Baked apples are a wonderfully warm, comfort-food way to finish a meal. This low sugar version is delicious and quick.

Ingredients:
1 apple
1 Tbsp Splenda brown sugar
1/2 tsp nutmeg
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/8 tsp cloves
1 Tbsp butter

Start by peeling and coring the apple. The aim is to make a "cup" out of the apple, as seen in that first photo. Here's how I did it. First I peeled the apple with a regular peeler. Then I took a sharp paring knife and put it vertically into the apple, from top to bottom, a short distance from where I figured the core would be. I didn't dig all the way through the bottom of the apple - I just put it in most of the way.

I then withdrew the knife and put it in again a quarter turn around the apple. So if I put the first knife dive in at noon, the next one went in at 3pm. Then the next at 6pm, and so on. Once I did those initial vertical slides, I then went in at 1pm, and 4pm, and so on. The aim was to end up making a roughly circular shape around the core. I want to go in nearly all the way to the bottom, but not clear out the bottom.

Once that was done, I wiggled the knife around to make some room between the core and the rest of the apple. Then I stuck a fork in to pry out most of the core. A bit was left, and I dug that out with the knife. There's going to be a bit at the very bottom left, and that's OK. That forms the base of your baked apple. It holds the rest together.

That done, mix together the Splenda brown sugar, nutmeg, cinnamon, and cloves. Sprinkle that on and in the apple. Add the butter on the top.

Microwave for about 3 minutes. My microwave is fairly powerful so I do 2 1/2 minutes - your time may vary. Let it sit for about a minute so the spices seep into the apple. The aim is for the apple to be soft enough to cut with a fork, but still holding together.

Enjoy!

The carb count really depends on what size of apple you use. Intriguingly, the TYPE of apple hardly changes the carb count. But the size, of course, matters. A medium-sized apple is about 25g while a large apple is 31g. So if you're on induction, you might want to share your apple with a friend or two. If you're deeper into a low carb lifestyle, this could make an ideal, healthy dessert.

Microwave Low Carb Recipes This cookbook contains tips, shopping lists, and delicious recipes for eating in a more healthy way. Every recipe requires only a microwave and a few minutes of your time. Invest in a healthier lifestyle for you and your family! Microwave Low Carb Recipes - Full Details

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