Preheat oven to 350°. Spray a muffin tin with non-stick spray. Combine dry ingredients in a large bowl or processor. Mix well. Add remaining ingredients, except chocolate chips. Mix just until smooth and blended. Stir in chocolate chips. Do not overmix batter, or cupcakes will be rough.

Pour batter into muffin tin. Bake at 350° for 20 to 25 minutes, until done. Cool completely. If desired, sprinkle lightly with confectioners sugar.

Makes 12 cupcakes. Recipe can be doubled. These cupcakes freeze very well.

183 calories per cupcake, 5 g Fat (1 g saturated) 0 mg Cholesterol, 2 g Protein, 34 g Carbohydrate, 155 mg Sodium, 103 mg Potassium, 1 mg Iron, 2 g Fiber, 9 mg Calcium.

Preheat oven to 325°. Combine flour, cocoa, salt, instant coffee, and baking powder. Mix well. Add remaining ingredients and blend well, about 1 to 2 minutes. Spread batter evenly in a sprayed 8-inch-square Pyrex baking dish.

Bake at 325° for about 25 minutes. The top should be set when touched with your fingertips; if you insert a toothpick in the center, it should come out slightly moist. Do not overbake or brownies will be dry. Makes 25 brownies. Frost with glaze, if desired. Freezes well.

72 calories per brownie, 1.4 g Fat (0.4 g saturated), 9 mg Cholesterol, 1 g Protein, 15 g Carbohydrate, 40 mg Sodium, 61 mg Potassium, <1 mg Iron, <1 g Fiber, 8 mg Calcium. (Figures do not include glaze.)

Melt chocolate over low heat, or microwave on MEDIUM (50% power) for about 2 minutes, stirring once or twice. Blend in remaining ingredients. Mixture will be quite liquid. Pour over brownies, tipping pan so they are completely glazed. Freeze for about 45 minutes for easier slicing. Makes enough glaze for Fudgy-Wudgy Brownies recipe.

14 calories per serving, 1 g Fat (1/2 gram saturated), 0 mg Cholesterol, trace Protein, 2 g Carbohydrate, trace Sodium, 15 mg Potassium, trace Iron, trace Fiber, 1 mg Calcium.

Combine prunes and hot water in a bowl. Cover and let stand for 5 minutes, until plump. In a processor or blender, process prunes with water until smooth, about 1 minute. Scrape down sides of bowl several times. Makes about 2 cups. Store tightly covered in the refrigerator for up to 3 months, or freeze for up to 6 months.

20 calories per tablespoon, 0 g Fat, 0 mg Cholesterol, trace Protein, 5 g Carbohydrate, <1 mg Sodium, 63 mg Potassium, trace Iron, <1 g Fiber, 4 mg Calcium.

Filling

Combine filling ingredients; mix well. Spray a 10-inch glass pie plate or ceramic quiche dish lightly with non-stick spray. Spread filling ingredients evenly in dish.

Combine topping ingredients (can be done quickly in a processor). Carefully spread topping over filling and press down slightly. Either bake at 375° for 35 to 45 minutes until golden or microwave uncovered on HIGH for 12 to 14 minutes, turning dish after 6 to 7 minutes. Serve hot or at room temperature. Delicious topped with a small scoop of low-fat yogurt. Makes 10 servings. Freezes well.

202 calories per serving, 6 g Fat (1/2 g saturated), 0 mg Cholesterol, 3 g Protein, 36 g Carbohydrate, 6 mg Sodium, 186 mg Potassium, 1 mg Iron, 4 g Fiber, 25 mg Calcium.

Prepare dough as directed. Preheat oven to 350°. Roll out dough on a lightly floured surface 1/8-inch thick. Using assorted cookie cutters, cut dough into shapes. Brush lightly with beaten egg white and sprinkle with sugar. Place on a sprayed foil-lined cookie sheet. Bake at 350° for 10 minutes.

Makes about 2 dozen cookies. These freeze very well.

55 calories per cookie, 3 g Fat (1 g saturated), 5 mg Cholesterol, 2 g Protein, 5 g Carbohydrate, 41 mg Sodium, 17 mg Potassium, trace Iron, trace Fiber, 7 mg Calcium.

1. In a processor or electric mixer, combine cream cheese with cottage cheese. Beat until smooth. Add confectioners sugar and lemon juice. Mix until thoroughly blended. Add yogurt and mix just until smooth. Do not over-beat. Cut cupcakes into 1-inch cubes.

2. In the bottom of a glass serving bowl, spread one-third of the cheese mixture. Arrange half of the cake cubes in a layer over cheese. Top with a layer of sliced strawberries. Repeat with cheese mixture, cake, and strawberries. Top with remaining cheese mixture, forming peaks with the back of a spoon. Garnish with whole berries. If desired, sprinkle lightly with grated chocolate. Chill several hours or overnight before serving. Makes 16 servings. Do not freeze.

168 calories per serving, 4 g Fat (2 g saturated), 10 mg Cholesterol, 7 g Protein, 26 g Carbohydrate, 168 mg Sodium, 188 mg Potassium, <1 mg Iron, 1 g Fiber, 88 mg Calcium.

Prepare ingredients as directed above in Step 1. Spoon a layer of cheese mixture into 8 or 10 parfait glasses. Top with cake cubes. Place strawberry slices so they stand upright around the edges of each glass. Top with remaining cheese mixture. Garnish with a strawberry and sprinkle with grated chocolate. Chill before serving.

Less Sinful Cinnamon Twists

Preheat oven to 350°. Combine eggs, sugar, and oil; mix well. Add flour and baking powder. Mix just until flour disappears. Use a tablespoon of dough for each cookie. Roll dough between palms to make pencil-shaped rolls about 5 inches long. Shape into half-twists (like half of a figure eight). (These can also be made into crescents or letters of the alphabet.) Roll in cinnamon/sugar mixture.

Place on foil-lined cookie sheets sprayed with non-stick spray. Bake at 350° for 15 minutes, until golden and crisp. Makes 4 dozen. These freeze well.

74 calories per cookie, 2-1/2 g Fat, 9 mg Cholesterol, 1 g Protein, 12 g Carbohydrate, 15 mg Sodium, 19 mg Potassium, trace Iron, trace Fiber, 4 mg Calcium.

Combine all ingredients and blend until smooth. Makes 1 cup. Mixture keeps about a week in the refrigerator. 80 calories per tablespoon, 9 g Fat (3 g saturated), 11 mg Cholesterol, trace Protein, trace Carbohydrate, 45 mg Sodium, 15 mg Potassium, 0 mg Iron, 0 g Fiber, 12 mg Calcium.

Variation 1

Cut “butter” and cheese into 1-inch pieces. Combine with flour in processor. Process with quick on/off pulses to start, then let the machine run until mixture forms a ball, about 20 seconds. If dough seems soft, add an extra tablespoon of flour. Chill dough for 20 to 30 minutes before using.

Makes two 9-inch circles of dough. This dough freezes well. Recipe can be doubled.

Variation 1: 1190 calories per recipe, 73 g Fat (25 g saturated), 107 mg Cholesterol, 31 g Protein, 103 g Carbohydrate, 768 mg Sodium, 323 mg Potassium, 6 mg Iron, 3 g Fiber, 169 mg Calcium.

Variation 2: 1348 calories per recipe, 93 g Fat (16 g saturated), 10 mg Cholesterol, 29 g Protein, 100 g Carbohydrate, 1144 mg Sodium, 252 mg Potassium, 6 mg Iron, 3 g Fiber, 109 mg Calcium.

Line a cookie sheet with foil. Spray with non-stick spray. Preheat oven to 375°. Prepare dough as directed. Divide dough into 2 balls. Flour each piece of dough lightly. Roll out on a lightly floured surface into a circle about 1/16-inch thick. Crush or grind cereal to make fine crumbs.

Spread each circle of dough with 1/4-cup jam. Sprinkle with half of the crushed granola. Cut each piece of dough into 12 triangles. Roll up from the outside edge toward the center. Place on prepared cookie sheet. Bake at 375° for 18 to 20 minutes, until lightly browned. If desired, sprinkle with confectioners sugar when completely cool.

Makes 2 dozen. Recipe can be doubled. These freeze very well.,p> 69 calories per cookie, 3 g Fat (1 g saturated), 5 mg Cholesterol, 2 g Protein, 9 g Carbohydrate, 37 mg Sodium, 23 mg Potassium, trace Iron, <1 g Fiber, 7 mg Calcium. Analysis based on Variation 1 of Cream Cheese Pastry. With Variation 2, each cookie contains 76 calories, 4 g Fat (<1 g saturated), and trace Cholesterol.

Crust

Preheat oven to 350°. In processor, mix flour, corn starch, margarine, and sugar until fine. Add yogurt. Process with quick on/off pulses, until mixture is crumbly. Press firmly into the bottom of a sprayed 9 x 13-inch baking pan.

Bake at 350° for 18 to 20 minutes, until golden. Process ingredients for filling until blended. Pour over baked crust. Bake 25 to 30 minutes longer, until golden and set. When cool, cut into squares. Makes 48 squares. These freeze very well.

73 calories per square, 2 g Fat (1/2 g saturated), 18 mg Cholesterol, 1 g Protein, 14 g Carbohydrate, 22 mg Sodium, 17 mg Potassium, trace Iron, trace Fiber, 5 mg Calcium.