Writing
Well apparently April snow brings May flowers?
I hope so.
Here’s what I’ve been reading & writing this week:
Reading
Not all juices are created equal
Got allergies? Try one of natural allergy relief alternatives before turning to the medicine cabinet.
I want to make apple bread puddings right now.
Coconut milk is awesome. But it may not be as perfect as you think.
Writing
Would you still hit snooze if you knew it could make you gain 24 pounds in a year?
Happier marriage, bigger pants?
Add this to the list of things that aren’t fair: doing less housework may equal weight gain for women.
Just because kids are overweight doesn’t mean they should be put on diets. Here’s why.
What retail market strategy has to do with healthier kids.
March-a-gram. Cuz he’s cute.
Recipe
The first time I tasted a spoonful of homemade apple butter I knew I’d unleashed a monster. A fruit-butter making monster. The possibilities are endless; the choices loomed in front of me. Pear. Apple. Pumpkin. Plum. Cranberry.
The apple butter was just too good to stray too far from for my first variation. If it’s not broken, don’t fix it! But I did want to mix it up a little. I had some cranberries leftover from the holiday season and thought their tangy tartness would make the perfect complement to the sweet, rich apple flavor.
I was right. It’s good stuff.
And still super easy. Cranberries can be scary to quick with since they pop and explode, but stick them in a slow cooker with a lid and you’re perfectly safe from rupturing berries.
by Heather Neal
Keywords: slow-cooker snack vegan vegetarian
- ~4 apples {I used Gala}
- 1 cup whole cranberries
- 1 cup no sugar added cranberry apple juice
- 1 tsp cinnamon
- 1/2 tsp cloves
Dice apples- leave skins on.
Put apple and cranberries in crock pot, cover, and cook on high ~4 hours.
Add in juice & spices. Feel free to adjust spices to taste.
Cook another 4 hrs on high. When it looks like apple sauce, use immersion blender to puree apples.
Continue cooking with lid slightly ajar until apples have thickened and darkened {aka caramelized}.
Note: all slow cookers are different- keep an eye on yours as you may need more or less time, or to use high or low heat.
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Do you have a favorite fruit butter? What should I make next? 
Recipe
I’ve discovered an added secret bonus to silver dollar pancakes {like I needed another reason to make them}: they’re the perfect one-handed breakfast to eat while taking care of a newborn. 
This time I skipped the chocolate chips, a rare occasion in my pancake-making, and went with a fruit-loaded vegan buttermilk pancake.
In case apples in your pancakes isn’t enough apple for you, top the pancakes with more apple chunks. For super apple power, add a dollop of fresh homemade apple butter. Now we’re talking.
by Heather Neal
Keywords: breakfast vegetarian vegan
- 1 1/2 cups whole wheat flour
- 1/2 cup oats
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 2 cups almond milk
- 2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
- 1/4-1/2 cup diced apples
Mix apple cider vinegar and almond milk together. Set aside.
Combine remaining ingredients except apples.
Stir in milk mixture.
Gently fold in apples.
Heat a skillet to medium; cook pancakes several minutes on each side. {Flip when you see air bubbles or the edges start to dry.}
Serve with extra apples on top.
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Recipe
I had grand plans this fall. I knew I’d be making the drive to Maryland in mid-November to celebrate Thanksgiving with my family, and I knew I’d be getting pretty pregnant by then {aka I’d need to stop a lot}. Charlottesville, which is almost exactly half way between my two destinations, also happens to be the home of a pick your own apple orchard.
I grew up somewhat near a pick your own farm and loved going up every season to pick whatever fruit or vegetable was ripe. Apples are one of my favorite things to pick because they’re a) delicious and b) the waxy coating from the grocery store varieties gives me the skeevy jeevies.
Breaking up the drive with a stop at the apple orchard sounded like the perfect solution: a chance to get outside and walk around, enjoy the beautiful scenery, and load up on bushels and bushels of apples.
There was only one kink in my plan. Apple season ended in October. Gah!
So grocery store apples it is this year. But that didn’t stop me from stocking up. I had visions of apples dancing in my head for months. First and foremost on the list: apple butter. {Apple pie was a close second.}
I love apple butter. Had I known all these years how easy and insanely delicious homemade apple butter is, I’d probably have turned into a big giant puddle of the stuff by now.
Let me summarize the process for you:
Cut up apples.
Dump in crockpot.
Walk away for a few hours.
Stick an immersion blender in the pot for a couple seconds.
Add some juice and spices.
Walk away for a few more hours.
The end.
Seriously. Again, slow cooker to the rescue– it does all the work while I go about my business. Meanwhile the house fills with the most delicious, irresistible apple and spice aromas.
And now I’ve unleashed a monster. I foresee many a apple butter concoctions in my future: cranberry…plum…pumpkin…chipotle…pear…
Maybe I should finally learn how to can. Although judging by the rate I went through this batch, I won’t need to. I put it on everything in sight- English muffins with peanut butter, apple pancakes, oatmeal…heck I even ate it by the spoonful.
by with a Side of Sneakers
- 7-8 apples {I used Gala & Fuji}
- 1 cup no sugar added juice {I used cranberry pomegranate}
- 1 tsp cinnamon
- 1/2 tsp cloves
Dice apples- leave skins on.
Put apple in crock pot, cover, and cook on high ~4 hours.
Add in juice & spices. Feel free to adjust spices to taste.
Cook another 4 hrs on high. When it looks like apple sauce, use immersion blender to puree apples.
Continue cooking with lid slightly ajar until apples have thickened and darkened {aka caramelized}.
Note: all slow cookers are different- keep an eye on yours as you may need more or less time, or to use high or low heat.
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You can bet I’ll know to get my butt to the apple orchard before October next year.
Recipe
The turkeys are done cooking, the dishes have been washed, the leftovers have been eaten… but there’s still room for one more thing: pie!
Apple pie is a holiday –and year round- classic. The best part about apple pie? It’s best left simple. No fancy additions or twists, just classic apple pie.
Now I guess I need enlightening, because technically this isn’t a pie. Can someone clear up the official difference between a pie without a top crust, a galette, and a tart?
I’m going with galette simply because it sounds the fanciest. But I promise you- this is neither fancy nor difficult to make. So go grab some apples.
To keep this recipe as simple as possible, feel free to grab a premade-pie crust. If you don’t have one on hand, try out this version, or any of your favorite pie crust recipes. It’s the filling that makes it that beloved apple classic.
Apple Galette
Crust
-
1
cup
spelt flour
-
1/4
cup
all purpose flour
-
1/4
cup
almond meal {ground almonds}
-
2
Tbsp
flax meal
-
1/2
Tbsp
chia seeds
-
1/2
cup
non dairy butter
-
3-5
Tbsp
cold water
Apple Filling
-
3-4
Granny Smith apples
-
1
Tbsp
lemon juice
-
1/4
cup
brown sugar
-
1
tsp
cinnamon
For the Crust
-
Mix together dry ingredients.
-
Cut in butter using a food processor, pastry blender, or forks. Be sure to keep butter cold.
-
Slowly add in tablespoons of cold water until dough comes together.
-
Refrigerate while making filling.
For the Filling
-
Thinly slice apples. Top with lemon juice as you slice to prevent browning.
-
Stir in brown sugar and cinnamon.
To make pie
-
Roll crust into thin circle. Place in pie pan or on baking sheet.
-
Fill with apples.
-
Fold edges of crust over the edge of the apples.
-
Bake at 375 for 40-45 minutes. If apples start to burn, cover with aluminum foil.
What’s your favorite pie?
