Fantastic Apple-Cinnamon Coffee Cake

This is a great recipe if you need to bring something to a brunch! You can make it in the morning and then the cake can cool when you get ready and head to the brunch. Also it is a much tastier (and cheaper!) than buying a cake at the store or bakery.

Why I like this recipe: 

• If I have an early morning, then I can make it the night before and let it cool overnight. The apples will keep the cake moist and rich.
• It helps the host out by bringing a filling and yummy cake to take some things off their to do list. 
• No hand mixing required (which is great since you probably will be making this in the morning or late evening)
• Nothing beats a slightly cooled, yet still warm, coffeehouse style cake!

Ingredients: 

• 1 Tbsp unsalted butter
• 2 Granny Smith apples, cored and diced
• 1 1/4 cup sugar
• 2 cups flour
• 2 tsp cinnamon
• 1 tsp salt
• 10 Tbsp unsalted butter, softened
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 1/2 tsp baking soda
• 3/4 cup buttermilk
• 1 egg, room temperature
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 3/4 cup walnuts, chopped
• 1/2 brown sugar

I began by melting 1 tablespoon of butter in a skillet, and once it turned golden and starting to smell wonderful, I added the apples. Stir the apples, and cover until they are tender, approximately 3 minutes. Turn off the heat, toss in 2 tablespoons of sugar, and allow the apples to cool to room temperature.

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees and grease a 9 inch springform pan with the butter wrappers. Take the flour, remaining sugar, and salt in a mixing bowl and stir. Add the butter (10 tablespoons) and whisk with a mixer until it has a crumb resemblance. Measure out 1 cup of the crumbs and put aside.

Add 1 teaspoon of cinnamon, baking powder, baking soda into the mixer and add the buttermilk, egg, and vanilla on medium speed, fully combine the ingredients. The batter should be thick, but still fluffy and slightly airy looking.

Take the room temperature apples and fold into the mixture, scraping the sides and bottom making sure everything is mixed together. Pour the batter into your greased pan, smoothing and leveling the top.

Remember that 1 cup of crumbs you set aside? Now is time to add the nuts, brown sugar, and remaining cinnamon to the crumbs and mix with a fork or hand. Sprinkle the mixture on top of the cake and press down gently. Bake for 50 - 55 minutes, testing with a toothpick for completeness. When the cake is done, place on a cooling rack and allow to sit for 2 hours before serving.

The cool time is significant so you may want to make the night before.

The Best Paleo Granola

Granola can be so expensive it boggles my mind, and I hate it when the taste doesn't add up to the price. Then, if you add gluten free or Paleo in front of the name, you will be paying astronomical prices with an even worse taste. Well if you are like me, you'll love this recipe.

Why I like this recipe:

• I purchase a large amount of almonds and pecans from Costco, and then chop them all in the food processor at one time. I put all the chopped nuts in a ziplock bag and measure what I need as I make a batch. This saves time chopping the nuts each time I want to make this recipe. 
• This is my preferred granola recipe, regardless of whether I'm doing Paleo or not. It's so tasty!
• One batch is enough for several breakfasts, so I have granola all week to help with the busy mornings.  
• Also a create recipe to consider for a crowd or brunch event. 

Ingredients:

• 2 cups chopped almonds
• 2 cups chopped pecans
• 2 cups unsweetened flaked coconut
• 1/2 cup sunflower seeds
• 1 1/2 cups raisins
• 1/2 cup maple syrup
• 1 Tbsp vanilla
• 1 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
• 1 tsp ground ginger
• 1 tsp kosher salt
• 1/2 tsp pepper
• 1/2 tsp ground allspice
• 1/4 ground nutmeg
• 1/4 cup melted coconut oil

Preheat the oven to 325 degrees. Combine the almonds, pecans, coconut, seeds, and raisin into a large bowl and gently mix together. Then mix the remaining ingredients in a microwave proof bowl (or measuring cup), and microwave quickly for 15 seconds. Add the warm mixture to the nuts and thoroughly mix together.

Line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper, and gently press the granola onto the sheet. Make sure to press down to the rim of the baking sheet and compacting together. Bake for 25 - 30 minutes until golden brown and fragrant. Allow the granola to cool for 30 minutes before breaking apart into desired consistency. Store in an air tight container until ready for consumption.

Homemade Granola

Frustrating things about granola is that it is such a simple idea, yet so expensive if purchased from the store. On the other hand there are homemade recipes that call for several ingredients that are not common in the home and extremely expensive. So what to do? You want a healthy snack that doesn’t cost an arm and a leg. When following this recipe, I am able to find most of the ingredients in my home, and if not, they are a reasonable price at the store. The goal is to save money by not purchasing granola from the store, not to spend more.

Best part about this is it is healthy, but still makes your house smell like cookies.

Preheat the oven 300 degrees. Mix the oats, brown sugar, cinnamon, and salt into a mixing bowl. Remember you can always add more oats, but you can’t take them out. I like to start with 2.5 cups and gradually add the other ½ cup to get to the texture I like. Also I like my granola chunky, so I sometimes add fewer oats. 

Then add in the honey, vegetable, and vanilla to the bowl. I suggest mixing the vanilla in with the vegetable oil before adding to the oat mixture. That way it won’t soak into oats immediately and will be evenly mixed in. Some suggest mixing the honey, oil, and vanilla sir and then add to the bowl; however, I like to minimize the amount of times I transfer honey from bowls. A little gets left each time it is transferred to another bowl, so it is just best to immediately add to the oat mixture. 

 Once the wet ingredients are evenly mixed in with the oats, mix in the raisins and sliced almonds. Then spread the granola evenly on a baking sheet lined with parchment papers. Bake for 15 minutes, stir and cook until the granola is golden brown. Careful to not overcook as the granola might not be burnt, but the raisins might burn undetected and completely ruin the granola. Enjoy!

Ingredients:
3 cups of rolled oats – not instant
3 tbsp of light brown sugar
½ tsp ground cinnamon
¼ tsp kosher salt
1/3 cup honey
¼ cup vegetable oil
1 tsp vanilla extract
½ cup raisins
½ cup almond slices

Preheat the oven 300 degrees. Mix the oats, brown sugar, cinnamon, and salt into a mixing bowl. Then add in the honey, vegetable oil, and vanilla to the bowl. Once the wet ingredients are evenly mixed in with the oats, mix in the raisins and sliced almonds. Then spread the granola evenly on a baking sheet lined with parchment papers. Bake for 15 minutes, stir and cook until the granola is golden brown.

Gourmet Yogurt Parfait

We have all done it, go into the coffee shop and buy an outrageous amount for a healthy snack. It is not encouraging when a bagel is $1, but something that is actually good for us cost more than the coffee. I have been very busy and have begrudgingly handed over my credit card to purchase a healthy breakfast before, but I am declaring no more of this! I have found a recipe that takes no longer than 30 minutes, and makes all the healthy breakfasts you need for the week.

This recipe is simple and delicious, and what is even better about it is you don’t have to spend a single second preparing it in the morning. Literally the hardest thing about this recipe is not leaving it in the fridge before leaving home.

To start, add the berries, water, and lemon to the saucepan and bring to a simmer over medium heat. Once the mixture is warm add the sugar and whisk it in with the warm ingredients. Gently simmer for 5 minutes, and then add the thickening paste (the flour and water). Get your arm burning by constantly stirring the sauce until it is thick and slowly bubbling. Let the sauce cool while you prepare the containers.

Evenly divide the yogurt between 5 – 7 containers. This simply depends on how much you can eat in the morning. I typically do 5 containers and munch on my yogurt parfait throughout the morning. Then evenly drizzle the sauce over the yogurt. Because I am like a three year old, I throw a fit if my granola is soggy, so I typically keep that in a bag to add later, or place some saran between the sauce and granola.

It is as easy as that! Cover the container and place in the fridge until ready to be enjoyed!

5, 16 ounce containers or mason jars
Granola – see here for homemade recipe
24 ounce Greek yogurt

Sauce

• 2 cups of triple berry mix
• ½ cup of water – less if berries are frozen
• ¼ cup sugar or sugar substitute as honey
• 2 tbsp. lemon
• 1 tbsp of flour and 1 tbsp of water mixed together

Add the berries, water, and lemon to the saucepan and bring to a simmer over medium heat. Once the mixture is warm add the sugar. Gently simmer for 5 minutes, and then add the thickening paste. Constantly stir until the sauce is thick and slowly bubbling. Let the sauce cool while you prepare the containers.

Evenly divide the yogurt between 5 – 7 containers. Then evenly drizzle the sauce over the yogurt. Add granola to the top and use saran wrap to between the sauce and granola to keep the granola from getting soggy.