 1 cup boiling water
• 1 cup cold water
• Whipped cream

Dissolve Jello in boiling water, then add cold water. Let cool. Pour over the second layer. Let sit in fridge until firm. Top with whipped cream.

If you’re needing an easy but special dessert to take to a pot luck or maybe a luncheon at work, then try this easy one. It is surprisingly good, and when a friend of mine made it, she had several requests for the recipe. I had no idea it had Ritz crackers in it until she gave me the recipe.

Put both cans of pineapple with juice in a long Pyrex dish:

• 1 large can (20 ounces) pineapple chunks with juice

• 1 can crushed pineapple with juice

Mix and pour over pineapple:

• 1 cup flour
• 5 tablespoons flour

Then sprinkle over the top:

• 8 ounces of grated Colby & Cheddar cheese

Then:

• 1/2 stick butter, melted
• one “column” of Town House or Ritz Crackers (or similar)

Dip crackers in melted butter and place on top of cheese. Bake at 350 for 45 minutes.

When our daughter was growing up, she was in Girl Scouts. One snack she learned to make was called “Ants on a Log,” not too appetizing of a name. But in actuality, it was and still is a very tasty snack, one that we have continued making through the years. I remember when she’d be home from college during the summer, I’d make a big plate full of these for both of us to snack on, and they’d be gone within ten minutes or so. The neat thing about this snack is that all the ingredients are healthy, and it’s satisfying because of the fiber and protein in it:

• prepare celery in varying lengths, 2-4 inches long
• spread with reduced fat peanut butter
• top with “ants” (raisins – considered to be a “super food”)

This is also a great snack when trying to lose weight.  It’s a healthy snack for kids and everybody, and in case your kids don’t like ants, you can call it something different. 🙂

I just saw a recipe at “Fun, Crafts, and Recipes” that looks good for crock pot broccoli soup. My husband and I really like broccoli cheese soup a lot, so I’ll have to try it. This recipe makes a lot and would be great to take to a pot luck.

Another quick and easy recipe for low-fat broccoli soup is to add a cup of cooked broccoli florets to a can of Campbells 98%Fat Free Broccoli Cheese Soup and low-fat milk.