Cinnamon Cardamom Apple Pecan Oats, by Diane

I whipped this up randomly this cold chilly morning with some leftover cardamom spice I got in Sweden, and oh my gosh was this so good and warming! Yum! I love adding manuka for extra immune support during winter, and anti inflammatory spices are helpful too like cinnamon and ginger!

Ingredients:

1/2 apple, cubed small

1/2 cup quick oats

1 cup water

Dash salt

1 tbsp manuka honey

Spices: baking spice, cinnamon, ginger, cardamom

Chopped pecans

Directions:

Mix all ingredients except pecans well and microwave for 2 minutes or until water is evaporated. Stir in pecans and enjoy!

The Best Fall Salad, by Diane

This is my latest lunch obsession, so quick and easy to meal prep and packed with autumn flavors! I've decided the formula for this to work best is two roasted veggies, one protein, something crunchy (usually nuts or seeds), something sweet (usually apples, dates or dried cranberries), a leafy green, and my dressing creation which seems to remain the same because it goes with everything!! This version is the best so far, so I'm posting it to remember in the future! 

This can make about 3 salads for the week if you use one whole squash, 2 apples, 1 bag of pre-grilled chicken, and about 1 lb of sprouts (dressing amounts remain the same). If meal prepping- combine the veggies and the chicken and cheese, then on the day of eating chop the apples so they stay fresh and add the arugula (so it won't wilt) and pecans (so they stay crunchy!). 

PS- delicata squash is my most favorite veggie of fall, you can eat them with the skin on and when roasted and browned they get almost caramelized. My favorite way to eat them is here, roasted in coconut oil until both sides are fully browned, then tossed with sea salt and rosemary powder (not dried rosemary)- it tastes like thanksgiving and I can eat a whole squash in one sitting!

Ingredients:

1 cup sliced grilled chicken (I use pre-grilled strips for ease)

Coconut oil

Roasted delicata squash

Powdered rosemary

Salt

Brussels sprouts, halved and trimmed

Gala apple, chopped

Gorgonzola cheese, crumbled

Chopped pecans

2 cups arugula or a large handful

Dressing: 2 roasted shallots, 4 tbsp EVOO, 1 tbsp maple syrup, salt and pepper to taste, 1 tbsp or more ume plum vinegar, 1 tsp dried thyme, water as needed

Drizzle blackberry balsamic vinaigrette on top

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 400 and place coconut oil (about 2 tbsp each) on two trays while the oven warms.

2. When the oil is melted, toss the sprouts and shallots with salt and oil on one tray, and the squash with salt and rosemary powder and oil on the other. Coat well and roast until charred, flipping halfway.

3. For the dressing, combine all the ingredients and whiz until creamy. This will stay creamy in the fridge for days. Add the water or more oil if the consistency needs to change, and feel free to adjust the vinegar too.

3. When the roasted veggies are room temp, toss with chicken, apples, cheese, pecans, arugula and dressing. Mix well then drizzle balsamic on top and enjoy!

Warm Grain Bowls, by Diane

These have been on repeat as of late for dinners. They are quick to meal prep and even easier to grab on a busy weeknight. I especially love the combination of flavors and textures, and that it is warm on a cold night! Makes 4 servings

ps- I also love this with arugula too!

Ingredients:

For the bowls:

1 large bunch kale, stems removed and chopped

2 tbsp lemon flavored olive oil

1 tsp salt

4 cups brown rice and quinoa mixture

4 cups diced chicken breast 

4 cups roasted butternut squash

2 cups roasted broccoli (I used my beloved burnt broccoli here)

2 gala apples, diced (I dice these on the spot so they don't go brown)

8 tbsp chopped roasted pecans

8 oz goat cheese crumbles

For the dressing:

2 large shallots, roasted

2 tbsp dijon mustard

4 tbsp EVOO

1/2 lemon, juiced

salt and pepper

1/2 tsp dried thyme

1 tsp honey

Directions:

1. Prep the kale by massaging it well with the salt and lemon olive oil. Set aside in it's own bowl.

2. Roast the squash and broccoli, as well as the shallot, until golden. 

3. Add the squash and broccoli to a bowl with the rice mixture and chicken and set aside on it's own.

4. Blend the roasted shallots with the other dressing ingredients until smooth, sometimes I have to adjust for seasonings or consistency by adding water.

5. When you're ready to eat, in a personal sized bowl combine kale, chicken/rice/squash/broccoli mixture, dressing, and goat cheese. Heat in the microwave for one minute. 

6. Top with diced apples and pecans, mix well and enjoy!

Sliced Apple Cake, by Diane

We made this as a dessert for thanksgiving instead of messing around with a crust. We found this recipe from Chef Stuart Okeefe. Overall this got mixed reviews, some found it really comforting and others just missed the crust.

Ingredients:

3 eggs, beaten

2/3 cup milk

4 tbsp melted butter

1 tsp vanilla extract

3/4 cup AP Flour

2/3 cup powdered sugar

1 tsp cinnamon

1 tsp baking powder

1/2 tsp salt

4 apples peeled, cored and thinly sliced (we used a mandolin)

Directions:

1. Preheat the oven to 350 and prep a loaf pan with parchment paper.

2. Mix eggs through vanilla in a bowl.

3. Mix flour through salt in another bowl. 

4. Combine both bowls and add in apples folding in gently.

5. Pour the batter into the pan and spread evenly.

6. Bake 40-50 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean. Allow to cool before serving

Fall Bowl, by Diane

I created this warm bowl for dinners this week and haven't wanted anything since!! It is SUCH a great combo of flavors and so freakin easy to meal prep and heat up during the week. And it's healthy to boot. Total win! Side note, this was my first time whipping up my own vinaigrette, and it was SO delicious. I was out of dijon mustard so I had to get creative, and I'm pretty impressed with the outcome. I think it's what makes the whole bowl shine, and I can see this used as a marinade or dressing for so many other recipes! I ran out of pecans which I was going to chop and add to this bowl for crunch, and I think that would be a good addition! I also added it over some kale one day as a salad, and one day there was some goat cheese in it. Yum!

Note: this made about 4 bowls across the week, with some leftovers for another 1/2 bowl at the end of the week. For leftovers, I warmed up all the ingredients except the apple and the dressing.

Ingredients:

For the Bowl:

Chicken, grilled and sliced (I used 2 bags of pre-grilled chicken to make this easier)

2 crowns broccoli, cut into bite size pieces

2 large sweet potatoes, peeled and cubed

4 portobello mushrooms

2 cups wild rice and quinoa mixture, cooked according to package directions (I used 1/2 cup warmed rice in each bowl)

2 sweet crisp apples, peeled and cubed (I used 1/2 an apple in each bowl)

EVOO

For the Dressing:

5 tbsp EVOO

2 tbsp white vinegar

1 tbsp shaoxing wine

1 tsp mustard powder

1 medium shallot, minced

1 stalk rosemary leaves, minced

5 stalks thyme leaves

Salt and pepper to taste

1/2 tbsp fig jam

Instructions:

1. Toss the broccoli, sweet potatoes, and mushrooms in EVOO and roast until tender at 350. I made sure the sweet potatoes really caramelized on each side before pulling them out to add extra flavor. 

2. Whisk all dressing ingredients together and set aside.

3. Combine all ingredients and devour :)

 

Orchard Applesauce, by Diane

This is not the world's most complex recipe, so I debated putting it on here, but applesauce wasn't something I knew how to make before so I'm adding it! Plus we have a goal to meet, right Cheryl?!? Apple picking is one of my most favorite fall traditions, and this year I had a lot of extra apples leftover. This recipe is quick and super easy, and only gets better each day in the fridge if you can make it last!

The key to this applesauce is which apples you choose. First off, orchard apples in the fall just simply taste better than store bought apples year round, so go for that if you can! We have found in our family that selecting sweet/tart varieties work best. All sweet makes it too sweet, and all tart...well...yeah. If your goal is to have it be healthier and unsweetened as mine is, I would recommend choosing either all apples that are both sweet and tart, or 1 sweet apple per 3-4 tarts. 

Ingredients:

5-7 large apples (see above), peeled and cubed

1 cup water (for a thicker sauce, see below)

2 tsp cinnamon

Optional: honey

Directions:

1. Place the apples and water in a large pot with a lid on medium heat.

2. Cover and let simmer until the apples break down, stirring occasionally. 

3. When the apples start to break down you can help them along with the back of a spoon if you want chunky applesauce like we love, or you can use an immersion blender to get it smooth. Add more water if you want it thinner or if the bottom starts to brown.

4. Add in cinnamon, and if desired, sweetener of choice (honey works great!).

 

Charoset Stuffed Honey Cake, by Diane

We made this cake for Rosh Hashanah this year- it was originally planned for Passover but we never got around to making it then. It wound up being a good thing, because the Passover recipe used alternate flour, so for Rosh Hashanah we were able to combine the charoset cake recipe from @jakecohen with a traditional honey cake recipe from @dianemorrisey to get this amazing deliciousness! This cake was so good, the flavors were really reminiscent of the Jewish holidays, and it was easy to make. The only changes we all agreed on were that we would cook the cake for less time, as the honey cake layers weren't as moist as we would have liked. The cake was actually better the second day around, because the charoset filling had penetrated the honey cake layers with some extra delicious flavor. We will definitely be adapting this for Passover using Jake's original recipe, and this will likely be a Rosh Hashanah staple from here on out!

Ingredients:

Cooking spray or butter (enough to grease the pan)

3/4 cup white sugar

1 cup vegetable oil

2 eggs

3/4 cup honey

1 tsp vanilla extract

2 1/2 cups AP flour 

1 tsp baking powder

1 tsp baking soda

1 tsp salt

1 tsp cinnamon

3 apples, chopped into bite size pieces (we used gala)

1 cup walnuts, chopped

1/4 cup golden raisins

3 tbsp honey

2 tbsp cornstarch

Directions:

1. Grease a bundt pan heavily and set aside, preheat oven to 350.

2. Combine flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and cinnamon in a small bowl and set aside.

3. In a larger bowl, beat sugar and oil until combined, then add eggs in one at a time until well mixed. 

4. Stir honey and vanilla into the sugar mixture.

5. Add the dry ingredients in and mix very well. The mixture will be thick and you'll need to make sure everything is combined.

6. Combine apples through cornstarch in a separate bowl and set aside.

7. Build your cake by spreading half the cake batter on the bottom, then a middle layer of the entire charoset mixture, then remaining cake batter.

8. Bake for 40-50 minutes until a toothpick comes out clean. (Note: we did 50 minutes and think this is what made the cake dryer, so I'd go for 40!). Let cool before serving (we left it uncovered, but when covered overnight the cake softened so we are going to try and cover it next time!)

Traditional Charoset, by Cheryl

Every year I make the charoset for our family's Passover seder. Over the years I have tweaked it some in order to get the sweet taste I'm looking for in order to combat the bitter herbs that generally go with it. This is delicious with the bitter herbs on the matzah, but also on it's own as a sweet treat (though I only make it for Passover!) Yum! 

Ingredients:

3 Fuji or Gala apples, diced or chopped

Chopped walnuts

2 tbsp brown sugar

1/3 - 1/2 cup? of Manischewitz red wine

Directions:

1) Mix everything together! I like to make it ahead of time so that the wine really gets into the apples. 

Korean Cucumber Apple Pickle, by Diane

This was another banchan, or small dish in the cooking through the countries Korea edition. This was meant to be a palate cleanser, and it was nice and refreshing. I would decrease the amount of ginger next time, but overall good and easy to make!

https://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/cucumber-apple-pickle-351891

Ingredients:

1/2 lb Kirby cucumbers, sliced 1/8 inch thick 

1 1/4 tsp fine sea salt

1/2 Granny Smith apple, sliced 1/8 inch think

2 cups water

1/3 cup rice or cider vinegar

1 tbsp matchstick ginger

1/4 cup sugar

Pinch of Korean red pepper flakes 

Directions:

1. Toss the cucumbers with salt and let sweat for 30 minutes. Rinse and squeeze the excess liquid out of the cucumbers. 

2. Combine all ingredients and chill for one day, stirring occasionally. 

Apple Pie Martini, by Cheryl

I found this recipe (or actually, this recipe found me) and it looked so delicious and perfect for Thanksgiving Day. This is like drinking an apple pie... it's so good! It's super easy to make and it goes down smoothly (almost too smoothly, haha). This will definitely be a staple for years to come. Yum!

Ingredients: 

3oz vodka 

1oz butterscotch schnapps 

2.5oz apple cider 

caramel sauce 

cinnamon sugar 

apple slice 

Directions: 

1) Fill a shaker with ice and add the alcohol and cider. Shake until mixed and chilled. 

2) Line the rim of a martini glass with the caramel sauce, then dip into the cinnamon sugar. 

3) Pour mix into glass and top with apple slice.

Spiced Dehydrated Apples, by Diane

 

This recipe came from a friend who got me into dehydrating (and actually gave me my dehydrator for my birthday!). This could not be easier! And again, the house smelled absolutely amazing all day!

Ingredients:

Apples (ideally a sweeter one like gala)

Cinnamon

Cardamom

Directions:

1. Slice apples evenly on a mandolin and remove seeds.

2. Arrange in an even layer and sprinkle with seasonings.

3. Dehydrate at 158 for 5.5 hours.

Spiked Mulled Cider, by Cheryl

I need a clear glass mug!

Yay for fall! It's cider and pumpkin time! It was my turn to host the gal's night with my two friends and since the weather has gottenslightly cooler I thought it would be nice to serve some spiked mulled apple cider while we sat outside. It was sooo good! It was perfect for a fall night and the sweetness combined with the alcohol and warmth really made our night so cozy. We also munched on some farm bought apple cider donuts. Yum!

Ingredients:

Half gallon of apple cider 

A few star anises 

A few cinnamon sticks

Maybe a tablespoon of whole cloves (that was my plan, but didn't have any so I used ground and you really couldn't tell the difference)

1 inch fresh ginger, peeled

Darker alcohol like bourbon or dark rum (I used a dark rum)

Directions:

1) Put everything except the alcohol in a pot on medium high heat. Reduce to low once it starts simmering. Keep on stove for about 2 hours to let the flavors meld together. 

2) Add the alcohol, mix, and serve! 

Stuffed Acorn Squash, by Cheryl

First post of 2020! Woohoo! This meal was like having a spoonful of Thanksgiving in each bite! It was soooo delicious and sooo comforting! And obviously healthy and hearty! The recipe is from Paleo Running Momma who has many scrumptious Paleo and Whole 30 meals. The recipe is whole 30 compliant and absolutely a favorite. I'll definitely be making it again. Yum!

Ingredients:

2 acorn squash
1 tsp coconut oil or ghee
1 lb pork sausage (I used compliant chicken apple sausage)
1 small onion, diced
2 stalks celery, diced
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 small apple, diced
1 tbsp fresh sage, minced
1 tbsp fresh rosemary, minced
1 tbsp fresh thyme, minced
1/3 cup dried cranberries
1/3 cup raw pecans, chopped
sea salt and pepper to taste
fresh parsley for garnish if desired

Directions:

1) Preheat oven to 425. Cut the squash in half and scoop out the seeds and strings. Brush each half with some coconut oil or melted ghee. Roast top down (I do top up) for 25 minutes.

2) While the squash roasts, prepare the stuffing. Heat a large skillet over medium high heat with ghee. Add the sausage, breaking up the lumps so it all cooks evenly. Once browned, remove from heat. Leave the fat in the skillet.

3) Add the onions and celery and soften, about 3 minutes. Add the garlic and cook for another minute.

4) Add the diced apples, fresh herbs, salt, and pepper and stir to combine. Cook for 1-2 minutes.

5) Add the dried cranberries, pecans, and browned sausage to the pan. Lower heat to medium low and cook for another 1-2 minutes.

6) Preheat the broiler. Scoop the sausage mix into each of the acorn squash halves. Broil until the tops of the stuffing are lightly browned, about 5 minutes. Garnish with fresh minced parsley.

Nutty Wild Rice Salad, by Cheryl

This is a recipe from Once Upon a Chef. It's the cookbook my friend chose for the cookbook club this month. This recipe was a hit! It's great cold or slightly warmed up. So flavorful and yummy! And not too bad for you either. Yum!

Ingredients:

1 cup wild rice, rinsed
1 1/4 tsp salt
1/2 tsp orange zest
1/4 cup fresh orange juice from 1 orange
1/4 cup EVOO
3 tbsp apple cider vinegar
2 tbsp honey
1 tsp Dijon mustard
1/4 tsp ground black pepper
1 cup pecans, toasted and coarsely chopped
1/2 cup dried cranberries
1/2 cup chopped fresh Italian parsley,
2 celery stalks, diced
1 tart yet sweet apple, peeled, cored, and diced
1/4 cup roasted and salted pepitas
2 scallions, light and dark green parts, thinly sliced

Directions:

1) In a medium pot, cook the wild rice according to package directions.

2) In a large bowl, whisk together the orange zest, orange juice, oil, vinegar, honey, mustard, pepper, and remaining salt. Add the cooled rice, pecans, dried cranberries, parsley, celery, apple, pepitas, and scallions. Taste and adjust the seasoning if desired. Serve cold or at room temperature.

Pumpkin Apple Breakfast Bake, by Cheryl

We have So. Many. Apples. Usually I'd make some apple pie, but because of Whole 30 that wasn't happening right now. This came together on a whim this morning and was excellent with a side of bacon (or even with the bacon sprinkled on top). We also had some for a snack and it was super satisfying. Yum!

Ingredients (from here):

1 cup pumpkin puree
3 large eggs
2/3 cup full fate coconut milk
1 large ripe banana
1 tsp pumpkin pie spice
1 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp salt
1 large apple peeled and diced (I used 2)
1/2 cup chopped pecans (I used walnuts)

Directions:

1) Preheat the oven to 350. Grease an 8x8 square dish with oil or spray

2) Combine pumpkin, banana (mashed), eggs, coconut milk, and spices in a large bowl. Mix until it is well combined.

3) In a separate bow, sprinkle some cinnamon on the diced apples and coat them. Mix them into the wet ingredients. Pour everything into a square pan.

4) Sprinkle the nuts on top and place the whole pan into the oven.

5) Bake for 35-40 minutes until firm and golden at the top.

6) Let sit for at least 10 minutes. Serve warm, cold, or at room temp.

Easy Apple Cobber, by Cheryl

This recipe came up on my twitter feed from Cooking Light and I was intrigued. I have a ton of apples left over from Rosh Hashanah and wanted to make something sweet and easy! This was definitely easy, but I'm not sure how this would be a healthy recipe with all of the sugar and flour in it! But maybe it's lighter than a regular apple cobbler would be? Who knows? All I know is that if I ever need an easy fall recipe I will be cooking this up because it was DELICIOUS!!! Top it off with some ice cream on top and you have a great tasting dessert. Yum!

Ingredients:

4 cups fresh Granny Smith apples (about 4-5 apples), peeled, cored, and sliced (I used Gala)
1 cup brown sugar
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
1 cup all purpose flour
1 tablespoon baking powder
1 cup sugar
1 cup milk
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
pinch of salt
1/2 cup butter (1 stick), melted

Directions:

1) Preheat oven to 375. Combine apples, brown sugar, lemon juice, cinnamon, and nutmeg in a bowl and mix.

2) In another bowl mix the flour, baking powder, sugar, milk, vanilla extract, and salt.

3) Pour melted butter along the bottom of a 7x11 baking dish. Spread apple mixture in an even layer over the butter, then pour the flour mixture over the apples. Do not stir together.

4) Bake at 375 for 30-35 minutes or until cobbler is brown and bubbly. I had to cook a little longer because my dish was shorter and not as shallow.

Almond Butter Apple Stack, by Diane

I have had a really busy schedule lately, and this snack I came up with a while back has been a great option to keep me full and energized on the go! It's pretty customizable, but I tend to use the ingredients listed below for protein and fuel (except the chocolate, that's for me!). It's really great post-workout or if I'm craving something sweet at night but don't want to eat junk. I stack it up like this and wrap it to eat it on the go one layer at a time, but if I'm home I'll just leave the rings on a plate and eat it like that (it kind of reminds me of my watermelon pizza this way!). YUM.

Ingredients:

1 large apple (I use organic granny smith)
2-4 tbsp unsalted, unsweetened almond butter
Toppings: shredded unsweetened coconut, hemp seeds, mini chocolate chips, almond slivers, sea salt

Directions:

1. Slice the apple horizontally into 5 rings, removing the cores.

2. Spread the almond butter on top, sprinkle on ingredients in this order (if you sprinkle the larger ones first the smaller ones won't stick, and then you only want a small amount of sea salt).

Cinnamon Roll Apple Pie, by Diane

This recipe came from someone on Facebook, and we thought it was a good spin on the classic version of apple pie for Thanksgiving. It was a big hit, and really easy to make!


Ingredients:

Non-stick cooking spray
1 package of pre-made unbaked cinnamon rolls with icing
4 granny smith apples, chopped into bite-sized chunks
6 tbsp butter
2 tsp cinnamon
1/2 cup white sugar
1/4 cup flour
1/2 cup brown sugar


Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 425.
2. Spray a 8 or 9 inch pie pan with non-stick cooking spray.
3. Use a rolling pin to roll out the cinnamon rolls and place them in the pie pan to cover the bottom and sides like a crust.
4. In a large bowl, combine apples, 4 tbsp butter (cut this into small chunks), cinnamon, and white sugar. Stir well and pour into the pie pan.
5. In a smaller bowl, combine 2 tbsp butter, flour, and brown sugar. Cut the butter into the mix until crumbs appear, and then sprinkle the crumbs on top of the apples.
6. Bake for 30 minutes uncovered, then reduce heat to 350 and tent with foil for another 15 minutes.
7. Remove from oven and top with icing (you may need to warm this in the microwave for 10 seconds until it can pour easily).

Updated Caramel Apple Dip, by Diane

This weekend I had a BYOP (Bring Your Own Pumpkin) carving party and I wanted to make a spread of fall-themed apps. I immediately went back to some of my favorite fall recipes on the blog, so of course the best cookies and dip in the world, the Maple Pumpkin Pie Chex Mix, the Mulled Apple Cider Sangria, and the Salted Caramel Apple Cream Cheese Spread. But the last time I made the cream cheese spread, the caramel sauce and all the toppings slid off the cream cheese making it hard to have an bite of anything except cream cheese. So I revamped the recipe and gave it a new form, and it was WAY better. Super easy to make (like maybe 2 minutes tops!) and really good with just about anything you can think of- party guests were dipping pretzels, corn chips and even veggies in this.

Ingredients:

1 8 oz. container of whipped plain cream cheese (so it's light and fluffy- and most importantly, easy to blend without those cream cheese lumps!)
4 oz. salted caramel sauce
1/2 cup toffee bits
1/2 cup crushed pecans
4 red apples, any kind


Directions:

Mix the first 4 ingredients together (I whipped them with an immersion blender so it still stayed fluffy but you can use a spoon or whisk). Slice the apples and have at it!

Carrot and Apple Muffins, by Cheryl

I made these to bring in to Julia's preschool class and they were a big hit! They're pretty sweet, but very healthy at the same time. They are great for breakfast or a snack... Julia had two this morning before I had to cut her off because she was going to eat them all! I blended a few recipes together in order to come up with a recipe that I thought would be good for us. I don't think I needed the extra sugar in there (I used half a cup) and maybe next time I'd use maple syrup or honey if it needed something more. But with the carrots, apple, and banana it seems like it would be sweet enough. The kids and teachers gobbled them up. Yum!

EDIT: I tried it with 1/4 cup of sugar and it was perfect. The recipe makes about 16 muffins so it equals less than a teaspoon of added sugar per muffin.

Ingredients:

1 cup packed grated carrots (I used 4 carrots)
1 apple peeled and grated
1 ripe banana, mashed
1 egg
1 cup oats
1/2 cup whole wheat flour
1/2 cup sugar
1-2 teaspoons cinnamon
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
flax seeds
apple sauce
2 tablespoons safflower oil
1/2 cup milk

Directions:

1) Preheat oven to 400.

2) Mix everything together. Pour into muffin tins. Bake for 32-36 minutes. Let them cool in the muffin tin for at least 15 minutes. Unwrapping them too soon may cause the muffins to stick to the wrappers.