This is a perfect Christmas holiday recipe and Christmas recipe for kids to have them help with the holiday baking!

Ingredients:

2 1/2 cups flour

1 teaspoon baking soda

1/4 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon cinnamon

1 cup sugar

1/2 cup butter (melted)

1 egg (beaten)

1/2 cup milk

1 teaspoon vanilla

1 cup peeled, chopped apples

1/2 cup raisins

1/2 cup chopped pecans (optional)

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350F.

In a large bowl combine flour, baking soda, salt, sugar and cinnamon. Add melted butter, egg, milk and vanilla. Mix well. Fold in chopped apples, raisins and pecans (if using). Pour batter into a lightly greased loaf pan. Top with chopped pecans (if using).

Bake at 350F for approximately 45 minutes or until center is baked through. Cool for 10 minutes in pan before removing to wire rack to cool completely.

You can use a sugar substitute in this recipe, but I recommend using half substitute and half reas sugar if you're not diabetic. Diabetics should use their favorite sugar substitute they rely on for baking.

A few extra calories are hard to avoid during the holidays. It’s dreaded by every woman on a diet—the holidays! Holidays are filled with tons of food, the nemesis of every dieter on the planet. If you’re worried about how your diet will suffer during the holidays, try these tips for coping:

- Get Active. Just because it’s cold outside doesn’t mean you can’t be active. Organize a group and go on a winter hike or ice skating. Even caroling can help take the focus off food while giving you some mild exercise too. Or go for a long walk to look at the Christmas lights. Think of small ways to stay active rather than vegging out indoors.

- Snack Light. Don’t be afraid to have a few snacks at a party. But beware of snacking during the entire 3-5 hours! Allow yourself a small plate of snacks and stop there.

- Eat before you leave. If you’re really worried about eating too much at a party, have a light, healthy meal before you leave. Eat something nutritious and filling, but leave enough room for a light dessert.

- Watch the Alcohol – With all those parties those few drinks can really add up. Take it easy on the alcohol as it has tons of calories. A good trick is to have a wine spritzer, mix a little wine with some club soda and sip slowly throughout the night; this could cut down your alcohol intake nearly by half.

- Forget about the Diet. Well don’t dump your diet altogether or you may regret in the New Year, just don’t focus on it. If you constantly worry about your diet or how many pounds you might gain during the holidays, you’ll be likely to eat more. Instead, concentrate on the wonderful company you are sharing and stop worrying so much about overeating.