Tastes Like Fall Applesauce!

I have 2 huge bushels of apples that I got for a STEAL!  They are red delicious apples and super juicy.  We've been eating them like candy 'round here.  After a month of apples, they are beginning to go soft and so we decided to make a yummy treat...APPLESAUCE!  I'm sure most applesauce recipes are alike but here is the recipe I came up with.  We made our Pumpkin Waffles and even tried a new waffle recipe the other day, Carrot Cake Waffles and put this yummy applesauce on top.  It was so delish! Enjoy!

Tastes Like Fall Applesauce

12-15 red delicious apples, cored and peeled

1 heaping teaspoon cinnamon

1/4 teaspoon allspice

1/4 cup lemon juice

1 cup water

Combine all ingredients in a medium saucepan.  Over medium heat, bring to a boil, cover and turn to low until apples are soft, maybe 20 minutes.  Blend.

I store my applesauce in quart jars in my fridge...should stay fresh for a couple of weeks at least!

Raw Oatmeal Cookie Bites

These are super easy and taste exactly like Oatmeal Cookie Dough.  I'm in heaven!

Raw Oatmeal Cookie Bites

Adapted from Triumph Wellness

1 cup rolled oats

dash sea salt

1/2 cup prunes

 (original recipe calls for raisins, I didn't have any)

1/2 cup soaked pitted medjool dates

2 Tbsp peanut butter or almond butter(optional)

1/2 tsp vanilla

1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

1/8 teaspoon nutmeg

Combine oats and salt in food processor and process until ground.  Add remaining ingredients and process until fully combined.  Form into balls.

Our Garden & How to Cook Beets

We put in several new 4x8 foot gardens in our backyard this year and I was anxious to see how they would do.  We planted swiss chard, beets, broccoli, cabbage, carrots, black kale, green/red peppers, bush beans, and some herbs (parsley, basil and oregano).  Outside of our boxes, in flower beds we planted tomatoes, zucchini, squash, cabbage, eggplant, and leeks.  Here are some pictures of the garden in July.  We have just finished harvesting most of our garden.  The only thing left are a box that is half full of beets!  Below I have posted how to cook beets.  We love fresh beets with lemon on them.  They are super delish on salads!  I love them hot, after just cooking them.  Our peppers and broccoli didn't do so well this year :(  Everything else was beautiful!  I already miss my garden :(  Can't wait until next Spring to begin again!!

Above: This is my Mom's garden box.  Her box does so well every year.  It is in a different part of the yard than our other boxes.

 Lettuce

 Bush Beans

 Dan harvesting beans

 Swiss Chard.  They are small in this picture, they were huge when harvested!  We actually harvested them a little at a time...

 Carrots and Cilantro that went to seed :(

 Cabbage!!  They were huge!

 Black kale.  We found these were delicious harvested young.  As we let them grow, they got a billion little white bugs that were a pain to wash off!

Above: Swiss chard, aren't the colors beautiful?!!! I love it that they look like veins and all those nutrients flow through our veins.  Love it!

 Italian Parsley

 Beans

 Dill (loved this in dressings and fresh on our salads!)

 Our garden, my daughter Rachel running through the tomato plants :)

 Room to grow!!!

How To Cook Beets

Thoroughly scrub the outside of beets, removing tops.  Place beets in a large pot.  Add enough water to cover the bottom about an inch or two.  Place lid on top and turn to medium heat.  When the water in the bottom is boiling turn to medium low heat and let steam until the beats are soft.  I use a butter knife to test, if the knife enters the beet and feels soft, they are done!  Remove from heat and empty hot water, fill pot with cold water and let sit for a few minutes.  As you see below the skins are loose and easy to remove.  Cut off tops and slice or dice.  

*We like lemons juice over our beets, or plain.  

Apple Bottom Oatmeal Cake

This was a new cake recipe I wanted to try from one of my once favorite cookbooks, Set For Life.  I decided some fresh red delicious apples would be a marvelous combination with this cake and guess what?!  It was a hit....YES!  Here's the recipe...enjoy!

Apple Bottom Oatmeal Cake

3-4 red delicious apples, cored, peeled and diced

3 tablespoons coconut oil

For Cake:

1 1/2 cups oatmeal, quick or old fashioned

1/2 cup coconut oil or canola oil

1 1/2 cups boiling water

1 cup sugar or 3/4 cup honey

1 teaspoon vanilla

2 Tablespoons ground flax and 1/2 cup water

1 1/2 cups spelt flour

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon soda

1 heaping teaspoon cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon nutmeg

Stir oatmeal and oil into boiling water.  Set pan aside.  Mix honey, vanilla, flax and water well.  Add flour, oatmeal mixture, soda, salt, and spices and mix well.

In a 9x13 baking dish, spread finely chopped apples.  Dribble the 3 tablespoons coconut oil over the apples.  Pour the cake batter over the apples.  Spread the thick batter as evenly as you can.  Bake at 350 for 30 minutes.  Check center before removing from oven.  Remove from oven and let sit at least 10-15 minutes before frosting.

Cinnamon Frosting

2 cups powdered sugar

1 teaspoon vanilla

1 teaspoon cinnamon

1/4 cup almond milk

Mix well, depending on consistency, you may want it more thick or thin...add desired sugar or almond milk for desired consistency.  Drizzle or spread over cake.

Christina's Creamy Zucchini Soup

This is my Best Buddy Christina!  She and I are always swapping recipes!  Her Mom is Cindy, the author to a few of the guest posts here on my blog.  I am so grateful for her friendship.  I learn so much from her!  I'm especially grateful for this amazing recipe she let me post!  It is perfect for this time of year with all of our zucchini growing out of our ears!  Actually, I don't know about you, but I didn't get as much zucchini as I usually do and in running around to Farmers Markets, they apparently didn't either :(  Christina and I did luck out on our way to a park last week, a man was out in front of his home giving away GIANT zucchini!  We took almost all he had!  Hows that for selfish?!  If I insist you to do anything, it's to give this a try!  Thanks again to my pal!

Christina's Creamy Zucchini Soup

1 huge zucchini

2 big potatoes pre-cooked in their skins

1 sweet onion, chopped

3 cloves garlic, chopped

2/3 can coconut milk (I used the whole can!)

1/4 cup Braggs liquid aminos (optional)

Season to taste with 21 salute, oregano, and white pepper (I used no seasonings)

Cut up the whole zucchini into chunks and place in 7 qt. with onion and garlic.  Add 2 cups water.  Bring to medium temperature, cover and simmer over low heat until zucchini cooks down and softens. Cut up the potatoes and add to zucchini mixture.  Cover until potatoes are at the same temperature.  Add the coconut milk and use immersion blender to puree the soup, then add seasonings to taste.  So  creamy and Delish!!!!

Vegan Chili Lime Enchilada's

 We had leftover Chili Lime Beans & Rice, so I decided to make enchiladas!  Very easy and I didn't even miss the cheese!

Chili Lime Enchiladas

2-3 cups Chili Lime Beans & Rice

2-3 cups pureed tomatoes

1 tablespoon chili powder

1 teaspoon garlic powder

1 teaspoon onion powder

14-16 corn tortillas

Using non-stick spray, coat a large griddle or skillet (set to medium high heat), run corn tortillas under water and place on the griddle.  Cook for a minute, flip.  I can usually cook about 6 at a time.  They only need to be softened, so they will bend easily without breaking.  

After cooking tortillas, fill each one with the Chili Lime Beans & Rice.  In a large baking dish, spray with nonstick spray and place enchilada's seam side down.  

Using a blender or food processor, process the tomatoes with the seasonings.  Pour over the enchiladas and Bake at 350 for 30 minutes.

Chili Lime Beans & Rice

This recipe was me hurrying to throw some things in the rice cooker before my piano students came.  It just sort of happened!  In fact, I'm sitting her typing this wondering what to call it?!  Amazing Rice and Beans?  Lime Taco Rice and Beans?  Fiesta Rice and Beans?  Boring.  It was so yummy that the kids were eating seconds and the next day I put them in enchiladas (yes, I will post that one too!).  Anytime we can get the kids to eat beans, we have struck gold.  Hopefully I'll have a title for this by the end, lol.

Chili Lime Beans and Rice

3 cups brown rice

6 cups water

2 cups pinto beans

1 large onion, diced

1/4 cup lime juice

2 tablespoons chili powder

2 teaspoons cumin

2 teaspoons oregano

2 teaspoons salt

2 teaspoons garlic powder

1 tablespoon paprika

Place all ingredients in your rice cooker and set on high.  If you don't have a rice cooker, place all ingredients in large pot, bring to boil, replace lid and turn to low for 45 minutes.  Serve with tortillas or alone with salad and another side.