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Tag: walnuts

Apple Crisp- Easy Fall Dessert

I am in the holiday/fall mood and all I want to do is cook with all the ingredients that remind me of cold weather. Apples is one of those ingredients that makes me think of  cosy evenings in my house with a cup of hot apple cider or eating a delicious hot apple crisp with some ice cream.

I made this last weekend for a dinner at a friend’s house. I used my favorite apples- honey crisp but any kind of apples can be used-whatever you like.

I used a very typical crisp topping including flour- I used my usual white whole wheat flour and oats. I paired it with walnuts and cinnamon- and butter, of course. You can’t really go wrong with any of these ingredients.

The apples are mixed with orange and lemon zests giving the filling a wonderful citrusy, fresh taste. Everyone enjoyed the dessert. I served it with pumpkin gelato- which I made a few days ago. It came out really well- if I do say so myself.

The whole combination was a very successful one. This is another great idea for Thanksgiving. I will post the gelato recipe soon.

  • 2 pounds variety of apples (about 4 – 5 medium), cut into 2 inch pieces
  • Zest and juice of one lemon
  • Zest and juice of one orange
  • 1/3 cup turbinado sugar
  • 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • ½ teaspoon ground nutmeg
  • ½ teaspoon ground cloves

Mix all the ingredients in a medium sized baking dish. An 8 X 8 square or an oval shaped will be fine.

Topping

  • 1 cup white whole wheat flour
  • 1/3 cup turbinado sugar
  • 1/3 cup brown sugar
  • 6 tablespoons unsalted butter
  • 1 teaspoon cinnamon
  • 1 cup toasted and chopped walnuts
  • ½ cup toasted oats

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

In the bowl of a mixer, add the flour, sugars, and butter. Using the paddle attachment, incorporate the butter into the dry ingredients until the mixture looks mealy or crumbly. Stir in the oats and nuts.
Distribute the topping over the apples. Bake for an hour, or until the topping is golden brown and fruit is bubbling. Cool slightly and serve warm.

Apple Crisp 1

Homemade Chocolate Granola- Perfect Holiday Gift

  • 3 cups old fashioned oats
  • ½ cup flaxseed meal
  • ½ cup wheat germ
  • ½ cup oat bran
  • ¾ cup sweetened shredded coconut
  • ½ cup sliced raw almonds
  • 1 cup chopped walnuts
  • 1½ cups mixed dried blueberries, cranberries, cherries, etc
  • 8 ounces semi-sweet chocolate chips
  • ¾ cup extra light olive oil
  • 1 cup honey
  • ¼ cup maple syrup
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • 2 teaspoons cinnamon
  • 2 teaspoons vanilla extract

Preheat the oven to 325 degrees.

In a large mixing bowl add the oats, flaxseed meal, wheat germ, oat bran, coconut, almonds, walnuts and the dried fruit.

In a large measuring cup, add the olive oil, honey, maple syrup, salt, cinnamon and vanilla extract. Heat in the microwave for a minute to liquefy the mixture and mix well.
Add the liquid into the dry ingredients and mix well with a wooden spoon.

On a large lined cookie sheet or two small cookie sheets, spread the granola mixture, smoothing the surface evenly.
Bake for 20 minutes. Take out of the oven and separate with a fork while the mixture is still warm. Once the mixture cools off, add the chocolate chips. If you want the chocolate to melt all into the granola, add the chips while the mixture is still warm.
Eat with milk, coffee or on its own.

Granola1

Roasted Brussels Sprouts with Basil Cream

Roasted Brussel Sprouts with Basil Cream Okay, how many of you don’t like brussels sprouts? I know a lot of people who don’t and are not willing to try them. I personally love them and think that if you don’t like them- it means you haven’t eaten the right dish.

This is the dish you need to try if you are not a fan of brussels sprouts.

We cook them for Thanksgiving every year. I like them a lot and always wonder why I don’t make them more often.

This recipe I came up with, is similar to what we have been eating on Thanksgiving for a few years now. We come up with a new menu every year but end up making the same brussels sprouts.

I wasn’t able to find the exact recipe so I came up with this dish from my memory. It is very simple to make and it can be done in two steps- making it easy for the big meal. I first roasted them- it takes all of 20 minutes to do.

I then made a mixture of garlic, pancetta, walnuts and cream. I cooked the sauce for a few minutes and then added the roasted brussels sprouts. At the very end, right before serving- I sprinkled fresh basil.

This will be the best brussels sprout dish you will ever have- really, I mean it. Please try it, even if they are not your favorite.

  • 1 pound brussels sprouts, cut in half if they are large and the first layer taken off
  • 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
  • Salt
  • Pepper

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Will serve 4 people. Recipe can be doubled.

Place the brussel sprouts on a lined cookie sheet. Drizzle the olive oil, salt and pepper. Mix well with fingers and roast till the sprouts are golden brown and soft- about 20 minutes. At this point, they can be taken out and cooled off and refrigerated up to overnight. The next steps can be done the next day right before serving.

  • 1/3 cup diced pancetta
  • 2 teaspoons extra virgin olive oil
  • 2 cloves garlic, minced
  • ½ cup chopped walnuts
  • ½ cup cream
  • 1 cup basil chopped

In a large frying pan, heat the pancetta and add the olive oil. Saute for 2-3 minutes on medium high heat. Add the walnuts and garlic and continue to sauté for another 2-3 minutes. Add the cream and the brussel sprouts and mix well. Saute on medium heat for 2-3 minutes and add the chopped basil- right before serving.

Guilt Free Banana Chocolate Bread

Guilt Free Banana Bread This is a delicious recipe for people who are careful about carbs or for those who are allergic. I have to give credit to a wonderful site, http://comfybelly.com/. I got inspiration from a banana bread recipe from this site. I tweaked it a bit and came up with this yummy bread- do try it, it is very easy to put together…
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Roast Brussel Sprouts and Haricot Vert

Roasted Brussels Sprouts with Haricot Vert I served this with the salmon. I am not sure if brussel sprouts are still around, but if you can find them- they are delicious with the green beans. I added walnuts and cranberries to the mix and came up with a delicious recipe.
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Pomegranate and Walnut Chicken

Pomegranate and Walnut Chicken This was a delicious dish. My husband and I used to order a chicken dish made with pomegranates at an Afghani restaurant years ago. The placed closed down a while ago and I have not eaten that delicious dish for a long time.

I have had pomegranate glaze in my pantry for a long time. I had bought it a couple of years ago from Trader Joes (they had it briefly and don’t anymore). I did some extensive research on the internet and came up with my own version. The two main flavors are the walnuts and the pomegranate glaze. I marinated the chicken in ginger and garlic. In the meantime I made a gravy with onion, and lots of aromatic spices including cinnamon.

The dish has a very distinct taste- really delicious. Serve the chicken with some aromatic basmati rice or freshly made rotis.
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Cherry and Walnut Couscous Served with Lamb Chops

Cherry and Walnut Coucous This is one of those meals that look really complicated but are super easy to make. One of the things I did with this particular dish- I bought the lamb chops frozen and already marinated. I usually never buy prepared proteins but these lamb chops are amazing and they are from my favorite store- Trader Joes.

I always have some on hand in the freezer. They are great to take out when you don’t have any plans for dinner and don’t have a lot of time. I served the chops with couscous. I always have whole-wheat couscous in my pantry. I cooked some with chicken broth and I added walnuts and dried cherries to it. I thought of serving a salad with the meal but then I decided to just add some lemon juice, olive oil and salt to mixed greens and placed them on top of the chops.

The meal was great to look at and best of all- it tasted delicious. The greatest thing about the meal was that it took almost no time to prepare…. definitely make this meal- it will be part of your repertoire.
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