Making Holiday Treats Healthier with Splenda #HealthyEssentials

This post is part of the HEALTHY ESSENTIALS® 2014 program by Johnson & Johnson Consumer Companies, Inc. and The Motherhood, who sent me a box of products and compensated me for my time. Opinions, experiences and photos shared here are all my own, and I hope you enjoy them.

How's your holiday shopping going? I was SO happy I knocked a few people off of my list today! Since I love to cook, I tend to give foodie presents--especially baked goods.  Plus, if I give them away, they won't end up in my stomach!  Um, that's what I tell myself at least!

As I get out all of my favorite cookie recipes (including Cranberry Hootycreeks and Cocoa Chewy Gooeys!), I try to find ways to make them healthier.  My favorite substitute is Splenda because it's almost impossible to tell they are healthified. Score!

There are many varieties of Splenda on the market now: granulated, brown sugar blend and sugar blend, to name a few.  For the most part, you use HALF the amount of Splenda as your recipe calls for.  To be sure, check the handy conversion chart on the back of the box or bag, though!

Using Splenda helps reduce the calories of your baked goods without changing the flavor or texture of what you're baking. Another great swap to healthify baking is using natural applesauce, mashed banana and coconut oil...all included in this recipe!

(Healthified) Zucchini Bread with Mini Chocolate Chips

Makes: 2 large loaves or 6 mini loaves. Also try muffins!

Ingredients

• 3 cups of flour
• 3 eggs
• 1 cup Splenda sugar blend
• 1/2 cup coconut oil, melted
• 1/2 cup natural applesauce
• 2 cups zucchini, shredded and drained--about 4 large zucchini (look for markdowns at your store!)
• 1 mashed banana
• 1/2 cup plain or vanilla Greek yogurt
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/4 teaspoon baking powder
• Topping: 1/2 cup mini chips 
• I like to just top the bread with chips instead of putting in the whole mix.  You can use less, but still get the chocolate flavor in the bread.

Let's Bake!

1. Preheat the oven to 350.
2. Spray Pam on bread pans.  
3. Mix eggs, sugar, coconut oil and applesauce for 1-2 minutes, until creamy. 
4. In a bowl, combine flour, cinnamon, baking soda and baking powder. Set aside. 
5. Add zucchini, vanilla, banana and Greek yogurt to bowl.  Mix until combined.
6. Slowly add dry ingredients.  Mix only until combined.
7. Pour into loaf pans and sprinkle the top with mini chips.
8. Bake until golden brown.  I poke mine with a toothpick to check the centers.
• Full loaf pan- 60 minutes
• Mini loaf pans- 40 minutes
• Muffins- 20-24 minutes

For gifts, Dollar Tree has very cute baked goods boxes.  You can freeze the loaves if you want to mail them out or gift them later.

Right now, Healthy Essentials has many coupons perfect for the season, including Splenda.  My girls have been wanting the Frozen Band-Aids for quite some time now--the coupon pairs with No More Tangles which is necessary for hat hair this winter.  There are tons of Johnson & Johnson baby coupons on there too--the Intense Moisture cream is ah-mazing!

How's your holiday baking going?  Share your favorite cookie recipe below!