Baked apples are a classic American dessert, but I’ve upped the ante by coring them, filling them with a simple streusel, and drizzling (pouring, maybe?) salted caramel on top. And we can totally call this a healthy dessert because, you know, apple. Right? Hey, it’s fruit!

This is a fireside kind of dessert, the kind that you share with family members on game night or some equally idyllic situation. These are impossible not to love, unless you have no soul. I’m feeling very objective today.

This past weekend, Kenny and I had a night by the fire. It was a redo of our New Year’s Eve, the first of which crashed and burned at eight o’clock when our son’s stomach virus erupted everywhere. Yes, I’m being literal. Nobody wants a romantic dinner for two after cleaning that up.

It’s getting harder and harder to stay awake long enough to last through date night. Back in the day, I could guzzle drinks with the smug knowledge that I had nowhere to go and nothing to do in the morning. But when you have kids, that whole game changes suddenly and irrevocably.

Not only have I not owned an alarm clock since 2008, but I have also not awakened past 6:30. And that’s on the very best of days. There are too many children and even more viruses at play to count on a later wake-up time. As a result, my body is hardwired to wake up on weekends at 5:30. Any date nights need to take that little hitch into account.

Take last night, for example. Our youngest is ready for a real bed, but she really loves her crib. We’ve tried to move her out to no avail, and last night she seemed eager to move. So into her older sister’s room she went into a twin bed that swallowed her tiny body whole. Around 12:45, she freaked out because her sister went to the bathroom and she thought she would be alone forever. And at 2 A.M., she started screaming that she wanted to “go back to my room.” And back in her crib she went. I know, I know, I’m weak. But she was screeching the house down, and nobody was getting any sleep.

When Kenny is awakened by children (which happens less for him because he just doesn’t hear them), he can immediately fall back asleep. I, on the other hand, will lie awake in a state of pure tension waiting for someone to wake up again, unable to stop my mind from racing. I wish that I could make my brain stop, but it’s just not possible. So nights like that mean no sleep for Mir. And that means I don’t drink on date night, and I sure don’t stay up past 10. It’s a shame, but what are you gonna do?

Eat a healthier-than-usual dessert, that’s what. The hardest part of this recipe is coring the apples, so I’d recommend having a corer or melon baller around if you’re not handy with a knife. But once you’ve done that, the rest is easy.

The oat-based streusel in each apple takes seconds to prepare, and you drizzle prepared salted caramel topping over the baked apple. It’s such a cozy dessert. I think it’s kind of required to eat this while wrapped in a fuzzy blanket while wearing equally fuzzy slippers.

If you’re about getting healthy this season, this dessert is the one. It’s healthy with just a splash of decadence, making it a perfect choice. Whether you have an early wake-up call or a chance to sleep in late, this will make your evening worthwhile!

Last year, I tried to make loaded caramel apples. I de-waxed the apples, coated them in caramel, and covered the caramel in honey roasted peanuts and mini M & Ms. And they looked great.

But an hour later, the weight of the toppings and pulled the caramel right off the apple. So I got really angry and gave up. Until now. Because if you don’t like the rules, then change them. If a caramel apple loaded with toppings is delicious, then just do the same thing, but deconstruct it. Easy peasy! No more #caramelapplefail in your life.

Sometimes, working a problem just means thinking of new ways to get around it. Too often, we force ourselves to do things that we think we should (and “should” is a dangerous word, my friends) instead of finding another path.

For years, I told myself that a life that included dessert every day was wrong, and that I should just eat healthy foods and live in a state of constant deprivation. If you read any women’s magazines, they’ll tell you that an “occasional indulgence” (boy, do I hate that phrase) is acceptable, but nothing beyond. And for years, I was stupid enough to believe them.

But that system didn’t work. I wound up thinking about dessert all the time. So one day, I got fed up and changed the rules and began eating indulgent desserts every day. Every. Day. Unless I got struck down by the flu or something.

And guess what? Nothing happened. I balanced those desserts with fruit and veggies, and figured that if twenty to thirty percent of my daily diet had no redeeming features, the rest would be healthy. It’s called balance, and so many women’s magazines just don’t get it.

When things don’t feel right, trust your instincts. Make a system that works for you. Listening to other people tell you how to live your life is completely illogical.

And dipping apples into caramel is also illogical if you just want the flavor without the hard work. Solution? Easy. So easy that my kids did it with me.

Cut up an apple. Drizzle a high-quality caramel sauce over the apples. Cover with your desired toppings (I am a HUGE fan of honey roasted peanuts and chocolate chips). Eat. And just think: this snack is even a bit healthy, thanks to the lovely apple.

Don’t waste your time playing by someone else’s rules. Make up your own!