Spiced Apple Crisp

An apple a day keeps the doctor away. So maybe the same goes for a serving of this Spiced Apple Crisp? Apples are one of my favorite fall foods - sweet, crisp, and so versatile. They are rich in fiber and good sources of both vitamin C and potassium and biting into an apple can help keep your teeth clean and pearly white. At my house, our favorite snacking variety is a Honeycrisp but for baking I love to use a mix of Honeycrisp and Granny Smith.

Anyway, I’ll get to the good stuff - this spiced apple crisp is one of my very favorite creations. It’s simple and so good on its own or topped with good vanilla ice cream for dessert or plain, full-fat yogurt for breakfast. No matter how you do it, it’s sure to be a winner.

Ingredients

4 cups apples, diced and peeled (about 6 small apples - I like a mix of Honeycrisp and Granny Smith)

1 Tbsp butter or coconut oil

2 Tbsp spice mix

1 cup rolled oats

1/2 cup chopped pecans

1/4 cup almond meal

1/4 cup maple syrup

1/4 cup coconut oil

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350F.

2. In small container mix together 2 tsp each ground cardamom, allspice, nutmeg and cloves. Add 4 tsp ground ginger and 6 tsp cinnamon. Mix well.

3. In non-stick skillet, heat 1 Tbsp butter or coconut oil over medium heat. Add apples and sauté for 2-3 minutes. Add 2 Tbsp spice mix and continue to cook for 5 more minutes.

4. Transfer to baking dish.

5. In large bowl, add oats, pecans, almond meal, maple syrup, and coconut oil. Stir to combine.

6. Spoon topping over apples in baking dish.

7. Bake 30-40 minutes or until bubbly and slightly brown on top.

8. Enjoy with a scoop of good vanilla ice cream for dessert or yogurt for breakfast.

NOTE: If you want to make this nut-free, replace almond meal with whole wheat flour and pecans with extra rolled oats.

Collagen Cashew Cookie Bars

I’ve been using Vital Proteins Collagen Peptides for several years now and have noticed such a positive change in my hair, skin, and nails. And since collagen is found in so many important areas of your body (gut, bones, joints, and heart) it feels good knowing that long term, I’m protecting the health of so many vital body parts and functions when I’m consuming collagen regularly. I mix collagen peptides into coffee and smoothies for me and pancakes for my kids, and then when the mood strikes hot, I get the brilliant idea (although if you check the internet for collagen desserts, clearly I’m not the first) to throw some collagen into an already healthier dessert idea and I feel even better about standing over the island while Mason and I take down 1/4 of the pan of warm cookie bars…we were hungry. These bars are gold (so golden I didn’t even get a decent picture because we were eating them immediately) and I hope you enjoy.

Ingredients:

1/4 cup coconut oil, melted

1/4 cup cashew butter

1 egg

1/2 cup coconut sugar

1 tsp vanilla

1 1/4 cup almond flour

3 Tbsp coconut flour

2-4 scoops collagen peptides, unflavored

1 1/2 tsp cinnamon

1 tsp baking soda

1/4 tsp salt

2 1/2 Tbsp almond milk, unsweetened

1 Tbsp coconut sugar

3/4 tsp cinnamon

1 tsp Swerve Granular Sweetener (or sub regular granulated sugar)

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350F and grease an 8x8 baking pan with coconut oil spray (or better yet, line with parchment paper for easy removal).

2. In bowl of stand mixer, add melted and cooled coconut oil, cashew butter and coconut sugar and cream until smooth and light.

3. Add in egg and continue to mix until smooth.

4. Add in vanilla and mix to combine.

5. In separate bowl, combine almond flour, coconut flour, collagen peptides, cinnamon, baking soda, and salt. Whisk until well combined and there are no chunks of flour.

6. With mixer running on low, add dry ingredients slowly. Mix until combine, adding in almond milk as needed until a batter consistency forms.

7. Transfer batter baking pan and smooth out the top.

8. In a small bowl, combine extra coconut sugar, cinnamon, and granulated sugar. Mix to combine then sprinkle over top.

9. Bake 20-22 minutes or until toothpick comes out clean and sides are beginning to brown. Let cool completely (or at least try) before slicing.