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¾ cup walnuts, coarsely chopped

½ cup frozen apple juice concentrate, thawed

¼ cup packed light-brown sugar

2 tablespoons vegetable oil, such as safflower

½ cup dried fruit, such as dried cherries, dates, raisins, or a mixture, halved or chopped if large

1 Preheat oven to 300°F. Lightly coat a 9-by-13-inch baking pan with cooking spray. Add oats, wheat germ, and walnuts, stirring to combine. Spread in an even layer and toast until mixture is lightly browned, about 25 minutes, stirring halfway through. Remove from oven.

2 Raise oven temperature to 350°F. Stir together apple juice, brown sugar, and oil. Pour over oat mixture; stir to combine, and spread evenly in pan. Bake until oats are crisp, about 30 minutes, stirring halfway through.

3 Let cool in pan, about 25 minutes; toss with dried fruit. Granola can be stored up to 1 month in the refrigerator in an airtight container.

PER ½ CUP: 271 calories; 11.4 grams fat; 7.1 grams protein; 38.4 grams carbohydrates; 4.6 grams fiber

Apple juice adds sweetness and allows you to cut back on the usual amount of sugar. Because juice from frozen concentrate is thicker than bottled juice, it makes a better coating for the granola, helping it crisp in the oven without requiring much oil.

POMEGRANATE AND MIXED-BERRY SMOOTHIES

⅓ cup silken tofu (about 3 ounces)

1 cup fresh or frozen mixed berries (do not thaw)

½ cup unsweetened pomegranate juice

1 to 2 teaspoons honey

¼ cup ice cubes

Combine tofu, berries, pomegranate juice, and honey in a blender. Add ice; puree on high speed until smooth. Serve immediately. MAKES 2

PER SERVING: 114 calories; 1.2 grams fat; 2.3 grams protein; 24.4 grams carbohydrates; 1.4 grams fiber

BLUEBERRY-YOGURT SMOOTHIES

1 ripe banana, cut into thirds

1 cup fresh or frozen blueberries (do not thaw)

1 cup yogurt

Combine banana, blueberries, and yogurt in a blender; puree on high speed until smooth. Serve immediately. MAKES 2

PER SERVING: 169 calories; 2.6 grams fat; 7.4 grams protein; 31.5 grams carbohydrates; 3.6 grams fiber

BANANA-OAT SMOOTHIES

½ cup old-fashioned rolled oats (not instant or quick-cooking)

1 cup plain yogurt

2 ripe bananas, cut into thirds, plus a few slices for topping

1 cup milk

4 teaspoons honey

½ teaspoon ground cinnamon

Combine oats, yogurt, banana thirds, milk, honey, and cinnamon in a blender; puree on high speed until smooth. Serve immediately, topped with slices of banana. MAKES 2

PER SERVING: 519 calories; 17.8 grams fat; 20.4 grams protein; 75.13 grams carbohydrates; 5.28 grams fiber

PEACH-STRAWBERRY SMOOTHIES

2 ripe peaches

1 cup rinsed and hulled fresh or frozen strawberries (do not thaw)

1 cup milk

3 tablespoons nonfat dry milk powder

1 to 2 teaspoons sugar

1 cup ice cubes

Peel, pit, and slice peaches. In a blender, combine peaches with strawberries, milk, milk powder, and sugar. Add ice; puree on high speed until smooth. Serve immediately. MAKES 2

PER SERVING: 138 calories; 0.6 gram fat; 7.8 grams protein; 27.5 grams carbohydrates; 2.9 grams fiber

If the ingredients in your smoothie don’t blend easily, simply add more liquid until everything incorporates. Adding some (or extra) banana will make any of these recipes thicker and creamier.

RAISIN-BRAN MUFFINS

These low-fat morning treats only taste indulgent; all six muffins contain just one egg, and a quarter cup each of dark-brown sugar and oil keeps them surprisingly moist. Raisin-bran cereal soaked in milk lends hearty texture.

MAKES 6 PREP TIME: 10 MINUTES TOTAL TIME: 40 MINUTES

1½ cups raisin-bran cereal

¾ cup milk

½ cup whole-wheat flour

½ cup all-purpose flour

2 teaspoons baking powder

½ teaspoon ground cinnamon

¼ teaspoon salt

¼ cup vegetable oil, such as safflower

1 large egg, lightly beaten

¼ cup packed dark-brown sugar

1 Preheat oven to 400°F. Line 6 cups of a standard muffin tin with paper liners. In a bowl, combine cereal with milk; let stand until softened, about 5 minutes. In another bowl, whisk together both flours, baking powder, cinnamon, and