We’re a few days into 2011, and it’s back to the grindstone. After a season of ultra rich, fatty and sugary foods, and lots of festive cheer, most of us are ready to turn a perennial new leaf of increased activity and healthier foods. As a nod to these well-intentioned resolutions — and an inclination to bake some healthy, tasty, high fiber snacks for my family — I’ve whipped up a batch of these delicious, nut-free granola bars.

My infatuation with cinnamon rolls began in high school. I am a little ashamed to admit that instead of a wholesome, nourishing meal, at lunchtime I would instead shell out $1.50 to the high school cafeteria for one of their home-baked (or I guess it would be “school-baked”) cinnamon rolls. They were simple enough: warm and doughy, chewy and sweet, drizzled with a thick, white, sugary frosting, and — as one might expect — cinnamony.

What could be more classically festive than apple pie? Simple, homey and ultra delicious, apple pie is a family favorite, a dessert fancied by all family members — from the blithe toddler to the merry great grandparents, everyone will be angling for a slice of this luscious Dutch apple pie.

Alright, we are now full-swing into a somewhat manic phase of holiday baking. And no plate of Christmas treats would be complete without gingerbread cookies. I was thinking outside the gingerbread “man” cookie cutter… I have instead been inspired by my recent immigration to the twitterverse and opted for “gingerbread tweets” in the shape of twittering birds (and other shapes, too).  This gingerbread cookie recipe is a spicy variation with the standard ground ginger, cinnamon, nutmeg and cloves, and adds a little extra edge with a subtle dash of piquant cayenne pepper.

Okay, so I had to use up the last of a seemingly endless supply of pumpkin puree, created from one modest “pie” pumpkin, one soft pear, and half of very ripe banana. Yet another case of necessity giving rise to invention; and muffins seemed like just the ticket to fill the order: portable, moist, healthy and flavor-packed.