An Apple a Day... Bread & Bonus Recipe

Hello food lovers!

I hope you are all enjoying your Wednesday! Few more days until the weekend! :)

I am excited to bring to you the third and final recipe for An Apple a Day!

PS: There is also a bonus recipe at the end :)

An Apple a Day #3 Apple Pie Bread

 

Is anyone sick of apple pie yet?

I hope not! Because this bread definitely adds a flavor twist with the moist texture and apple spices. The cinnamon and nutmeg really stand out on top as the crust and also in the middle layer. The apples were baked perfectly in between each layer I created, and this bread only lasted a day in my house!

Here is the recipe:

Let's Get Cookin'

Ingredients: (This bread was baked in a 9 x 5-inch loaf pan). 

I try my best to be Milk-free when possible! 

I changed a few ingredients when I made this.

- 1 Large apple of choice (I used honeycrisp)

- 2 Eggs

- 1 and 1/2 Cups of all-purpose Flour

- 1/3 Cup of brown sugar

- 1/2 Cup of butter softened, (I used coconut oil from the brand Melt)

- 2/3 Cup of granulated sugar

- 1 Teaspoon of Cinnamon

- 1 and 1/2 Teaspoons of Vanilla extract 

- 1 and 3/4 Teaspoons of Baking Powder

- 1/2 Cup of Milk (I used Rice milk, enriched with vanilla from the brand Rice Dream)

- Dash of Nutmeg

Step 1

Mix your brown sugar, cinnamon, and nutmeg in a small bowl. 

Get rid of as many clumps as possible from your brown sugar when mixing.

Set this aside. This will be needed later.

Brown Sugar, Cinnamon, and Nutmeg

Step 2

Use an electric mixer and mix together your softened butter and granulated sugar.

Do this until it is soft and creamy.

Beat in eggs 1 at a time, until incorporated.

Add in vanilla and mix well.

Step 3

Mix together your flour and baking powder. To save wasting a bowl, I measured my flour in a large measuring cup and then added baking powder to that cup and mixed together. 

You will then add this flour-mixture into your electric mixer, little by little.

Use a rubber spatula or spoon to incorporate the sides and make sure everything is mixed well.

Next, add your milk and mix well!

The mixer goes 'round and 'round

Step 4

Grease and add some flour to your loaf pan, 

and by now your oven should be set to 350 degrees F.

Take your choice of apple, peel, core, and dice! Set aside.

Step 5

Pour half of your batter into your loaf pan.

Next, add half of your diced apple to the mixture.

Do not mix, just sprinkle on top of the batter!!

Lightly push/pat the apples into the batter

Half of the batter and half of the apples on top!

Next, sprinkle half of your brown sugar spice mixture right on top of the apples!

Added the sugar-spice mixture on top!

Once that is complete, pour the rest of your batter on top of the spices, followed by the remainder of the apples. On top of that, place the remainder of your sugar-spice mixture.

More batter + apples + sugar/spices

Lightly pat down apples from the top into the mixture.

Step 6

Bake at 350 degrees F for 30 minutes.

Insert a toothpick in the center and if it doesn't come out clean, add more time.

(Mine took an extra 15 minutes to complete).

If you notice the top is becoming too brown, cover the top loosely with tin foil and continue baking until the inside is finished! :) 

Remove from the oven and enjoy!

Fresh out of the oven!

The layers blend perfectly

A corner/side view!

BUT WAIT...

Along with making this bread, I also had extra apples to make Apple Sauce!!!

SO as a bonus, here is my very easy and delicious recipe for apple sauce :)

Perfect to use with leftover apples and a complimenting fall side dish. 

(Thanksgiving is next month, hint hint).

Apple Sauce Recipe

Ingredients:

- I used 7 apples, but add more if possible!

Have these peeled, cored, and chopped up!

- 1 Cup of either water, apple juice OR apple cider

- 1-2 Tablespoons of lemon juice (or the juice squeezed from 1 lemon)

- 1/2 Cup of brown sugar

- Cinnamon and Nutmeg for flavor!

Step 1

Prepare apples and put them into a pot large enough to fit all of them

Pour in your cup of liquid! I used water but you can use apple juice or apple cider instead.

Add in lemon juice.

Add sugar and spices!

Apples with water, lemon juice, brown sugar, cinnamon, & nutmeg
Ready to cook!

Step 2

Turn the heat to medium-high heat. Place a cover on top and stir every few minutes for 25 minutes.

After they have been cooking for 25 minutes and your apples become softer, use a potato masher to smash apples and continue mixing.

Still cooking, getting mashed!

Step 3

Let your apples continue to cook for about 10 minutes, stirring and mashing every few minutes. 

Once you feel they are mashed up enough to your preference and cooked well, they are done!

Enjoy either warm or cold :)

So yummy!

The flavors in both recipes were amazing! 

Each really reminded me of Fall, apple picking, and the season.

I hope you all take advantage of using these recipes with any extra apples you have, and of course let me know if you decide to make any of them!

What is your favorite apple recipe to enjoy in October?

Leave a comment or suggestion!!

Thanks for stopping by xo

Quick n' Easy "Lazy" Pasta

Hello hello food lovers!

Happy first day of September, I can't believe it. With Summer coming to an end, I have found myself becoming more busier than ever!

Today was a day off from going into work, however I still had plenty of errands and work to do around my house. It was around 5pm today that I realized it was almost dinner time and I had no cooking plans. I honestly had no desire to move from my couch where I was sitting during this realization, run into a crowded grocery store, come home and cook a full dinner. 

So that's how this was created:

Lazy Pasta

Stick to what you have at home! I made this recipe quick, easy to make, and also ingredient-friendly so there shouldn't be any reason to pick up anything extra from the grocery store!

TIP: Use Whole Grain pasta if possible, better for you than white pasta!

Let's Get Cookin'

Ingredients: 

These are the ingredients I had in my kitchen but get creative and add other things if you have them! Use fresh or frozen vegetables! The point is to use what you have at home but it can be a variety of things.

- 3 Cups of Vegetable Broth (I used 2 and then added 1 more after)

- 3 Cups of Water

- Choice of Pasta, I used a box of whole grain penne

- 1 Large 28oz can of diced tomatoes

- 1 Cup of Spinach, chopped (Fresh or Frozen)

- 1 Onion

- 1 Broccoli stalk, chopped

- Diced mushrooms

- Chopped Green Onion

- 4 Cloves of Garlic (I used 2 garlic cloves and also 3 Tablespoons of minced garlic)

- 2 Tablespoons of Olive Oil

- Dried or Fresh Basil

- Dried or Fresh Oregano

- Black pepper, a little red pepper, some salt (Broth already has a lot of sodium so be careful)! 

Step 1

Take a large cooking pot and set it on stove. (Do NOT add any heat yet).

Add 2 Cups of Vegetable Broth and also 2 Cups of Water to the pot.

Add your pasta to the pot (If using long pasta such as spaghetti, angel hair, etc. I would break pasta in half).

Next add your can of diced tomatoes, undrained.

Add 2 Tablespoons of Olive Oil.

Add your cup of chopped spinach.

Here is our pot with:
Broth, Water, Pasta, Tomatoes, Olive Oil and Spinach

Next:

Add your onion to the pot, thinly sliced.

Add in your garlic, basil, oregano, black pepper, red pepper, a little salt.

Now here is our pot added with:
Onion, Garlic, Basil, Oregano, Black/Red Pepper, and some Salt.

 The next thing I did was add my chopped broccoli stalk, green onion, and mushrooms. 

Everything mixed and ready!

Step 2

Mix together all your ingredients. You want the broth liquid to cover your ingredients before cooking.

Mine did not do this, so I added an additional Cup of broth and also an additional Cup of water. 

Step 3

Turn on your heat!

Start off on high and place a cover on your pot. Wait for your pot to come to a boil. 

This took about 8-10 minutes for me.

Brought my pot to a boil

Step 4

Once your pasta is at a boil, remove the lid and bring the heat down to medium.

Set a timer for 10 minutes and let your pot boil on medium heat without a lid. 

(Stir your pot every few minutes during this process). 

Step 5

Once the pasta is close to being finished, test it! Add in any more seasoning!

I added more basil, garlic, black pepper, and oregano.

Step 6

Observe your results! If there is a lot of extra broth/water in your pot then drain it with a colander. This is what I did to keep my pasta from becoming too mushy. Even when drained, you will still have some broth and liquid leftover, trust me!

Added some red pepper flakes on top :)
Enjoy!!

Everything came out amazing, the flavors were combinations and perfect compliments to what I added!

Since there is no "correct" way to make lazy pasta, what everyday kind of ingredients do you think could be added?

If any of you make this, please let me know how it comes out and what you added to your pot!

Thanks for stopping by, enjoy the rest of your week! xo

Welcoming September

Happy Friday all :)

In just a few short days the world will be welcoming September. It could be the start of a new school year, the start of a new season, working more often as businesses get busy. Sports change, trees change, foods change, (pumpkin spice everything). It's a beautiful time for change!

Lately I have been realizing that people are becoming busier this week. Students are moving into school and for a lot of working adults it can be hard managing work responsibilities and finding time to make effective food choices. By "effective" I mean cost effective and being healthy. 

Food Essentials on a Budget

I have come up with some healthy ways to budget food essentials to get the most out of what you buy!
Here they are:

Snacks

Chips, Popcorn, Crackers, etc.

This is for all the crunch n' munch snacks. How many of us buy a bag of chips or crackers and eat directly from the bag? 

The biggest problem with snacks like these is that they don't last very long. If you end up buying a large bag of chips that will cost you about $3.00 a bag. If that one bag only lasts you about two days, but you want chips to last you the whole week, that is about $9.00 a week on chips alone. $36.00 a month on chips. 

How to get the most out of snacks:

The first thing that needs to be done while you are shopping is to check serving sizes. 

In my recipe, Let's Taco 'Bout Shrimp & Salads, I compared regular Tostitos Chips vs. RW Garcia tortilla chips. (Both can be found at Market Basket in the chip aisle).  

Tostitos: 1 Serving = 7 Chips

140 calories, 7g of fat, and 115mg of sodium

RW Garcia: 1 Serving = 15 Chips

140 calories, 6g of fat, 50mg of sodium

(The key is to find chips, popcorn, etc. that gives you a good initial serving size. You want to make healthier choices, but you don't want to deprive yourself). 

Once you do that, bring your bag home and separate your servings into individual snack bags. 

For the RW chips I will count out 1 serving, (15 full chips), and place them into a snack bag. If a chip is broken or halved I will add pieces together to estimate a full chip being added to my plastic bag. I repeat this until all my chips have been divided into snack bags. 

My chips ready for the week!

Doing this has provided me with NINE snack bags, ready to-go. 

This preparation saves me time. If I eat 1 snack bag a day this will last me the whole week and I'll have two extra bags leftover.
(For packing snacks for families or multiple people, this is still a great way to distribute the snacks and get the most out of what you buy a week).  

Favorite Snacks:

Boom Chicka Pop $3.00
1 Large Bag = 4 snack bags containing 2 Cups each
and 1 snack bag containing 1 Cup
2 Cups snack bag:
74 Calories
2.5g Fat
67mg Sodium

Snapea Crisps $1.50
1 Bag = 3 snack bags each with 1 serving
1 Serving = 22 Pieces:120 Calories
6g Fat
85mg Sodium
Good Fiber & Potassium

Pita Bread

Pita bread is GREAT. 

Joseph's is one of my favorite brands. Not only does he offer traditional white pita bread, but also a variety of healthier versions such as the Flax, Oat Bran, & Whole Wheat pitas. 
This brand has gluten free options too and also small individual sandwich-size pitas. 

1/2 of a White Pita:
90 Calories
1g Fat
150 mg Sodium
2g Fiber

How to get the most out of Pita Bread

You can create all different kinds of sandwiches and wraps with the pita!

Personal favorite combos:
- Hummus and Taboule
- Peanut butter & banana wrap (Also try almond butter or sun butter)
- Hummus, Tuna, & mashed Avocado w/black pepper
- Chopped Lettuce, diced Tomato, diced Cucumber, & Chickpeas w/balsamic vinegar 
- Leftover Veggies mixed with Black Beans & Hummus (Veggie Wrap)

Get creative!

You can also use Joseph's Pitas to make individual pizzas! 
Preheat oven to 450 and then bake for 12 minutes, very quick and easy.

1 White Pita from Joseph's
Pizza Sauce, Sprinkled Olive Oil, Daiya cheese
Tomatoes, Black Pepper, Basil

I make mine a few different ways:

- Bread, sprinkle some Olive Oil, add sauce, choice of cheese, (or cheese alternative), and add any healthy toppings! Mine usually include diced tomatoes, broccoli, peppers, eggplant, mushrooms, garlic, or onions.

- Bread, sprinkle some Olive Oil, add smashed avocado, choice of cheese, (or cheese alternative), and add any healthy toppings! The avocado tastes amazing especially when the cheese melts on top. Sometimes I will add a little sauce and then smashed avocado for extra flavors.

- The third option is to add the sauce, avocado, and toppings but not any cheese. Crazy right? But if you are trying to lose or manage weight, the cheese can add a lot of extra fat to your pizza. Go crazy with toppings and you won't even miss the cheese!

Other Tips

- Kale is usually $1.60 for a bunch. This can be used during the week with salads, sandwiches, and also Kale Chips!

- Lettuce in a bag is typically cost effective! The brand Foxy sells bags of Romaine Hearts for about $2.50 in the produce section. You can use Romaine for the essentials and also use it for lettuce wraps to replace bread! 

- Avocados can be used for many things! Typically I use 1 avocado and find ways to use it throughout a few days once ripe. I add it to wraps, salads, or smash them on toast!

(Other ideas: Avocado mashed potatoes, avocado w/rice, guacamole, etc.) 

- Stay away from Easy Macs, Cup of Noodles, or any other quick meals like those without reading the labels first. 

Cup of Noodles contains 810mg Sodium for HALF the cup. That means if you eat the whole cup in one sitting that has 1,620mg of Sodium!

Notice how 1 Serving Size is only half the cup.
This makes the numbers seem smaller, but double them
and that will equal the whole cup!

Well that is everything for this week!

What snacks or easy meals do you enjoy eating? Leave a comment or suggestion!

Good luck to anyone starting school, enjoy your weekend, and thank you for stopping by! xo :)