I hate to disappoint people. I always want to help my friends when I can and I love to participate and watch everything my kids are doing. I’m a hands on momma.  I don’t want to miss anything. But if you follow my blog you know right now I’m in the middle of a cookbook deadline, my first deadline ever and I’ve only got two weeks to get this done. I have no idea what will happen if I don’t and I certainly don’t want to find it. This has been the single most difficult thing I think I’ve done in my life, especially with 3 kids, homeschooling, volunteering with scouts, trying to keep up recipes for the blog and a full schedule of activities every day and night for the kids.

This past weekend I worked from 7 am until 7 pm on Saturday and a good majority of the day after church on Sunday. This cookbook deadline is looming over my head and I honestly just want to finish it sooner than later. This coming weekend is a cubscout camping trip which depending on how far along I am I might just have to skip. And the weekend before the cookbook is due is a Black Belt test for my oldest and Father’s day, obviously those are things I just can not skip. Figuring out how to say no to things my kids are involved with or volunteering has always been a challenge for me. Like I said I hate to see disappointment in my children’s faces or in my friends. I have a need to please and it can be a curse in a way.

I’m having to learn to say no and accept a sad face when I say I can’t make it to that soccer game or softball game like I had to do over the weekend, but it’s for a greater cause and I keep reminding myself it’s only a temporary season and it won’t be forever. Sacrificing certain things for the sake of my sanity is most important at this time or at least that’s what I keep telling myself anyway.

BUT my passion is cooking. I wouldn’t have a blog if I didn’t love to cook.  I love to feed my family healthy food and surprise them with goodies that are still good for them. Cooking is a stress relief for me. I NEED TO COOK. So although this week and next will be a trying time and quick meals will be a must and the hubby will be putting in overtime with kid duties and dinner, I did manage to make these quick banana bread muffin tops I’ve been wanting to make forever. We had some ripe bananas and I knew this would be an easy recipe to pull off and make without sugar or gluten.

They’re almost like a soft oatmeal banana cookie is what my picky teen said. The first batch I made with unsweetened applesauce instead of banana, and they were like my apple oatmeal muffin recipe. So if you have allergies to banana, applesauce is always an option. You can add chopped nuts to these and they will completely resemble the banana nut vitatop muffin you might know of.  The first batch I made I added different toppings, some with chopped pecans, some with chocolate chips and I left some plain.

You can certainly eat two, but the portion for the nutrition info is for one. I like to spread some peanut butter over the top of mine. Cream cheese and jelly would also work nicely too. Or eat too because for just 78 calories and low carbs, why not!

Soft, light, fluffy and healthy to boot, can’t beat that!

Below you can see how you can easily just top each one with anything you like, just like my Personalized Baked Oatmeal recipe that went viral. The sky’s the limit. Have you seen the amount of comments with so many varieties of toppings people share about those? If not, you should totally check it out, amazing. Some of them blow away my typical toppings of just raisins or chocolate chips or dried cranberries. Trail mix is also a great one to add.

I think the best part about this recipe is the fact it takes so little time to make it. Prepare it within 10 minutes and bake for 20, done!

These were a win with my picky teen and hubby, daughter, and little man. I made two batches and they were gone by the next day!  That makes me happy. Feeding my family something healthy like this for breakfast or a snack is why I even have a blog and why I’m even blessed to be writing a cookbook. I’m going to focus not on the panic of it all, but the amazing opportunity I’ve been given to share my recipes with so many. Showing others that a life free of refined sugars due to allergies or choice doesn’t have to be torture. Yes today I will focus on that and continue on one step at a time. 🙂

Brenda’s Notes:

• If you have an allergy to bananas or just don’t like them, sub the 1 cup with unsweetened applesauce.
• You can use whatever milk you like to make it dairy free if needed.
• If you don’t have a whoopee pie pan or muffin top pan just place 12 mound of batter onto a silpat lined baking pan. I’m guessing it’s about a 1/4 cup of batter or just a tad more for 12 muffins. Please let me know if you try it that way and how much it was.
• If you are gluten free, make sure your rolled oats are certified as gluten free. I used Bob’s Red Mill.

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Copycat Banana Bread Vitatop Muffins {Gluten Free}

Prep Time 10 minutes minutes

Cook Time 20 minutes minutes

Total Time 30 minutes minutes

Servings 12

Calories 78kcal

Author Brenda Bennett | Sugar Free Mom

Ingredients

• 1 cup rolled oats certified gluten free
• 1/2 cup flaxseed ground
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 2 eggs
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1/2 teaspoon liquid vanilla stevia
• 1/2 cup milk 1%
• 2 ripe bananas mashed, about 1 cup
• Optional toppings: sugar free chocolate chips chopped pecans, dried cranberries

Instructions

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
• Whisk together the first 5 ingredients and set aside.
• In another bowl whisk the eggs, vanilla extract, stevia and milk.
• Add the mashed bananas to the wet mixture and stir to combine.
• Pour the wet into the dry mixture and stir just to incorporate.
• Spray a muffin top pan or whoopie pie pan with nonstick cooking spray or grease with coconut oil.
• Pour batter evenly into pan and add additional toppings if desired.
• Bake 20 minutes.
• Cool slightly then remove from pan and place onto a cooling rack.

Notes

Weight Watchers PointsPlus: 2*

Nutrition

Serving: 1g | Calories: 78kcal | Carbohydrates: 9.7g | Protein: 3.7g | Fat: 2.9g | Saturated Fat: 0.3g | Cholesterol: 30mg | Sodium: 210mg | Fiber: 2.4g | Sugar: 1.4g

The post Copycat Banana Bread Vitatop Muffins {Gluten Free & Low Carb} appeared first on Sugar-Free Mom.

It is essentially like the traditional Sloppy Joe just a whole lot healthier and without any added sugar.

All you need is some thawed ground turkey and terrific whole grain buns and you’ve got a quick meal for the family. I found the original recipe from a Family Fun magazine and revamped it without using barbecue sauce or bottled chili sauce which all contain some type of sugar.

If you’re a follower of my blog, you’ll notice I love oatmeal! In many  recipes calling for a binding agent like my Magnificently Moist Meatloaf, I use oatmeal! I usually choose old fashioned whole grain oats whenever I can because of the nutritious value. In this recipe I use the instant kind simply because I feel it dissolves better in the sauce. It helps thicken the sauce nicely. If you’re not a big oatmeal fan I think I can win you over when you try my Sugar-Free Baked Oatmeal or Crock Pot Overnight Oatmeal. Seriously good stuff!

Nutrition Info (without buns)

Servings: 6* Calories: 200* Fat: 11.4g* Fiber: .8g* Carbs: 5.9g* Protein: 19.2g* Points+:5* Old Points: 5*

This recipe has been adapted and revised to be even better! Here’s the link: Healthier Sloppy Joe’s !

The post Sloppy Toms appeared first on Sugar-Free Mom.

Finally had the time this morning and made these for my kids and they were the MOISTEST muffin I’ve ever had!!! I’m so happy with the results and wanted to share. I didn’t plan to have a topping on these muffins, but when I saw a cinnamon crumb topping recipe from Heavenly Homemakers I thought I’d try it . So glad I did. This topping really made it even better than I expected! Of course the crumb topping is completely optional, but my kids were thrilled to say the least! I used only 4 tbsp of sucanat and 1 tbsp of butter and it still worked just as well, just doesn’t have an excess amount on each muffin. Here’s the recipe! Enjoy!

I Hope you’ll give these a try and tell me what you think!

Nutrition Info:

• Servings: 12
• Calories: 157
• Fat: 6 g
• Carbs: 26 g
• Fiber: 3.1 g
• Protein: 3.8 g
• Weight Watchers PointsPlus: 4 (Previous Method 3)

 Apple Oatmeal Muffins

[sc:Ziplist]

Ingredients

• 1 c. old fashioned oats
• 1 c. whole wheat pastry flour
• 1/2 tsp. salt
• 2 eggs
• 1 tsp. baking powder
• 1/2 tsp baking soda
•  1 c. applesauce, unsweetened
•  1 tsp. vanilla extract
• 1/4 c. canola oil, melted butter or coconut oil
• 1/2 c. sucanat/rapadura or brown sugar
• 3/4 c. low-fat milk
• 1 apple peeled, cored and chopped

Cinnamon Crumb Topping (optional)

• 1 tsp.cinnamon
• 6 tbsp. sucanat/rapadura or brown sugar
• 2 tbsp softened butter

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees and coat a 12 capacity muffin tin with cooking spray.
2. In a  bowl stir together the oats, flour, baking soda and powder, sucanat and salt.
3. Add the milk, vanilla, oil, eggs and applesauce.
4. Add the apple chunks.
5. Mix the topping ingredients together and add to each muffin.
6. Bake for 20 minutes.

Click here to see a completely Sugar-Free version of this recipe using stevia.

The post Apple Oatmeal Muffins appeared first on Sugar-Free Mom.

Having a smaller crock pot is ideal for recipes like this one. Who wants to pull a giant crock pot out if you only need it for a small breakfast for yourself or hubby and you know you’re kids won’t eat it?

My little crock pot, which is a 3 quart one shown here, is one of my most favorite appliances! Hubby bought it for me a few years back and I thought he was crazy! I specifically remember thinking what in the world will I make in that! Yet this little gadget has surpassed my greatest expectations I tell you! To making this little yummy heavenly breakfast, to using in for sauces, dips, meatballs, even fondue for friends! I love it just as much, if not MORE, than my much larger crock pot that I use regularly. Of course if you don’t have a small crock pot your large version will work just the same, but I would suggest doubling the recipe.

This deliciousness is so fabulous you will have to control how much you eat! There’s about 4 servings in there but I caution you to measure out want you want, be it a 1/2 c or cup and don’t go back for more! You will most certainly be tempted. I would be greatly surprised if there is anyone out there who tries this recipe and is disappointed. Unless you truly hate oatmeal, well, then that is a different matter (heehee).

Everyone who is either watching their weight, trying to lose or even those who are not, we all  get into food ruts once in awhile. Eating the same thing either because its quick and easy or we haven’t shopped or we’re plain out of ideas for breakfast can cause us to subconsciously deter from our healthy eating plans later on in the day or week or weekend. So don’t let that happen and  try a new recipe once a week, at least on the weekend when you may have a bit more time to experiment.

Let me know how you like it!

Nutrition Info

Servings: 4 (1/2 c. )* Calories: 205* Fat: 6g* Fiber: 3g* Carbs: 32g* Protein: 8g* Points+: 6

Other recipes you might like:

• Overnight Oatmeal: No Sugar Added
• Overnight Banana Steel Cut Oats
• Crock Pot Pumpkin Pie Steel Cut Oats

UPDATE: Using your warm setting on your crock pot will allow the recipe to cook much longer and not burn or dry out. Mine went in the crock on warm last night at 9:30pm and I checked it at 7am and it was just perfect!

*This recipe has been updated to be Sugar-Free, check here!

Overnight Crock Pot Apple Oatmeal

[sc:Ziplist]

Ingredients

• 2 cups low-fat milk (soy or almond will work as well)
• 2 tbsp honey
• 1 tbsp lite butter
• 1/4 tsp.salt
• 1/2 tsp cinnamon
• 1 cup dry old fashioned oats
• 1 cup apple, chopped (optional)
• 1/4 cup raisins (optional)

Directions

1. Spray inside of slow cooker with non-fat cooking spray.
2. In a bowl, mix all ingredients and pour into cooker.
3. Cover and cook on low overnight, ideally no more than 6 hours or it will dry out.
4. Stir well in the morning before serving and YUM!

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