Baked Apples with Cinnamon and Pecans

This recipe is a wonderful way to turn your house into a Fall wonderland. It makes it smell so good. They also taste great too. They are so easy to make. They could be served for breakfast, a snack or a yummy dessert. You can choose when you want to have them. It is a fun way to enjoy the Fall. It has the flavors and smells of apple crisp without all of the work,


Ingredients

4 baking apples cored and sliced in half
4 T chopped pecans or other nut
1 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp nutmeg
1/4 tsp cardamom *optional
4 tsp honey (add 1/2 tsp per apple if you want it sweeter)
water to cover the bottom of the pan
serve with almond milk if desired

Directions  heat oven to 350

1. Place apples in an 8 x 8 square pan. If you want to you can slice a thin piece off the bottom for them to sit flat on the pan.
2. In a small bowl combine nut, cinnamon, cardamom and nutmeg. Stir together until they are all combined.
3. Spoon nut mixture on each apple until the mixture is all gone.
4. Drizzle a tsp of honey on each apple. Trying to keep it on top of the apple.
5. Pour a small amount of water on the bottom of the pan. About 1/4" of the bottom of the pan. If the water evaporates while cooking add more water.
6. Place pan in oven and cook about 40-50 min. or until the apples are soft.
7. Serve warm with milk drizzled over the top if desired. you can also drizzle the juices from the bottom of the pan on to the apples.

Chai Banana Smoothie

I was in the "island of the Sun" last week. I had a drink like this. I thought it would be fun to try and make it at home and this is what I came up with. The spices that make up Chai (pronounced rhymes with pie) are some of my favorite. I love the way they smell and taste. I also feel good after I eat them too. The bonus is they have health benefits as well. So drink up and enjoy!

Ingredients:
1 C rice milk chilled (or any kind of milk)
1 frozen banana
1/4 tsp cardamom
1/8 tsp allspice
1/8 tsp fresh nutmeg or dried
1/4 tsp cinnamon
1/8 tsp cloves
1/8 tsp ginger
1/4 tsp vanilla

Directions: 1 serving
1. Pour into a blender and blend until smooth. Serve while nice and cold. :)

Spices (Cinnamon, Ginger & Cardamom)

*Image NutmegSpiceCo.com

In the recent years my enjoyment of herbs and spices has increased. I have noticed how much seasoning adds to the foods I am making. I was talking to my sister about it. She was saying she noticed when she went on a cruise, the food was very salty. She was saying it is a cheap way to prepare food. I know seasoning is a very personal thing. I like a lot of seasoning. My daughter said her husband prefers things more bland. There is not a right or wrong answer it comes down to personal preference. The cool thing is that it can enhance your food as well as having benefits for your health. I find as I increase the spices in my foods, I can cut down on my sweeteners. :) Yes!

A friend asked me to write some info. on spices so here goes. Here is some information that I have found in my research.

*Image shespeaksbarkblogspot.com
Cinnamon:Can help with...
1. keeping your arteries healthy
2. mange blood sugar levels (supports natural production of insulin.
3. lowering Cholesterol
4. improving the circulation
5. anti-inflammatory and anti-clotting
6. antioxidant activity (richest source of all the spices)
*Suggested to take 1/4 tsp a day

Great ways to use it:
1. Add some to your oatmeal in the morning
2. I have been adding it to our green drink in the morning. Yum!
3. Add to your hot cocoa
4. Add to your baked goods
5. Put on your sweet potato or cooked carrots
6. Stir into your peanut butter

Image chefpriyanka.com

Ginger: Can help with...

1. digestive problems
2. colds and coughs
3. nausea and vomiting, and morning sickness (really helps)
4. Motion sickness (really works)
5. Powerful antioxidant
6. relaxing blood vessels
7. stimulate blood flow and relive pain
6. anti-inflammatory-that helps to fight, heart disease, cancer, Alzheimer and arthritis.

Ways to use it:

1. Buy fresh ginger and grate into baked goods and salad dressing.
2. You can chew on a small piece of fresh ginger.
3. You can buy ginger chews or ginger pills.
4. Add to a stir fry or vegetables.
5. Cut off a fresh piece off and add to hot water for a refreshing drink.

* I love the calming effect on my stomach.
* If you buy the candied ginger make sure ginger is listed as one of the ingredients. Sometimes they add a ginger substitute.
*Stays fresh the longest if you store fresh ginger in the freezer. Just break off as needed.

*Image Buzzle.com

Cardamom comes from the ginger family and can help with...

1. stimulating digestion and relive indigestion. (Heart burn and bloating)
2. bad breath- gum infections
3. coping with diabetes (if you chew a whole cardamom)
4. improving appetite, metabolism and stomach infections
5. kidney functions

Ways to use:

1. It adds a extra flavor to baked goods that is really great!
2. Add to Indian dishes, soups or stews
3. Rice puddings, custards or ice creams
4. fruit salad
5. Chicken rubs or dishes
6. Can add to anything you would add cinnamon to.

Cardamon loses its flavor when ground. Pods lose 40% of flavor in a year. You can add the whole pod to soups and stews. The pod will usually dissolve while cooking. If it doesn't dissolve remove before serving. For baked goods scoop out the seeds from the pods, peel off the green seed covering, and grind in a coffee grinder or smash with something heavy. (I am going to try this. I have only used the already ground so far.)

I will add more spices tomorrow! =)

Meyer Lemon Whole Grain Oatmeal Rolls

I was looking through some old recipes, and found an oatmeal marmalade bread I used to make. I decided to twist it around and use some Meyers lemons, I just got at Wal Mart. As I mentioned before I love the smell of lemons. As I cut one open today, I was in heaven enjoying the smell. I think these would be wonderful with honey butter on them. You could add some zest to the butter too. Jam tastes great too. Just plain with a little butter is a nice way to enjoy on the flavors. They could be served for breakfast, lunch, or dinner. Yum! Here is another recipe with lemons.

*I learned a new tip this week. When You zest your lime, lemon or orange, you should first wash it good with dish soap. I thought that was a great idea.

Recipe: Made 24 rolls
6 T Honey
1 1/2 T yeast
3 1/3 C lukewarm milk
2 2/3 old fashioned oats
1 C Kefir or plain yogurt
1/2 C coconut oil
1/2 C Meyer Lemon juice (You could sub. with reg.lemon or orange)
zest from a Meyer lemon (orange would be yummy too)
1/2 tsp cardamom
1 T salt
1/2 tsp ginger
1 tsp cinnamon
9 1/4 C Whole grain flour (combo: oat, kamut and spelt)


Directions:

1. In a bowl combine milk, yeast, oil, honey, kefir, oats and let sit about 30 min or more till nice and bubbly. I did not stir it much, just poured everything in.

2. Pour into bread mixer. Then add the zest, juice, spices and flour. Add the flour till leaves the sides of the bowl. (Don't knead more than 5 min. if you are using spelt. It doesn't do as well over kneaded.) You want the dough to be slightly sticky not dry.

3. Rub oil on your hands. Rub all over the dough. Place in a greased bowl. Cover with a towel. Let rise 30 min.

4. Grease pans. Rub oil on your hands. Form into rolls. (It works well to have oil on the rolls so they stay moist. Place on greased pan. Let rise until double. Preheat oven to 350. Bake till golden about 20 min. Rub some butter on the top of the rolls. Enjoy them hot!