Once the holidays are over and I’ve gone wild, eating all the foods I try to eat rationally during the year, I love making these yummy, diet baked apples to fill my craving while I detox from all the sugar. Apples are incredibly good for you, and eating them is linked to a lower risk of many major diseases. This means I don't feel guilty about snacking on a dessert that tastes like Apple Pie!

Classic Diet Baked Apples

Time: 45 mins to 1 hour

Yield: Makes 6 servings

Ingredients include:

•   6 large baking apples – I like Rome Beauty apples
•   Cinnamon sticks – 6 small or 3 large, halved (Substitute: Ground Cinnamon)
•   Raisins – I like Jumbo Mixed Raisins from Trader Joe’s
•   ½ liter Diet Soda – Choose Fresca, Lemon/Lime, or Cherry

Prep:

•   Preheat oven to 325 degrees
•   Carefully core apples (I find that using a melon scooper is easier to get the core and seeds out)
•   Place apples in an oblong baking pan (I use a porcelain baking dish)
•   Fill apples with Raisins
•   Place a cinnamon stick into each apple (or dust with cinnamon powder to substitute)
•   Pour soda halfway up the baking pan
•   Bake until fork slides through apple easily

That’s it!

Some fun benefits: