I love a sweet treat, however any sugar-loaded bowl of anything will make me feel like crap and TOTALLY derail me from every single one of my goals. It’s a battle that I fought a long time ago, until one day I decided to give it up completely…for a short while…then reintroduce it again to see what would happen.

WOW, was that a wakeup call.

Not only did my body and energy feel different, but my tastebuds did too. Normal desserts were extraordinarily sweet, dried fruit made my mouth shrivel, juice gave me headaches, and sometimes plain ol’ fruit was too much to handle.

The experience in and of itself gave me KNOWLEDGE on how I wanted to move forward with sugar choices. The cheap-eat-sweets (like free cookies and cupcakes) don’t do it for me and are quite easy to pass up. On the other hand, when I’m out with friends and want dessert, we hit up high quality gelato, ice cream, or yogurt joints, because if I am going to eat it, it better be GOOD! Same goes for homemade treats. Both of my sisters are THE BEST bakers in the world. I know their ingredients and enjoying a holiday treat is something I look forward to.

So do I eat sweets throughout the week?

Absolutely. I love me my dark, bitter chocolate. With very little sugar, I think the craving is more for the cacao than the sweet. At the same time, I LOVE to experiment with quick and healthy treats for busy nights. With apples being one of the most inexpensive, most delicious fruits to get your hands on right now, I was inspired to throw together a quick, personal bowl of apple crisp (in under 10 minutes). Now this isn’t as buttery and sweet as your traditional versions, but if you are looking for a warm, healthy, apple, crunch to finish off your meal…this will do just fine! Enjoy!

Steps

1. Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F with a rack towards the top of the oven (OR if you have a toaster oven, use that instead).
2. Wash, core and slice the apple (skin on for extra fiber). Toss with lemon juice and 1 teaspoon of cinnamon. Set aside.
3. In a small bowl mix rolled oats, chopped nuts, ½ teaspoon cinnamon, and melted honey until well combined. Spread in a thin layer on a piece of tin foil and bake for ~5 minutes. Watch carefully to avoid burning.
4. In a small saucepan over medium heat, begin to cook the apples. Every time the pan starts to dry up, add a tablespoon of water. Cook for about 6 minutes until desired doneness.
5. Throw the cooked apples in a bowl and sprinkle with the oat and nut crumble. Enjoy!

Serves 1

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