Best Easy Way to Make Baked Goods Healthier

After years of experimenting with recipes to take out fat and sugars and add in healthy ingredients, I've come up with some very tasty substitutions. The one in this instructable is by far, the easiest.

Step 1: Add Fruit!

Start with any baked goods recipe or mix. This works great with sweet breads, muffins, etc. Alter as follows:

Cut the fat in half (or use a healthy oil like sunflower or olive.)
Add 1 - 2 cups of ripe fruit.
Add about 1/2 cup of rolled oats for every cup of fruit.

Notes:
- Use a fruit that works with the recipe, like fresh cranberries in pumpkin bread or bananas in banana bread.
- The oats are very healthy, but their real purpose is to absorb the extra fruit juice. You may need to add more or less depending on the type of fruit you use, how ripe it is, etc.
- You may also need more baking time because of the moisture. If so, turn the heat down 50 degrees and check every 10 -15 minutes.
- If you're not using a mix and the fruit is sweet, leave out a portion of the sugar. I make banana bread with VERY ripe bananas and no sugar at all. On the other hand, I don't cut back on the sugar if adding cranberries.
- How you prepare the fruit is up to you.
- Add other healthy ingredients like nuts and seeds at your own risk. My family saw right through this : )

Step 2: Let Me Know

I'd love to hear what fruits you usd and how things turned out. I'm always looking for good combinations I haven't tried yet. Please let me know in the comments. Thanks!