apple Archives - Pamela Salzman

Whole Grain and Almond Pulp Apple Quick Bread Recipe

I know not all of you are making your own almond milk and therefore aren’t desperate for almond pulp recipes. But believe it or not, it’s one of the most common SOS’s I receive in my email inbox. “More uses for almond pulp, please!” “I have a freezer full — HELP!” Believe me, I’m in the same boat since I make almond milk twice per week. And almonds are expensive, so it is nice to have several great ways to use the resulting pulp which might otherwise be thrown out. Or snuck into someone’s smoothie and at this point, my son is onto me. “Mom, did you put almonds in here again?!” Maaaaay-be.

I actually do have two recipes on the blog already which use almond pulp, a banana quick bread and pancakes. Both use almond pulp AND a whole grain flour. I haven’t not had excellent results with recipes that only use almond pulp. Unless of course I enjoy eating something that looks like tree bark. I like nutritious food, but even I have my limits. Adding a little flour is the way to go. Gluten-free flour blends with a little xanthan gum works, too.

The temperature outside may say one thing, but it is technically fall. So I am embracing the change in produce with an apple recipe. Everyone in my family loves apple anything, so I figured this was a safe bet. And it was devoured on the first day. Chunks of tender apples, cinnamon and spices and some little surprise nuggets of caramel-y dates all nestled in a moist bread. Perfect with a cup of tea or a turmeric latte. And if you’re not using almond pulp, I don’t want you to feel left out. I bet you can take my zucchini bread recipe and just adapt it with apples and the spices from this recipe.

What’s wonderful about using almond pulp though, is that it gives a nice protein boost to whatever you’re making. Normally I don’t like to give the kids muffins or quick breads for breakfast unless I can add a smidge of protein like nut butters or a side of yogurt. But the almond pulp changes everything. In fact, I offered some to Mr. Picky for breakfast a few weeks ago, on a school day mind you, and he said, “I can have just this? Without anything else? Really?” Munch, munch. And then he added,”Did you put protein in here??” Definitely onto me.

Whole Grain and Almond Pulp Apple Quick Bread Recipe

Pamela

5 from 2 votes

Print Recipe

Servings 8 ½ X 4 ½ -INCH LOAF

Ingredients

¼ cup unrefined coconut oil* melted plus additional for greasing pan
½ cup 100% pure maple syrup Grade A or Grade B
2 large eggs
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1 cup whole wheat pastry flour or whole spelt flour
¾ cup almond pulp from 1 cup soaked almonds used for almond milk
1 teaspoon baking soda
½ teaspoon aluminum-free baking powder
½ teaspoon fine grain sea salt
1 ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/8 teaspoon ground cloves
1 ½ cups diced peeled apple, about 1 large
½ cup chopped walnuts or pecans
½ cup pitted diced dates (or you can use raisins)

Instructions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Lightly grease an 8 ½ “ x 4 ½ “ loaf pan, or if aluminum, grease it and line it with parchment paper.
In a blender, process the oil, maple syrup, eggs and vanilla until combined. This helps to emulsify the oil and keeps your bread from being greasy.
In a mixing bowl, whisk together the flour, almond pulp, baking soda, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg and cloves. Stir the wet ingredients into the dry. Fold in the apple, walnuts, and dates. Pour into the prepared pan.
Bake for 50-60 minutes or until a tester inserted in the center comes out clean. Cool slightly, about 10 minutes. Remove from pan and cool completely.
You can also make these in standard muffin tins and bake for about 20—25 minutes. This will yield 12 muffins.
After one day, best stored in the refrigerator.

Notes

*I haven't tested it, but I'm sure olive oil would also work.

Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!

Brussels sprout sliders recipe

During the holidays, I find myself saying quite often, “Oh, what the heck. It’s the holidays,” as I add a handful of cheese or have an extra cookie. But the “holidays” aren’t just one day. They start around Halloween and stretch until New Years Day, at which point most people I know declare the beginning of their cleanse to redeem themselves for overindulging during the “holidays.” I have to be honest and say that I am a little more lax during the holidays with my eating and I’ve never too happy in January when my jeans aren’t too comfortable. This year I’m going to be a little more mindful and not use the holidays as an excuse to act like every night is my last supper!

My new favorite hors d’oeuvre is actually what motivated me to really try to find delicious recipes for the holidays that are also healthful. Not only am I crazy about these little Brussels sprout sliders, but they were such a hit at my house with my friends this year, as well as with my cooking classes this month. In fact, my friend Cheryl enjoyed them at my house for dinner one night and then asked my to bring the sliders to her house for a little get-together a few weeks later. Winner!

“Sliders” have been very popular the last few years at parties. They are basically mini-burgers. I’ve seen them as simple as a basic mini beef or turkey patty and bun all the way to topped with caramelized onions, gorgonzola and arugula. In this vegetarian and bread-less version, the sprouts are halved and roasted and become the “bun.” And then you can put whatever you want in between. Do you get it? Crazy good, and GOOD FOR YOU, TOO!

Before you think, “Oh, it’s the holidays. These aren’t indulgent enough,” I haven’t seen anyone stop at just one. They are super tasty and very satisfying. I usually stick to the following fillings (which happen to go into my favorite grilled cheese): thinly sliced gruyere, sauteed onions, coarse-grain mustard, and roasted apple. Sometimes I add them all, sometimes two or three. Of course, you can add richer fillings, such as cooked bacon or a piece of honey-baked ham as well.

Not a lot of time on your hands? Here’s what I would do:

slice the cheese up to a week ahead
saute the onions the day before and refrigerate
roast the sprouts several hours in advance and allow to sit at room temp
assemble the sliders a few hours in advance and warm through at 300 (or 350) for a few minutes

Since Brussels sprouts aren’t all the exact same size like store-bought hamburger buns, the key step here is to keep the sprout halves next to each other so that you don’t have to search around for the perfect match when you assemble. Trust me, this is a good idea!

I think this would be amazing to make as an hors d’oeuvre on Christmas Eve or Christmas Day. And they would be perfect for any cocktail party when you need something hearty and green to balance out all the cheese dips. But, if you are planning on these for a cocktail party, consider that they are individual bites, and take a little more time to assemble than a dip. So you don’t want to prepare a menu of too many items like this (=time-consuming.)

I hope you have the happiest of holidays, filled with joy, love, peace, light and nourishing, delicious food!

Brussels Sprout Sliders

Pamela

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Ingredients

6 Tablespoons unrefined cold-pressed extra-virgin olive oil, DIVIDED, plus extra for greasing baking sheet
1 large onion sliced thin
Sea salt to taste
20 medium Brussels sprouts trimmed of any dry edges (but don’t slice off the whole core)
Freshly ground black pepper to taste
2 Tablespoons whole grain mustard
Small block of gruyere cheese thinly sliced and cut the same size as a sprout
Other add-in possibilities: Roasted apple or pear chunks manchego cheese

Instructions

Warm 2 Tablespoons olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the onions and a sprinkle of salt. Saute, stirring frequently, until they become more golden in color, about 15-20 minutes. Lower the heat a little and continue to cook until they are tender.
Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Line a baking sheet with unbleached parchment paper and brush with olive oil.
Cut the Brussels sprouts in half from top to bottom, keeping the two halves close together. If you don’t, you will have to search for a pair that fits well together after they have roasted.
Drizzle with remaining olive oil. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Roast for 20 minutes, then turn the sprouts and bake 15-20 more minutes or until tender.
Take one half of a Brussels sprout, smear with mustard, add a piece of gruyere and a pinch of onions. Take the other half of the Brussels sprout and position it so the two sprouts are like the buns on a burger, with the cut sides facing each other, and secure with a toothpick. Serve at room temperature or warm on a baking sheet in a 325 degree oven for 10 to 15 minutes.

Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!

apple brussels sprouts gruyere mustard onions

Sweet potato-apple-ginger juice recipe

I have been in a bit of a juice rut lately, making the same ones over and over again. The bad news is that this boredom with my juice caused me to be less motivated to actually juice, and therefore I have been missing out on of the things that puts a spring in my step and makes me feel healthy. My typical juice consists of greens (romaine, spinach, kale, or parsley or a combo), celery, apple, carrot, ginger and/or fresh turmeric. Very good, but the same formula day in and day out was making me bored.

My friend and holistic nutritionist, Elissa Goodman, who is also a juicing queen, mentioned that she juices sweet potatoes. I honestly never considered juicing sweet potatoes. Roasting them and blending them into a smoothie is as close as I have come. But I was curious about how they would juice, so I went for it and was just pleased as punch. Sweet potatoes are JUICY!

It’s kind of like juicing a carrot, with a lovely mild sweetness. So I started playing around and created a new, very different juice, one more seasonal for fall. Sweet potatoes and apple go hand in hand, so I put those together. But I personally don’t care for overly sweet juices, so I added some celery to create some more liquid without sugar. And then I boosted the flavor some more with fresh ginger and a small nub of turmeric. The first time around I made the juice fairly spicy, which I loved, but the hubby thought was too gingery. The second time, it was total perfection.

The cinnamon is a really fun addition. You can add a pinch of ground cinnamon, but I don’t love the powderiness since it doesn’t dissolve. I had great results steeping a cinnamon stick in the juice. SO, so yummy.

I made a huge pitcher of this juice for a breakfast meeting and I served it over ice with a cinnamon stick in each glass. It was such a huge hit and I was so happy to share something so healthful. Everything in this juice is super anti-inflammatory, especially the sweet potatoes, ginger and turmeric. Sweet potatoes are also very rich in Vitamin C, E, B6 and Beta-carotene, which is amazing for your skin, eyes and hair.

I am going to keep playing with this base. I had a juice recently at Sage Organic Bistro in Culver City with grapefruit in it that was outstanding and I’m thinking it might work nicely here, too. I’m also considering making a huge batch for Thanksgiving and adding a drop of alcohol to make a fun cocktail.

I haven’t had a ton of experience working with different juicers, so I can’t make a good recommendation as to which to buy if you’re in the market for one. I have an Omega, which is very nice, but the feed tube is so small that it’s a little too much work cutting everything into small enough pieces. I have the Breville at our house in Park City and that is a breeze to use. There’s a lot of controversy about juicers that juice slowly versus fast and the vitamins being compromised, but as Kris Carr, the doyenne of juicing, says, “the best juicer is the one you’ll use.” Williams-Sonoma has a nice selection of juicers here if you’re thinking about buying one.

I’d love to hear what juicer you have and what you love or hate about it. I’d also be curious if you have a favorite fall juice. I’m motivated again!

Sweet Potato-Apple-Ginger Juice

Pamela

5 from 11 votes

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Ingredients

1 large sweet potato peeled (about 10-12 ounces) -- you don't have to peel the sweet potato, but the skin darkens the color of the juice
1 ” piece of fresh ginger or more if you like it spicy
4 ” piece of fresh turmeric if you can find it
1 medium apple or Fuyu persimmon
2 stalks celery
cinnamon stick

Instructions

Juice all ingredients except cinnamon stick. Be sure to juice the ginger and turmeric early on so you can flush out those juices with something high water like the celery.
Place the cinnamon stick in a glass and pour juice on top. Allow to steep for a few minutes or refrigerate the juice with the cinnamon stick until you want to consume it.
Always store juice in the smallest container possible with little or no air at the top so that the juice stays fresher for longer. Store up to 2 days in the refrigerator. Separation will occur, so shake before serving.

Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!

apple celery cinnamon ginger sweet potatoes turmeric

Shredded sweet potatoes and apple

Are you confused about the difference between a sweet potato and a yam? Yep, so is my local supermarket. In all fairness, I had to do a little research to get to the bottom of it, because I wasn’t sure myself. The names “sweet potato,” which is not at all related to a regular potato, and “yam” are used interchangeably in the US, but they both generally refer to sweet potatoes, no matter the color. Even the dark ones called yams are technically sweet potatoes. True yams are native to Africa and are a staple in tropical and subtropical countries. I have never actually seen one in our country, but here’s what you might find in your market if you live in the States:

Brown or red-skinned (often called called yams) — these have a soft orange flesh and sweet flavor. The varieties you will likely see are Garnet, Jewel, and Christmas Beauregard. Garnets are my favorites and what I used in these photos.
Beige-skinned — have a pale yellow flesh. Varieties include Nancy Hall and Juicy Yellow.
Purple skinned — I see these at my farmer’s market. They have a white flesh and the farmer calls them Japanese sweet potatoes. I don’t find the flesh to be quite as moist as the others mentioned above.

No matter what you call them, sweet potatoes are delicious and completely underrated. It baffles me that so many people look to sweet potatoes only at Thanksgiving. We eat them much more often in our house than regular potatoes and they are just as versatile. They are also way more nutritious — you probably don’t need me to tell you that. When you look at that deep orange flesh, you immediately think Beta-carotene, right? They are loaded with so many vitamins, minerals and fiber, but it’s the antioxidant profile that sweet potatoes are so rich in.

I could eat a plain roasted sweet potato any day of the week for breakfast, lunch or dinner and I make them that way as an easy side dish quite often. The down side of roasting whole sweet potatoes is that they take a good 50 minutes to cook. We don’t always have that kind of time. Here comes “Plan B Sweet Potatoes.” Is this starting to sound like my “Plan B Salmon” from last week? I actually shouldn’t call this Plan B, because this is my kids’ favorite sweet potato recipe and the ONLY way my husband enjoys them (Mr. Picky had to come from somewhere.) The sweet potatoes take on the flavor of apple without getting too sweet. I cook them long enough that they’re just tender with a little bite to them. Leaving the peel on would give you more fiber and nutrients, but my kids prefer the skin off so they don’t get random bites of peel. Last night we had this dish with some steamed whitefish and a green salad, but I think it’s even better suited to chicken, turkey or pork. Have you located the shredding disc of your food processor? I live for that thing. If you have it, this will be on the dinner table in 15 minutes tops.

Speaking of turkey, I’m starting the Thanksgiving countdown this Thursday, which is four weeks from the big day. We have lots to do to start preparing and getting organized, so tune in and I’ll get you through this with no stress. It might even be fun!

Shredded Sweet Potatoes and Apples

Pamela

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Servings

Ingredients

3 medium sweet potatoes such as Garnet or Jewel, peeled (about 2 pounds)
1 apple cut into fourths and cored (I love using a tart variety, such as Granny Smith)
3 tablespoons unsalted butter unrefined coconut oil or unrefined extra virgin olive oil
Sea salt and ground black pepper
½ cup water or apple juice
1-2 Tablespoons 100% pure maple syrup use less if you use juice

Instructions

Shred the sweet potatoes and apple in a food processor fitted with the grater attachment.
Melt the butter in a large skillet (if you don’t have a large one, do this in two batches. I used a 12-inch.) Add the shredded sweet potatoes and apple and season with sea salt (I use about ½ teaspoon) and black pepper to taste. Saute, stirring occasionally so that the mixture doesn’t stick, about 5 minutes.
Once the sweet potatoes don’t look so raw anymore, stir in the water/juice and maple syrup and bring to a simmer. Cook another 5 minutes or until sweet potatoes achieve desired tenderness. Taste for seasoning.

Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!

apple maple syrup sweet potato

Butternut squash, beet and apple skewers recipe

I used to struggle coming up with an hors d’oeuvre that was tasty, fresh and didn’t contain tons of dairy. Have you ever noticed the popular hors d’oeuvres that show up at every cocktail or dinner party – there’s the baked wedge of brie, the spinach and artichoke dip bubbling over with three cheeses AND sour cream, the cheese platter, the mini grilled cheeses and of course, the most sophisticated of all, The Caprese Skewer. Believe me, I’ve made more than my share of boconcini, basil and grape tomatoes on a toothpick, but people, it is no longer 1999! We have got to move on!

So I began thinking about why the Caprese Skewer is so ubiquitous. The Caprese salad is simple and delicious when showcasing perfect tomatoes, aromatic basil and fresh, creamy mozzarella. What could be better than having each of those flavors in one delightful bite? So why not extend the salad-as-skewer idea? What about a Greek Salad Skewer? Grape tomato, spinach or mint-wrapped feta, cucumber, and a pitted kalamata olive sprinkled with dried oregano and drizzled with lemon juice and olive oil. Hmmmm, I like it, but very summery.

It’s Fall, so I roasted butternut squash and apples with rosemary and skewered them together with red beets. Needs a little green. Take a piece of arugula or spinach and turn it around a piece of feta so that the feta doesn’t crumble when you skewer it. Then drizzle it all with a little balsamic and oil. Who wouldn’t want to eat that?? Don’t answer that.

I will forewarn you, there is a bit of prep involved. There’s chopping and roasting and skewering. Ah, I am seeing the lure of the ease of the old standby skewer, but these are so worth it. The colors alone will make your hors d’oeuvre stand out in a sea of cream and you will be a star!

Butternut Squash, Beet and Apple Skewers Recipe

Pamela Salzman

Seasonal vegetable skewers with butternut squash, beets, and apples. A great appetizer or side dish!

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 15

Cook Time 30

Total Time 45

Course Appetizer, Side Dish

Cuisine American

Servings skewers

Ingredients

½ medium butternut squash * peeled, seeded, and cut into ½ –inch cubes
2 large apples peeled, cored, and cut into ½ –inch cubes
Fine sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
2 teaspoons finely chopped fresh rosemary
3 medium beets roasted, peeled and cut into ½ -inch cubes
4 ounces arugula or baby spinach leaves washed and dried
1 package feta cut carefully into ½ –inch cubes(optional)
1 Tablespoon good quality balsamic vinegar
3 Tablespoons unrefined cold-pressed, extra- virgin olive oil

Instructions

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper.
Place the butternut squash cubes in a large bowl and drizzle with olive oil to coat. Transfer to prepared sheet pan and spread out in one layer. Season with sea salt, pepper, and half the rosemary.
Place the apple cubes in the same bowl and drizzle with olive oil to coat. Repeat the same procedure as the squash.
Place the sheet pans in the oven and roast squash for about 30 minutes, turning halfway, until tender and slightly caramelized. Roast apples until just tender, about 20 minutes. Remove from the oven and allow to cool slightly.
Whisk together the balsamic vinegar and olive oil.
Thread the squash, apple, beet and arugula or spinach on a small skewer or toothpick. If you decide to use feta, wrap the cube of feta with a leaf of arugula/spinach and skewer. Arrange on a serving plate and drizzle with the vinegar and oil.

Notes

*other ideas include parsnips, carrots, sweet potatoes.

Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!

apple beets butternut squash feta rosemary

Whole Grain and Almond Pulp Apple Quick Bread Recipe

Ingredients 1x2x3x

Instructions

Notes

Brussels Sprout Sliders

Ingredients

Instructions

Sweet Potato-Apple-Ginger Juice

Ingredients

Instructions

Shredded Sweet Potatoes and Apples

Ingredients 1x2x3x

Instructions

Butternut Squash, Beet and Apple Skewers Recipe

Ingredients 1x2x3x

Instructions

Notes

Ingredients

Ingredients

Ingredients