Personal Apple Pies

October is over. So over. In fact, it's 16 days over.
But..... to conclude AppleFest once and for all (I had so much fun!) I had to share with you these Mini Apple Pies! These babies were so unbelievably easy to make, using fresh apple, and also -- only about 100 calories a pop!

Servings: 8

What You'll Need:

• 1/2 an apple
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1 teaspoon nutmeg
• OPTIONAL: 1 teaspoon ground ginger (if you dont have these individual spices, or don't want to buy three spices, you can buy 1 tube of apple pie spice! it has all of the above in one.)
• 1 can Pillsbury Crescents (in the refrigerated section by the dinner rolls!)

The Step-by-Step:

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
2. Chop the apple into small pieces and place in a bowl.
3. Add the spices to the apple pieces and stir, until evenly coated.
4. Open the can of crescents and unroll the dough. You'll see that it is already separated into triangle shapes.
5. Take a triangle, place about two spoonfuls of apple mixture at the widest point of the triangle.
6. Roll the dough over the mixture, and keep rolling until you're at the skinny part of the traingle.
7. Use a fork to poke three holes into the top of the pie.
8. Place your "pies" on a flat baking pan, and bake for 15 minutes (make sure to keep an eye on them!)
9. Let cool for 5 minutes before eating.

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The apples cook perfectly -- even in the few minutes in the oven, creating great juices and flavors. Best part -- portion control is built in, so you won't eat too much and regret it later. Make these before friends come over, and you'll impress them with your cooking "skills" -- aren't you glad crescents were invented? Shh, I won't tell :)

xoxo n

Also -- if you didn't get a  chance to see my Instagram video, watch it here to see the step-by-step!

Israeli Cous Cous with Apples & Cranberries

Hi everyone -- made this the other day on a whim and I just had to share. Israeli Cous Cous (its like a happy medium between rice and pasta, and in a ball shape) is delicious! I simply cooked mine in chicken broth, and added in dried canberries and diced apples. It was SOOOO delicious. Sorry, usually I am better at describing the food I make, but literally that is the only word I can think of. I made another batch just a couple of days later, because Austin gobbled up what was in my fridge and it made me sad that there was none left for me! Hahaha. Not to mention -- it takes 20 minutes!

Servings: 4 (makes four side dishes, if you want it to be a main dish, it will only make two servings -- and add a protein like chicken -- yum!)

What You'll Need:

• 2/3 cup Israeli CousCous (sometimes called "Pearl CousCous" -- to get an idea of the price, I got a box of the stuff from Trader Joe's for $2.99 -- totally doable on any budget!)
• 1 cup fat-free chicken broth (such as Swanson's)
• 1/4 cup dried cranberries (Craisin's works!)
• 1/2 an apple
• Pinch of Salt, Pepper, & Garlic Powder
• OPTIONAL: Olive Oil, Crushed Garlic

The Step-by-Step:

1. Heat the chicken broth in a small pot  (the size appropriate for heating a can of soup,) then add the cous cous
2. Stir, and let cook until the liquid almost disappears (about 6-8 minutes)
3. While the cous cous is cooking, take the cranberries and cut them into small pieces, and then take the apple and cut it into small chunks
4. When the cous cous is done, turn off  the heat and let sit for 2 minutes
5. Add in the cranberries, salt, pepper, and garlic powder, and stir
6. Optional: If the cous cous is sticking together, add a dash of olive oil
7. Optional: For more flavor, mix a little bit of crushed fresh garlic
8. When serving, top with some apple chunks!

This warm, comforting, yet fruity dish lends a nice change from the usual. The chicken broth adds a depth of poultry flavor that you would miss by cooking the cous cous in plain water... so all in all, this is kind of like a healthy cousin of thanksgiving turkey with cranberry sauce. Enjoy this clean eating!

xoxo n

side note

this past weekend, i reunited with lots of college friends at my alma mater's homecoming -- one of Austin's fraternity brothers came up to me and said they love my blog and made my breakfast avocado! it really touched me!! even though this blog is a labor of love, and i truly love writing about my cooking escapades -- your comments as readers really keep me going on those tough long days. i really appreciate your words, alex! :)

Easy Apple Cinnamon Oats

My obsession with apples this season continues!

This apple oatmeal was super easy to make (only 5 minutes of hands-on time) -- and steel cut oats are incredbily good for you, a great whole grain that's full of fiber and perfect for starting your morning. If you don't have steel cut, regular oats work great too -- just make sure you follow the instructions on the package.

Servings: Two

What You'll Need:

• 1/2 cup uncooked steel-cut oats
• 1 cup water
• 1 individual portion of unsweetened applesauce
• 1 tablespoon cinnamon
• Optional: 1/2 an apple

Step-by-Step:

1. Heat water on the stove until it starts to bubble/boil.
2. Add oats -- lower heat and let cook for about 5 minutes.
3. Stir, then let cook for 5 more minutes until water level has lowered significantly.
4. Stir again -- when there is barely any water left in the pot -- turn off the heat.
5. Stir in the applesauce and cinnamon. (If you have no applesauce, chop up some apple and mix it in the oatmeal with the cinnamon and 1 tablespoon of sugar.)
6. Top with apple slices.

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Totally make-beforeable (I made that up,) this dish is perfect for evenings where you know your morning will be crazy, but still want something tasty and nutritious. Simply put it in some tuppleware in your fridge, and grab it on the go. Enjoy :)

xoxo n

Honey Apple Parfaits

This weekend I couldn't keep myself from making another vat of my homemade applesauce. Quite honestly, Austin wasn't complaining. I left the slow cooker on, bubbling with apple juices -- and headed straight to the thrift store for an afternoon with friends. I don't thrift often, but when I do (stay thirsty my friends?) I always find the greatest things. I ran across two great martini glasses --  and being who I am -- I immediately thought of how wonderful they would show off a parfait.

I used my applesauce for this -- but feel free to used store-bought (go unsweetened! you'll never turn back!) to make a quick, filling, and simple breakfast. I served mine with orange slices. Again, Austin wasn't complaining. Yum!

Servings: 1 (ingredient amounts below are for each individual parfait -- If you have company, just repeat!)

What You'll Need:

• 1 Individual Greek Yogurt (whatever flavor you have -- I used honey -- but I find that most yogurt flavors pair beautifully with applesauce -- think Mango Apple or Pineapple Apple, for instance.)
• 1/2 cup applesauce
• 1/2 cup granola (I used Special K's Low Fat Granola in 'Touch of Honey')

The Step-by-Step

1. I won't insult you guys with the step-by-step :) Just layer the three ingredients until you reach the top of the glass. Top with more granola.

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This doesn't keep very long -- so unfortunately, you can't really make it the night before or in advance. The moisture from the granola and the applesauce will make the granola soggy with time -- so I recommend this for weekend breakfasts when you're not in a rush -- and you can pair this with a steaming cup of coffee and a morning paper :)

xoxo n

Sweet Potato & Roasted Apple Soup

Please forgive my kitchen table with things on it.... I'm 23 and normal.

 

A couple of weeks ago, I went to happy hour with some work friends here in DC. Being that every restaurant seems to adopt "seasonal is cool" fad once October rolls around, their soup of the day was Pumpkin. Of course, I HAD to try some with my Sam Adams Seasonal Ale. It was pretty good, as most of the dishes at that restaurant are, but two weeks later, I was still thinking about it. Finally, after much back and forth, I decided to muster up my own kitchen confidence and put my own spin on it. It's not just for chef's right?

Creamy and filling, this Sweet Potato soup literally takes 2 minutes to come together on the stove once you have all the ingredients, and as corny (catch the seasonal pun) as it sounds, it "tastes like fall." When I poured myself a bowl and tasted it, the world literally faded away. Best part -- I did the math, and this has like 200 calories for a bowl. Amen.

Servings: 2 (1 & 1/2 cups each)

What You'll Need:

• 1 can sweet potato puree (or canned pumpkin if you can't find sweet potato)
• 1 can fat free low sodium chicken broth (such as Swanson brand)
• 1/2 cup fat free half and half
• 2 medium-sized apples (you want sweet ones, so don't use green ones!)
• 1 tablespoon cinnamon (or pumpkin pie spice)
• Salt/Pepper to taste
• OPTIONAL: Plain Lowfat yogurt for topping

The Step-by-Step:

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees, and line an oven pan with foil. Slice apples and place on pan. Roast apples for 25 minutes.
2. While roasting, do something else, such as cleaning your apartment (ahem.)
3. When apples are done (you can smell them wafting through the air while, say, cleaning your apartment) take them out of the oven and let cool while....
4. On the stove, combine chicken broth with sweet potato puree over medium high heat. Stir with a whisk until combined. Let heat for 5 minutes.
5. Place apple slices and half & half in a blender, and blend until combined (about 20 seconds.)
6. Add apple mixture to sweet potato mixture, and stir. Add the cinnamon, and stir some more!
7. To serve -- spoon into some bowls, and top with a spoonful of yogurt. Sprinkle some cinnamon or pie spice on top for decoration.

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Oh, did you think #AppleFest was a game?
Shame on you! I have tons of apples to use up, and like I said, I'm more than willing to get creative. I hope in the spur of my creativity, that I can inspire you too!

Based on how easy and delicious this soup was, I can tell I'm going to make lots more soup when it gets colder in the upcoming weeks. It keeps well in the fridge, and reheating is a no-brainer. Plus, I'm a sucker for things that make me feel like I'm wrapped in a blanket. Plus, its seasonal and healthy. What more could a girl want?

Remember -- I want to know what you're thinking! #THAppleFest

xoxo n