Waldorf Re-Mix

I'm a sucker for salads that include both veggies and fruit.

Add some toasted nuts into the mix, and I just may reach food nirvana (I just invented food nirvana. Don't question it.).

So when I stumbled upon a recipe for Waldorf Salad in my Moosewood Restaurant's Low-Fat Favorites cookbook, I knew it would be a winner in our house.

This salad combines the best parts of an old-school Waldorf Salad (fruit + veggies + nuts), while nixing the less-than-desirable part (creamy over-the-top mayonnaise sauce). Instead of the creamy sauce, we go with a light, oil-free orange juice dressing.

Paired with spinach salad and a slice of Irish Soda Bread, this was an easy dinner to pull together. The salad is quite reminiscent of one of my ol' favorites: Apple-Almond-Bulgur Salad. I noted few differences between the two, although I found the Waldorf Salad a bit more filling and suitable as a "main course" salad.

Eat up, friends, and enjoy this hearty salad while it lasts. Tomorrow? We're talking homemade (and arguably "healthy?") peanut butter cups.

Stay tuned.

Waldorf Salad, Re-Mixed

(recipe adapted from The Moosewood Restaurant Low-Fat Favorites)

The one things missing from this delightful salad? Grapes! If you have them on hand, I recommend halving a handful and tossing them right into the mix.

Salad Ingredients:

• 2 cups cooked brown rice
• 1 cup chopped celery
• 1 - 1/2 cups diced apple
• 1 bell pepper, diced
• 1/2 cup dried cranberries or raisins
• 3 TBSP lemon juice
• 1/3 - 1/2 cup toasted almonds, chopped

Dressing Ingredients:

• 1/2 cup orange juice
• 1 TBSP honey
• 1 tsp. ground coriander

Directions:

Combine salad ingredients in a large bowl. In a small bowl, whisk together dressing ingredients. Pour over salad and stir to coat. Enjoy!

Thinking Outside the Pizza Box

Tonight we we went outside the proverbial pizza box to create a one-of-a-kind pie.

Apple + Blue Cheese + Caramelized Onions + Apple Cider Vinaigrette + Whole Wheat Pizza Crust

I'd been craving a pizza of this sort for about a month. I loved Ina's Roasted Pears so much, and I'm a huge fan of Apple Quesadillas, so a pizza variation on these meals seemed like the next logical step.

This pizza exceeded my expectations, friends. Blue cheese and apples were clearly cousins in another life, and caramelized onions make everything better, right? Not only did this dinner wake up my taste buds and put a smile on my face, but it definitely has a "sophisticated" feel to it. I'm already dreaming up ways it could be converted into a smaller, bite-sized appetizer or finger food at a party.

We served our pizza with spinach salad on the side. And possibly a chocolate muffin for dessert (Just because I don't eat them for breakfast doesn't mean I won't indulge later in the day. Nothing is off-limits after 5pm, friends. And yes, I know that defies everything Dr. Oz ever taught us.).

What's your most creative pizza creation?

Whole Wheat Pizza with Apples, Blue Cheese, and Caramelized Onions

Pizza Dough Ingredients:

(dough recipe from my trusty ol' Better Homes and Gardens Cookbook)

• 1 - 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 - 1/4 to 1 - 3/4 cups whole wheat flour
• 2 - 1/4 tsp. active dry yeast
• 1/2 tsp. salt
• 1 cup warm water
• 2 TBSP olive oil

Pizza Topping Ingredients:

• 1 large onion, sliced
• 1 large apple, sliced
• Blue cheese to taste
• 1 recipe of Apple Cider Vinaigrette

Directions to Prepare the Pizza Dough:

1) In a large mixing bowl, combine the all-purpose flour, yeast, and salt. Add warm water and oil and beat with an electric mixer for about 3 minutes. Using a wooden spoon, stir in as much of the whole wheat flour as you can.

2) Turn dough onto a floured surface and knead in as much of remaining flour as is needed to make a moderately stiff dough that's smooth and elastic (knead for about 6 - 8 minutes). Divide dough in half and place one half in the freezer for later. Place the other half in a bowl, cover, and allow it to rise in a warm place for about an hour.

3) Preheat oven to 425 degrees and coat a pizza pan with cooking spray. Roll out pizza dough onto a floured surface. Place on pizza pan and prick with a fork several times. Bake for 8 minutes.

4) Meanwhile, heat a dash of olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add onion and cook until nicely browned (about 8 - 10 minutes). Also, prepare the cider vinaigrette.

5) After the crust has baked, remove from the oven and top with onion, sliced apples, and blue cheese. Drizzle vinaigrette over the top. Return to the oven and bake for an additional 8 - 10 minutes, or until the crust is nicely browned.

(Almost) Bean-Less Vegan Burgers

What's a veggie burger without beans?

Delicious. That's what.

Let's get something straight first: You know I love my bean burgers. I like 'em with Great Northern beans, chickpeas, and kidney beans. I devour them with homemade buns, and sometimes just crumbled over a salad. And don't even get me started on homemade condiments. Fresh guacamole can bring bliss-filled tears to my eyes.

Basically, if it's bean-y, I'm loving it.

But tonight we went with a novel concept for our veggie sandwich filler: bean-less burgers. Check out the star ingredients of these palatable patties:

• Edamame (As soybeans, I suppose they technically count as beans. But I'm not splitting hairs here.)
• Chopped apple
• Toasted sunflower seeds
• Brown rice
• Soy sauce
• Superstar condiment: Peanut Sauce

The peanut sauce put these over the top...in the best possible way. It's pretty much the condiment of my dreams. We enjoyed our burgers perched atop a slice of homemade bread, and buried under a mountain of sauteed onions and peppers, with a drizzle of peanut sauce.

Burger it up, friends! And for a side dish? I definitely recommend a bowl of beans.

Edamame & Apple Burgers with Peanut Sauce

(adapted from a recipe in Veggie Burgers Every Which Way by Lukas Volger)

As with most veggie burgers, you may have to work with your ingredients to reach the right consistency (e.g., adding more liquid or dry ingredients as needed). Just do me one favor: Don't forget the peanut sauce!

Burger Ingredients:

• 1 cup frozen edamame
• 2 TBSP ground flaxseed
• 3 TBSP water
• 1 - 1/2 cups cooked brown rice
• 1/4 cup toasted sunflower seeds
• 2 TBSP toasted sesame seeds
• 1 apple, diced
• 2 TBSP bread crumbs
• 1 TBSP molasses
• 1 TBSP soy sauce
• Plenty o' salt and pepper
• Sauteed onions and bell pepper for topping

Peanut Sauce Ingredients:

(from Cooks Recipes)

• 1/3 cup all-natural peanut butter
• 3 cloves of garlic, minced
• 2 TBSP lime juice
• 2 TBSP reduced sodium soy sauce
• 1 tsp. sugar
• 1/3 cup water

Directions:

1) Bring a small saucepan of water to boil; add edamame and cook for 5 minutes, or until tender.

2) Whisk together the ground flaxseed and water. Pour into a food processor with the edamame, sunflower seeds, and sesame seeds. Pulse until the mixture is chunky.

3) In a large mixing bowl, combine the edamame mixture with the apple, rice, bread crumbs, molasses, soy sauce, sesame oil, salt, and pepper. Season to taste. Shape into 6 patties.

4) Heat a dash of oil in a skillet over medium heat. Ad the patties and cook for about 4 - 5 minutes until nicely browned on the bottom. Flip burgers and cook for an additional 4 - 5 minutes on the other side.

5) To prepare the peanut sauce: Combine all ingredients in a food processor and pulse until well-combined. Serve burgers with peanut sauce and sauteed onions and bell peppers.

Potato Pancake Power

This weekend I tried my hand at a dish that's new to me: latkes.

With Hanukah in full-swing, Cooking Light did a feature article on latkes (Jewish potato pancakes) in their latest holiday issue. Seeing as I'm not Jewish, I've never been fortunate enough to taste an authentic latke before, but Cooking Light's recipes looked incredibly enticing.

And let's face it: who doesn't love crispy potatoes?

Since I'm never one to shy away from a cooking challenge, I completely by-passed the "Classic Latke" recipe and went straight to the non-traditional feature: "Curried Butternut Squash and Potato Latkes with Apple Salsa."

The result: Pure potato bliss. I was one starch-happy woman after that dinner.

The seasonings were fantastic--curry, coriander, cilantro, and cinnamon. Talk about a party in your mouth. I subbed in sweet potatoes for regular potatoes, which I definitely recommend (a little extra vitamin A and beta carotene never hurt anyone). And the apple-lime salsa is just not optional--it adds a wonderful sweet n' tart accompaniment to your potato-packed plate.

For those of you celebrating Hanukah this week, enjoy! And thank you for bringing such wonderful latke recipes to our tables.

Curried Butternut Squash and Sweet Potato Latkes with Apple-Lime Salsa

(a Cooking Light magazine recipe)

This recipe has already been marked as a favorite in our recipe notebook (Yes--On the first night we made it!). A word of caution: Our latkes had some trouble sticking together--perhaps because we used more grated potato than the recipe called for. If you experience the same difficulty, you may want to add an additional egg, or simply scramble it up into potato hash (which is what Adam ended up doing with the last batch).

Ingredients:

• 1 - 1/2 cups finely chopped apple
• 1 TBSP lime juice
• 1/4 cup finely diced onion
• 2 TBSP chopped fresh cilantro (we were out, so we used dried; I definitely recommend using fresh!)
• 1/8 tsp. salt
• optional: If you like hot foods, you can add a finely chopped serrano chile
• 3 cups shredded, peeled butternut squash
• 3 cups shredded, peeled sweet potato
• 1 cup finely chopped onion
• 6 TBSP flour
• 1 tsp. curry powder
• 1/2 tsp. salt
• 1/2 tsp. coriander
• 1/4 tsp. ground black pepper
• 1/8 tsp. cinnamon
• 2 - 3 TBSP fresh, chopped cilantro
• 1 large egg
• 1/4 cup olive oil, divided

Directions:

1) Combine apple and lime juice in a bowl. Add onion, 2 TBSP cilantro, 1/8 tsp. salt (and chile if you're using). Cover and chill.

2) Combine squash, potato, and onion in a colander. Drain for 30 minutes, pressing occasionally with the back of a spoon until barely moist. Combine potato mixture with 1/2 tsp. salt, flour, curry powder, coriander, pepper, cinnamon, cilantro, and egg. Toss well.

3) Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add 4 tsp. oil to pan . Spoon 1/4 cup potato mixture into the pan and flatten slightly. Repeat to form about 5 latkes (or however many will fit in your pan). Saute 3 minutes on each side, or until golden brown and thoroughly cooked. Repeat until all of the potato mixture is gone. Serve with apple-lime salsa.

Apple Crisp Snack

This week's recipes lack the hearty-vegetarian-full-meal quality you may be used to. With Thanksgiving a mere 3 days away, the Hungry Spoon kitchen is relying on safe n' simple dinner options (tonight: Butternut Squash Risotto), so more time can be devoted to Thursday's feast preparation.

And a feast it will be. Expect a Chocolate-Pecan Pie recipe coming your way very, very soon.

In the meantime, I'll keep up with yesterday's snack/healthy dessert trend (Banana Soft Serve anyone?), and provide you with another uber-healthy dessert/snack to munch on: Baked Apples.

I first made a pan of this Apple Crisp look-alike last month during a lasagna celebration with my friend Alli. I quickly discovered that it doubled as an after-work snack (we all know I can't get enough of those), and it triples as a breakfast oatmeal mix-in. I can bake a pan on Sunday, and it lasts all week. Seriously awesome.

How 'bout them apples?

The only downside? I didn't measure a thing. Nope, just went with my foodie instincts and pulled the whole "pinch of this, splash of that" act.

Tonight, trust your own foodie instinct and whip up a solid batch of baked apples to get you through the holiday eating splurge.

Baked Apple Crisp

(A Hungry Spoon unmeasured original)

As with all of my measure-less recipes, feel free to get creative. I imagine dried cranberries would be a great addition, as would pears and maybe even some orange zest?

Ingredients:

• 6 apples, thinly sliced
• a dash of brown sugar (just a dash!)
• Lots o' cinnamon
• Sprinkling of nutmeg
• Oats (about 1/2 cup)
• a little Smart Balance or non-hydrogenated vegan margarine (about 1 - 2 TBSP)
• Optional: fat free frozen vanilla yogurt

Directions:

1) Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Mix the apple slices with a the brown sugar, cinnamon, and nutmeg. Pour into a 9 inch square pan lightly coated with cooking spray. Mix the oats a little Smart Balance, and a dash of brown sugar if you'd like :) Sprinkle over the apples and bake until tender, about 30 minutes or so. If you're looking for a full-out dessert, top with fat free vanilla frozen yogurt.

Health Loaf Love

This week I was craving a treat that Adam begrudgingly refers to as a "Health Loaf." Translation: A low-fat, low-sugar quick bread loaded with fiber, fruit, and nuts.

Needless to say Health Loaves don't fall at the top of the man's favorite foods list. He's more inclined to opt for cheesecake.

Me, on the other hand? I LOVE a big ol' slice of Health Loaf (although, I prefer to call them by their true names--e.g., Pumpkin-Walnut Bread). Perfect for a breakfast side dish or a snack, a slice of healthy quick bread satisfies my craving for a baked treat without doing the damage of Metabolism Man's cheesecake.

One of the first places I turn for baking inspriation is Joy's blog. This lady has it going on in the kitchen. Last week she shared a heavenly recipe for Apple-Cranberry-Pecan-Everything Bread. This baby was moist, rich in flavor, and screamed from the pan "I taste like the holidays!"

I managed to morph Joy's wonderful recipe into a tasty, filling Health Loaf that even Adam enjoyed. (Although, his enjoyment might have something to do with the Nutella he smothered on his slice.). To health-i-fy the bread, I almost completely eliminated the oil, cut the sugar in half, and increased the amount of apples, among other changes. I like each to eat my slices plain n' simple, with a little spread of Smart Balance.

Today, let's raise our glasses to all the Health Loaves out there. They deserve a little lovin' every now and then.

What's your favorite quick bread to make? If you have a favorite Health Loaf recipe, please post the link below!

Pumpkin-Apple-Cranberry-Pecan Bread

(adapted from Joy's recipe)

This fruit n' nut loaded bread has completely hit the spot for me this week. Lots of spices, apple chunks, and toasted pecans lend it the perfect holiday flavor...in health loaf form :)

Ingredients:

• 1 cup unbleached, all-purpose flour
• 3/4 cup whole wheat flour
• 1/2 cup brown sugar (I cut the sugar in half! Tastes perfect to me, but if you prefer it sweeter, by all means go for the full cup. But remember folks...it is a health bread.)
• 1 tsp. baking soda
• 1/2 tsp. baking powder
• 1/2 tsp. salt
• 1/2 tsp. nutmeg
• 3/4 tsp. cinnamon
• 1/4 tsp. allspice
• 1 cup pumpkin
• 1/2 cup nonfat vanilla yogurt (I topped off the 1/2 measuring cup with canola oil though--probably about 2 TBSP total)
• 3 - 4 TBSP maple syrup
• 3 TBSP water
• 1/2 - 3/4 cup chopped, toasted pecans (MUST toast 'em!)
• 1/2 cup dried cranberries
• 2 apples, diced

Directions:

1) Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Coat a loaf pan with cooking spray and set aside.

2) In a large bowl, whisk together dry ingredients. In another bowl, combine pumpkin, yogurt, maple syrup, and water. Gently add to dry ingredients, stirring until just mixed. Fold in pecans, cranberries, and apples.

3) Bake for approximately 60 minutes (I think mine was done at about 56 minutes), or until lightly browned and firm. This guy has a strange texture that I love :) Not a moist crumb like non-healthified breads, but rather a dense, smooth texture.

Stuffed Food is Mighty Tasty

What's better than really good food?

Try really good food, stuffed with more really good food.

Case in point:

Savory Stuffed Tomatoes (Yes, please)

Chocolate cookies stuffed with peanut butter (Please pass me one. Or five.)

Stuffed Sweet Potato Pockets (I need more of these in my life).

Today: Vegetarian Stuffed Cabbage, adapted from a Moosewood Collective Recipe.

Mind. Blowing. Check out the unique variety of ingredients loaded into this baby:

• Savory: onion, bell pepper, carrot, soy sauce
• Sweet: apple, honey, raisins (yes!)
• Crunchy: toasted walnuts
• Awesome: ricotta cheese

A family friend passed this recipe along to me, which he located in an old Moosewood Cookbook. I'm super grateful. Because they're super good. We enjoyed ours tonight with a simple side salad.

What's your favorite "stuffed" food?

Stuffed Cabbage

(adapted from a Moosewood Collective recipe)

These guys are nothing like the traditional salty, meaty stuffed cabbage. The sweetness of the honey, apple, and raisins balance beautifully with the soy sauce, veggies, and crunchy walnuts. You could serve yours on a bed of rice, but who needs rice when you've got delicious food, stuffed with more delicious food?

Ingredients:

• 1 head of cabbage
• 1 carrot, chopped
• 1 bell pepper, chopped
• 1 large onion, diced
• 3 cloves of garlic, minced
• 2 apples, diced
• 1/2 - 3/4 cup chopped, toasted walnuts
• One 15 oz. container of part-skim ricotta cheese
• 1 TBSP honey
• 2 TBSP reduced-sodium soy-sauce
• ground black pepper to taste

Directions:

1) Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Lightly coat a baking pan with cooking spray.

2) In a large pot of water, pre-boil cabbage until just tender, about 10 - 15 minutes. Drain and remove 6 - 8 large leaves for stuffing.

3) Meanwhile, prepare the filling. Heat a little olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add onion, bell pepper, apple, carrot, and garlic. Saute until softened and lightly browned--about 8 - 9 minutes.

4) In a large bowl, combine the vegetable mixture with the ricotta, toasted walnuts, honey, soy sauce, and pepper.

5) Spoon the filling (about 1/4 cup) into each individual cabbage leaf and wrap tightly. Place seam-side down on baking sheet. Bake at 375 degrees for 15 - 18 minutes.

The Best Soup in the Whole World

As the days have started darkening much earlier, I'm less and less able to capture pictures of my food in the natural light.

The result? Sub-par food photos, lit only by my dinky dining room light.

Perhaps most importantly though, I also owe apologies to the delicious bowl of soup pictured here. He was so rich, so creamy, so bursting with flavor...he most certainly deserved a cover-model, natural-light photo that would highlight his best features.

Friends, I think I may have actually made the best soup in the world this week. Yes: the whole world.

Put your chili to rest. File away those bisque recipes. Forget the chowder. "The Best Soup in the Whole World" is otherwise known as "Roasted Butternut Squash and Apple Soup." I can't believe it's taken me this long to discover it.

I owe credit, of course, to Ina Garten for inspiring this ridiculously scrumptious combination: roasted butternut squash, roasted apples, and curry powder. Those three ingredients alone form the base for this super-simple, super-flavorful soup.

After you find "The Best Soup in the Whole World," there's not much left to say, is there?

Except, "I'm sorry my picture doesn't do you justice."

What's your favorite soup recipe?

Roasted Butternut Squash and Apple Soup

(adapted from a recipe in Ina Garten's Back to Basics Cookbook)

The curry powder and apples are what make this particular squash soup stand out from the rest. Ina suggests garnishing with chopped cashews (as I pictured here), but when I took the leftovers in my lunch, I ended up using toasted walnuts instead.

Ingredients:

• 1 large butternut squash, peeled and cubed
• 3 large apples, diced
• 1 onion diced
• a little olive oil
• 2 - 4 cups chicken or vegetable stock
• 1/2 - 3/4 tsp. curry powder
• Salt
• Ground black pepper

Directions:

1) Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Coat two large baking sheets with cooking spray.

2) Place squash, apples, and onion in a large bowl. Drizzle with a little olive oil, and season with salt and pepper. Stir to evenly coat. Place them in a single layer on the baking sheets, and roast for about 35 minutes (or until softened), tossing occasionally.

3) Meanwhile, bring the stock to a simmer in a small saucepan. Add the curry powder.

4) When the veggies are done, process them in a food processor with the stock (since I have a mini food processor, I did mine in 3 small batches--a little veggies, a little stock each time). Season with salt and pepper.

5) Serve with cashews (or toasted walnuts, as I later discovered!). Don't forget to thank Ina for introducing you to "The Best Soup in the Whole World."

Apple Coffee Cake

"Tastes like really good blueberry buckle...but with apples instead of blueberries."

This quote-worthy moment from Adam neatly sums up today's breakfast.

Although our usual Saturday morning routine involves pancakes (take your pick: banana-blueberry, carrot cake, or apple), I woke up this morning with visions of cinnamon rolls running through my head. Unfortunately, I didn't have the forethought to make the dough last night, nor did I have the patience to wait 2 - 3 hours for the dough to sufficiently rise.

No worries. A solution was found in an apple-licious coffee cake. Or, Apple Buckle as Adam refers to it. Faster to prepare, yet equally satisfying.

I re-worked a coffee cake recipe from Emeril Lagasse, which resulted in a moist, soft coffee cake super-packed with apples. For a girl who doesn't drink coffee, I can sure throw back a piece of coffee cake with the best of 'em :)

Happy Saturday to you!

Apple Coffee Cake

(a recipe inspired by an Emeril Lagasse creation)

This is the perfect fall breakfast treat. It's loaded with apples, slices neatly, and pairs perfectly with your favorite early-morning beverage.

Cake Ingredients:

• 1/4 cup butter, softened
• 3/4 cup brown sugar
• 1 egg
• 1 cup of all-purpose, unbleached flour
• 1/2 tsp. baking soda.
• 1/4 tsp. salt
• 3/4 tsp. cinnamon
• 1/4 cup reduced-fat sour cream
• 1/4 cup fat free vanilla yogurt
• 1 tsp. vanilla extract
• 2 cups chopped apples

Topping ingredients:

• 1/4 cup brown sugar
• 1/4 cup flour
• 1/2 tsp. cinnamon
• 2 TBSP butter

Glaze ingredients:

• 1/4 cup brown sugar
• 1 TBSP water
• 1/2 tsp. vanilla extract

Directions:

1) Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spray an 8 x 8 pan with cooking spray

2) In a large bowl, cream the butter and brown sugar together until fluffy with an electric mixer. Beat in the egg.

3) In a separate bowl, combine the dry ingredients. Alternately add the dry ingredients and the yogurt and sour cream to the butter mixture. Beat in vanilla. Stir in the chopped apples. Pour batter into prepared pan.

4) In a small bowl, combine the topping ingredients, using a fork to "crumble" the butter. Sprinkle the topping over the batter. Bake for 35 - 40 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean (I started checking at 30 minutes. Mine was finished at about 37 minutes).

5) Combine the glaze ingredients in a small bowl. Drizzle over coffee cake about 5 minutes after you remove the cake from the oven.

6) Happy Saturday!

Apple Pie Muffins

Imagine eating all the chunky apples, cinnamon flavor, and fall delicious-ness of a big slice of apple pie...but instead it's wrapped into a muffin disguise.

It's not your imagination. It's reality, friends. And I'm happy to help you make those Apple-Pie-Muffin-Dreams come true tonight.

Baking for company is always a fun adventure. It's perhaps my favorite way to welcome guests into our tiny home (and hopefully distract them from the dust on the window ledges and the beautiful dog bed in the corner of the living room).

With Adam's parents visiting for the weekend, my first item on the "to-bake" checklist was muffins. In the spirit of being seasonal, I was thrilled to discover a recipe for outrageously awesome apple pie muffins--I'll definitely be baking this one again soon. It's loaded with chunks of apple and--get this--apple cider! I topped them with a simple brown sugar-oat mixture, that resulted in a hint of oatmeal cookie flavor.

I may or may not have eaten one when they came out of the oven. And again the next morning, before the in-laws arrived. I'm sure they'll understand :)

As a side note, I doubled this recipe, and made muffins (pictured above) as well as super-mini-loaves (pictured below). I prefer the muffins, but Adam prefers the gigantic muffins/mini loaves. Want to take the spectacular factor up a notch? Eat your muffin with a little spread of Smart Balance and a smidgen of apple butter.

Oh my goodness. Apple muffins make me happy.

Apple Pie Muffins

(recipe adapted from Allrecipes.com)

This is the perfect morning recipe to make when company is coming--who doesn't want an excuse to eat breakfast that tastes like apple pie?

Muffin Ingredients:

• 2 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 3 tsp. baking powder
• 1/2 tsp. salt
• 1 1/2 teaspoons cinnamon
• Sprinkling of nutmeg (maybe 1/4 tsp.?)
• 3/4 cup apple cider
• 1/3 cup vegetable oil (I filled the measuring cup about half full with oil, and the remaining half with unsweetened applesauce)
• 1 egg
• 2 cups finely chopped apples

Crumb Topping Ingredients:

• 1/2 cup brown sugar
• 1/2 cup quick oats
• 2 - 3 TBSP non-hydrogenated vegan margarine OR real butter
• 1/4 tsp. cinnamon

Directions:

1) Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Line 12 muffin cups with muffin liners.

2) Combine dry ingredients for muffins in a large bowl (flour, sugar, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, and nutmeg). In a small bowl, combine cider, oil, and egg; blend well. Gently add wet ingredients to dry ingredients, mixing gently. Fold in chopped apple.

3) In a small bowl, combine oats, brown sugar, and cinnamon for the crumb topping. Cut in butter with a fork until crumbly.

4) Fill muffin cups 2/3 full (let's be honest: I fill mine closer to 3/4 full). Top each with some of the crumb topping. Bake for 18 - 20 minutes until lightly browned on top.

5) As noted above, I enjoy mine with a little Smart Balance or butter on top :)

Quesadillas: Autumn-ized

I love classic summer-style quesadillas: fresh grilled veggies, black beans, and bit of goat cheese or sharp cheddar. Simple, flavorful, and oh-so-seasonal.

But seasons change, and Fall is upon us. Summer days (and menus) are nothing but memories. We ended our fling with Summer last week, and it's time to move on, my friends. Summer "just isn't that into us."

Good thing Fall can't keep its hands off of us :)

In the spirit of oh-so-seasonal quesadillas, let's welcome an Autumn-ized twist on the this traditionally Mexican dinner delight: Apple and Brie Quesadillas with Honey Mustard, featured in this month's Cooking Light.

My interest in this recipe was instantly piqued by the use of Brie--a cheese I consider to be "fancy-schmancy," and reserved for special occasions only. My hungry stomach and craving for soft cheese is a special occasion, right?

Needless to say, I certainly enjoyed my special-occasion-Brie. It paired beautifully with the crisp, sauteed apples and light honey mustard sauce. Autumn-ized Quesadillas, indeed.

Summer is nothing but a distant memory...

Apple and Brie Quesadillas

(recipe adapted from Cooking Light)

If you don't have Brie on hand, you could experiment with other cheeses for sure! Also, if you're not up for making your own honey mustard, you can always cheat and buy some pre-made--Ken's "light" version is quite tasty.

Ingredients:

• 3 cups thinly sliced apples
• 1 onion, sliced
• a little olive oil
• Flour tortilla shells
• 6 oz. Brie cheese
• Salt and pepper to taste
• Honey Mustard Sauce (recipe below, or store-bought if you prefer)

Honey Mustard Vinaigrette Ingredients:

(I apologize--I didn't measure one thing for this! I just combine the ingredients and adjust to taste. Trust your inner Foodie!)

• White wine vinegar (probably a couple tablespoons?)
• Dijon mustard (a couple teaspoons?)
• Honey (a tablespoon?)
• Apple Cider (4 teaspoons?)
• Salt and pepper

Directions:

1) Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add apples and cook until tender-crisp (about 5 -8 minutes). Add onions and cook until softened--about 4-5 minutes. (I also added a little apple cider into the mix!). Season with salt and pepper. Remove from heat and set aside.

2) Spread one half of the tortilla with Honey Mustard. On the other half of the tortilla, place Brie cheese (the recipe says "sliced Brie," but I just spread mine!). Place approximately 1/2 to 2/3 cup apple and onion mixture on top of mustard-coated side of tortilla. Fold over other half.

3) Heat a little olive oil in a skillet over medium heat. Place tortilla in skillet and cook until lightly browned on the bottom, approximately 3 minutes. Flip and cook until other side is also lightly browned. Serve with additional honey-mustard for dipping.

Saturday Morning Routine

Saturday mornings are insanely predictable around here.

And I love every minute of it.

1) Early morning run? Check.

2) Husband making pancakes? Absolutely.

3) Cookbooks spread out on breakfast table? Ready and waiting.

What can I say? I'm a creature of habit.

We started this little routine when we got married, and it didn't take long for me to realize that Adam's Saturday morning pancakes (or waffles) would be one of the highlights of the weekend. When it comes to breakfast goods, the man knows what I love: heavy on the "fillers," with an inordinate amount of fresh fruit and nuts mixed right into the batter.

While the summer brought several weeks of berry and banana pancake variations, today marked a seasonal turning point for the weekend breakfast menu: Apple-Cinnamon Pancakes with Chunky Apple Walnut Sauce. (Honestly? We're still working on that bushel of apples we inherited 3 weeks ago).

These p-cakes hit the spot, friends. They were the perfect start to a fall weekend, and a wonderful accompaniment to our weekly recipe/menu-planning session. (Menu-planning session? Really? My nerdy qualities are so blatant, there's just no hiding them.)

While we served our flapjacks with some chunky apple n' nut sauce, I could see natural nut butter being an awesome topping as well. I think I see an afternoon snack in my future....

Happy Saturday :)

What's your favorite weekend routine?

Apple Cinnamon Pancakes with Chunky Apple-Walnut Sauce

(Pancake recipe adapted from Nava Atlas' The Vegetarian Family Cookbook)

We add (what some might consider) a ridiculous amount of fruit to our pancakes, making them more heavy and dense than your traditional flapjack. Feel free to adjust the amounts to suit your liking.

Ingredients:

• 1 - 1/3 cups all-purpose, unbleached flour (or a combination of all-purpose and whole wheat; we used 1 cup all-purpose and 1/3 cup whole wheat)
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 2/3 tsp. baking soda
• 2 tsp. ground flaxseeds
• 1 cup non-fat vanilla yogurt
• 3/4 cup skim milk (or sub in soy or almond milk)
• 3/4 tsp. cinnamon (approximately)
• Sprinkling of nutmeg
• Small splash of vanilla
• 2 cups chopped apples
• Optional: toasted, chopped walnuts (we left them out today since we loaded chopped walnuts into the sauce).

Directions:

1) Combine the dry ingredients in a large bowl. Gently fold in yogurt and milk. Add in seasonings and stir until just combined. Gently fold in apples (and nuts, if using).

2) Heat a non-stick griddle that has been coated with cooking spray (and/or butter if you prefer) to medium heat. Pour batter onto griddle in 1/3 cup-fuls. Allow to cook until lightly browned, then flip to cook other side until lightly browned (approximately 4 minutes per side).

3) Top with Chunky Apple Walnut Sauce (recipe below), or nut butter, or your own awesome creation.

Chunky Apple-Walnut Sauce

Ingredients:

• 2 cups chopped apple
• 1/2 to 1 cup of unsweetened applesauce (depending on how much "sauce" you want in there)
• 3 - 4 TBSP water
• 1/2 tsp. cinnamon
• 2 - 3 TBSP brown sugar
• 1/4 cup chopped, toasted walnuts

Directions:

1) In a saucepan, combine apples, applesauce, water, cinnamon, and brown sugar. Heat on medium heat until bubbly (about 4 -5 minutes). Reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer until apples are tender. Season to taste.

2) Top your p-cakes with this apple-licious sauce :)

Gettin' Apple-Saucy

Friends, the apple issue is becoming tamer by the day.

One loaf of bread, one pie, and one giant vat of applesauce later, I can see a light at the end of the tunnel.

If I'm not careful, you may start referring to my blog as "A Hungry Apple." I promise: I'll take a hiatus from the apple recipes after I leave you with this saucy little number.

When it comes to applesauce, nothing beats the chunky, loaded-with-cinnamon, didn't-peel-the-apples variety. If you haven't noticed, I love my food textured and filling--not much pureeing going on in this house. It's rare, if ever, that you'll find a fruit (or potato) peeled around here (three cheers for added fiber!).

In my haste to bake away my bushel of apples (and re-claim what used to be my kitchen counter), I went to work on a simple, satisfying applesauce last night. Perfect on its own, or as a mix-in to your morning oatmeal (think: oats made with vanilla almond milk; mix in a little applesauce, one chopped apple, some toasted walnuts, and a little cinnamon).

A quick note on the sweetness-level: I kept the amount of sugar in this recipe quite low (relative to the amount of apples) since it was designed to be my mid-morning snack at work, and not a dessert. However, if you've got the crave, feel free to up the sugar for a sweeter sauce.

Now, let's let loose, let our hair down, and get a little saucy tonight. Apple Saucy, that is.

Apple Sauce

(Recipe from Taste of Home)

This is a wonderfully simple and basic recipe, which you can build on to make your own. You may prefer your applesauce sweeter, tarter, less chunky, or with more cinnamon! Use this as a guide, and go creative with your bushel of apples :)

Ingredients:

• 8 cups chopped apples
• 1/2 cup brown sugar
• 2 tsp. vanilla
• 1 tsp. ground cinnamon (or more if you prefer!)
• 1 1/2 - 2 cups water (add more if needed)

Directions:

1) Combine all ingredients in a large pot. Cover and heat over low-medium heat until apples are quite tender (anywhere from 15 - 25 minutes), stirring occasionally. Add more water as needed throughout the cooking process.

2) When apples have reached desired level of tenderness, remove from heat and use a potato masher (or other handy kitchen tool) to mash the apples.

3) Refrigerate before serving. Then, smile at your saucy self :)

Apple Pie a la Yum

Remember that little apple conundrum I found myself in this week? Yep, I'm still there. Working on cooking and baking my way through that bushel of apples.

As I attempt to dig myself out of this "problem," I realized that I had no other option than to bake an apple pie. With from-scratch pie crust. And a crumb topping.

Don't you love problems where the only good solution is pie-baking?

Now, let's briefly chat pie crust before we begin. I had never made a from-scratch pie crust before. The delicate art of pie crust terrified me--there's so much hype about keeping things cold, maintaining a tender dough, and reaching a flaky consistency. Talk about intimidating. I just want some pie, okay?!

Sunday night, however, the courage came. I'm not sure if it was the bushel of apples sitting on the counter, begging me to give them from-scratch goodness, or if it was my fearless amateur baking self that was urging me on. Regardless, I pulled out the food processor, iced a bowl of water, and put on my pie-baking hat.

The result? A yummy pie crust filled with a delightfully oozing, cinnamon-infused, Apple Pie a la Yum. This little number was the perfect addition to our Labor Day family picnic spread.

My secret? National Public Radio's "The Splendid Table." Their recent feature on pie crust inspired me, and I'm happy to share their top two secrets for a perfect pie crust:

• Keep everything cold! Use cold butter and iced water, and refrigerate the dough between every step.
• Don't pulse the dough too much in the food processor. It should look a bit crumbly, like little pea-shaped, crumbly mini butter balls :)
• To see Lynne's complete guide to pie crust on NPR (and her amazing, full description on how to make one), check out the show's transcript here

If you've got an abundance of apples on the counter, it's time to get baking. Pull out your pie-crust making courage and join me for some Apple Pie a la Yum. Well, "a la mode" wouldn't be so bad either :)

Apple Pie a la Yum

When it comes to desserts in early fall, nothing beats the classic apple pie. Forget that pre-packaged, store-bought crust--you don't need the yucky extras they add! Bake this simple crust from scratch...and consider topping with a scoop of double-churned vanilla ice cream :)

Ingredients:

Crust:

(from Lynne Rossetto Kasper on NPR's "The Splendid Table")

• 1- 1/4 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
• 1/2 tsp. salt
• 1 TBSP sugar
• 1/2 cup cold butter, cut into chunks
• 4 - 5 TBSP ice cold water
• 1 TBSP vinegar (makes the crust tender)

Filling:

(from A Hungry Spoon herself :)

• About 8 cups thinly sliced apples (I leave the peels on. Love my fiber!)
• 3/4 cup sugar
• 1 tsp. cinnamon
• 1/8 tsp. nutmeg

Crumb Topping:

(from All Recipes.com)

• 1/2 cup flour
• 1/2 cup brown sugar
• 3 TBSP butter
• Sprinkling of cinnamon to taste

Optional (but is it really?): A scoop of french vanilla ice cream on top

Directions:

1) Combine filling ingredients in a large bowl until evenly coated. Set aside. (Optional: If you love nuts, you could always add some chopped, toasted walnuts to the filling!)

2) To make crumb topping, combine flour, cinnamon (to taste), and brown sugar in a small bowl. Cut in butter with a knife or fork until crumbly. Set aside.

3) To make the crust: Combine the flour, salt, and sugar. Place in the food processor. Place butter chunks in the food processor and pulse until you get a rough mixture that looks like little peas in crumbles of flour. Place the crust mixture in a bowl, and add the ice water and vinegar. Lightly mix it in using your hands until you can form the dough into a ball (Don't over-mix!). Refrigerate the dough (if needed) for 20 minutes to keep it cold before rolling.

4) To prepare the pie: Use a flour-coated rolling pin to roll the pie crust out on a flour-coated surface (or a piece of wax paper works!). Place the pie crust in a 9 inch pie pan and flute the edges to fit. Pour apple filling into the crust. Sprinkle the crumb mixture to cover the top of the apples.

5) Cover the pie with aluminum foil. Bake for 25 minutes at 375 degrees. Remove foil, and bake for another 25 - 30 minutes until the top is lightly browned.

6) Allow pie to cool completely before cutting and serving. Don't forget the vanilla ice cream...