Oh the Wonderful World of Apples!

Since picking apples last week at Green Bluff near my hometown, I have had apples seemingly everywhere in my kitchen!  I don't want to waste a single one of these apples, so I'm planning three different recipes using apples today.  The first is a creation of my own for a quick breakfast called Apple Pie a la Oatmeal, the second is a recipe I found from the Whole Foods Market online recipe search called Roasted Apples and Parsnips, and the third is a scone recipe I've used for a long time, but tweaked to be more like cookies and are called AppleCinn Oatmeal Cookies.  Hope you enjoy experimenting with apples in recipes as much as I do!


Apple Pie a la Oatmeal

Ingredients:  Serves 1

1/4 c oats

1/2 c water

1 apple cored and diced (peeled or unpeeled)

1/4 tsp cinnamon

1/4 c almond/soy/rice/hemp milk (optional)

Directions:  Combine oats and water in small bowl.  Place diced apples on top and sprinkle with cinnamon.  Microwave for 3 minutes on high.  Carefully remove from microwave and stir.  Pour alternative milk on top and enjoy!

Amy's Notes: I've enjoyed oatmeal well before I became a nutritarian, but usually topped it with a bunch of brown sugar.  This recipe is great because it gets its sweetness from the apples and great spice from the cinnamon.  The apples also do a good job of stopping the oatmeal from boiling over the sides of a smaller bowl in the microwave, which used to happen to me when I've made plain oatmeal before.  I usually microwave my oatmeal for convenience of time and cleanup, but if you would like to try it on the stovetop, please tell me how it works for you and I will update the recipe for that option.  (email at amysnutritariankitchen@gmail.com)  Also, I like my oatmeal to be less mushy and to add almond milk afterwards, but if you prefer it wetter, increase your water to up to 2/3 cup.  


Roasted Apples and Parsnips

 Ingredients:  

Small batch (what I did today)

(This could feed one to two people depending on how hungry you are, or how willing you are to share!)

1/2 lb parsnips (2 medium), peeled

1/3 lb Gala apples (1-2 small apples), cored and peeled

pinch of salt

1/4 tsp black pepper

2 tsp extra-virgin olive oil

1 1/2 tsp fresh sage, finely chopped

Normal batch

(This is what I will do next time so I can have leftovers)

1 1/2 lb parsnips (5 medium), peeled

1 lb Gala apples (2-3), cored, peeled, and diced

1/2 tsp salt

1/4 tsp black pepper

1 TBSP extra-virgin olive oil

1 TBSP fresh sage, finely chopped

Directions:  Same directions for both batch sizes.  Place oven rack in upper third of oven and preheat to 475 degrees F.  Cut parsnips into 1 inch pieces and quarter those pieces (cut approximately to dice by dice by one inches).  Mix together the oil, sage, pepper, and salt in a bowl.  Add apples and parsnips and stir to coat well.  Spread in a single layer in a large baking pan or casserole dish.  Roast for 20 to 25 minutes, stirring vegetables occasionally, until parsnips and apples are tendered and slightly brown.  Serve as side dish or on top of blanched spinach or baby bok choy.

Amy's notes: This was a wonderful recipe where I got to use one of my favorite fruits, apples, and something I've never tried before, parsnips.  I must say I will be adding parsnips to my regular grocery list.  Just delicious!  I thought I would let you all in on a funny little online chat conversation about parsnips my mom and I had earlier today:

Amy: wow that apple parsnip thing is good!

Amy's Mom: Really? What are parsnips like I have never had them

Amy: they are like if carrots were sorority girls who have orange tans, I'm the parsnip. They're shaped like carrots but a bit harder like potatoes. I'm definitely going to use them in a lot more things

Amy's Mom:  hmmm, I'll have to get some.

AppleCinn Oatmeal Cookies

Ingredients: Makes 12-20 cookies

1 1/2 c oats

1/2 c ground oats (ground in food processor)

1 c almond/soy/rice/hemp milk

1 c diced peeled apples

2 tsp cinnamon

1 tsp baking powder

1/4 c whole wheat flour

honey topping (after baking, optional)

Directions: Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.  Mix all ingredients (add more flour to get to consistency).  Spray a cookie sheet with nonstick spray.  Place spoon-fulls of dough on cookie sheet, making sure to include apple pieces in each cookie.  Bake for 8-10 minutes or until slightly browned.

Amy's notes:  I have omitted sugar or sugar substitutes from this recipe, so I like to have a small amount of honey on the top of the cookies right before I eat them.  I'm not a huge dessert fan, but these are definitely a goodie.

Please note for future posts that I probably will not include the amount of servings within a recipe unless it is only for one, for many (meant for leftovers), or baked goods with definite amounts of muffins, cookies, rolls, etc.  I have different opinions of serving size than some people, especially on vegetable based recipes which I use as my main dish, so if you use a recipe for a side dish it may serve much more people than I'm judging it will.  


What is your favorite type of apple for crunching into?  For cooking and baking?