Hershey Kiss Countdown to Christmas Calendars, Cookie Exchanges, and Peppermint Ice cream... These are all such a fun and important part of celebrating the holiday season... However, the other day I noticed we were having more melt downs, messes and all-in-all mayhem at Good Seeds central. We're a firm believer that if our family is eating a well-balanced and healthy diet, there's room for a yummy dessert  - but I took a step back and realized... the sugary and processed desserts were starting to take over.... YIKES.

 So operation make them smile with some fun and healthy treats that aren't loaded with sugar is now in effect at our household. I can tell you that my girls have had a lot of fun making and eating candy canes out of strawberries and bananas the last two days for their desserts - but we tried this today and it was a huge hit and I thought I would share which we happily found from Dr. Sears:

Ingredients:

• Bananas (Note 1 banana makes about 3 snowmen)
  
• Grapes
• Carrot (tip of the carrot works nicely - and you'll have your peeling and slicing done for lunch or dinner later!)
  
• Apple (Note each hat is one apple slice cut in half)
  
• Bamboo skewers
• Mini chocolate chips (Use dark chocolate chips for some antioxidants!)
  
• Pretzel sticks

Instructions:

1. You will need three thick slices of bananas, a grape, a sliver of a carrot and a triangular piece of apple for each snowman. (Tip: Use the bamboo skewer to poke a hole in the apple, so it will be easier to assemble.)
2. Let your kids slide the fruit onto the skewer. Then use the carrot slivers for the noses, the mini chocolate chips for the eyes and buttons, and use the pretzel sticks for the arms.
   

-& ENJOY-

One of our favorite activities in the fall is going apple picking with the wee ones. The changing of the leaves, hayrides and the girls fresh eyes and excitement brings back childhood memories and solidifies why my husband and I decided to start our family.

After we get a bushel of apples and maybe a pumpkin or two, we come home... and after everyone has (hopefully) taken a bit of a nap - we make our first fall crisp. I love crisps because they are so easy and absolutely delicious. And I'll admit it freely and willingly - I'm pretty sure I do not possess the mad skills to pull off a homemade apple pie from scratch....

So here's our family's recipe that has become a familiar treat and is forming into a tasty little tradition!

Preheat oven to 350 degrees

Ingredients: 

• 1 cup brown sugar
• 1 cup oats
• 1 cup flour
• 1/2 cup melted butter
• 3 cups peeled, cored and sliced apples
• 1/2 sugar
• 2 teaspoons cinnamon
  

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Lightly butter/spray an 8-inch square pan.
2. In a large bowl, combine brown sugar, oats, flour and butter. Mix until crumbly. Place half of crumb mixture in pan. Spread the apples evenly over crumb mixture. Sprinkle with sugar and cinnamon and top with remaining crumb mixture.
3. Bake in the preheated oven for 40 to 45 minutes, or until golden brown.

-& ENJOY!-

My five year old daughter and I have gotten in the habit of ending our day watching cupcake wars. It has been a lot of fun snuggling on the sofa watching something together that isn't animated. It has been even more delightful to hear all of her ideas for different flavored cupcakes and frosting. This afternoon we whipped up one of her recent inspirations - apple cupcakes with cinnamon cream cheese frosting. And all I can say is YUM!

Here is the recipe:

Cupcake Ingredients:
APPLESAUCE - you can also use a store bought sauce - but we can't guarantee it - ;0)

• 6 apples (we used granny smith)
• 1/2 cup apple cider vinegar
• 1/4 tsp ground cinnamon
• 1/4 cup dark brown sugar

DRY INGREDIENTS

• 2 cups cake flour
• 1 tsp baking soda
• 1/2 tsp baking powder
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1 tsp cinnamon
• 1/4 tsp allspice
• 1/4 tsp nutmeg
  

WET INGREDIENTS

• 3/4 cup (1 1/2 stick) room temperature unsalted butter
• 1 1/4 cup granulated sugar
• 1 egg (at room temperature)
  

Directions:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees and add cupcake liners to 2 dozen cupcakes
  
• Peel and dice apples, leaving one apple for later)
• Add apples to large saucepan, combine with ground cinnamon, brown sugar and apple cider vinegar
• Cover and cook for 20 minutes stirring occasionally
• At the end of 20 minutes stir and mash apples to make sauce, set aside, this should yield approximately 1 1/2 cups.
  
• In a large bowl sift cake flour and combine with baking soda, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, allspice and nutmeg
• In bowl with standing mixer with paddle attachment add room temperature butter and beat till creamy, approximately 3 to 4 minutes. Then add sugar and combine till the mixture becomes fluffy, approximately 3 minutes. Then add egg till combined.
• Add dry mixture and applesauce mixture in thirds, starting and ending with the dry mixture.
• Using an ice cream scooper, scoop batter 3/4 full to 24 cupcakes
• Bake for 20-25 minutes
  

 Frosting Ingredients:

• 8 oz cream cheese at room temperature
  
• 1/4  cup (1/2 stick) unsalted butter at room temperature
• 3 cups confectioners/powder sugar
• 1 tsp vanilla
• 1 tsp cinnamon

Directions:

• In a bowl with a standing mixer with a paddle attachment beat cream cheese and butter until smooth
• Add confectioners sugar 1 cup at a time until incorporated
• Add vanilla and cinnamon till incorporated
  

We also put some graham crackers through a food processor and sprinkled them on top of each cupcake - this was a nice crunchy treat and helped balance all the flavors.