Curried Applesauce

Classic applesauce gets a twist with the addition of Indian spice. Serve as a condiment, eat as a snack, or use as a topping on coconut milk ice cream for a unique dessert.

Curried Applesauce

Curried Applesauce

10 medium-sized tart apples, such as McIntosh, cut into chunks
1 1/2 cups (360mL) apple cider
1 1/4 teaspoons (7mL) ground cardamom
3/4 teaspoon (4mL) ground ginger
3/4 teaspoon (4mL) garam masala
1/2 teaspoon (3mL) ground coriander
A few pinches fine sea or Himalayan salt

Put the apples, apple cider, cardamom, ginger, garam malsala, coriander, and salt in a large saucepan. Bring to bubbling on medium heat, then cook until the apples begin to soften, about 12 minutes.

Use an immersion blender to purée until smooth, or let cool slightly and transfer to a blender or a food processor to process or blend until smooth.

Adjust seasonings to taste. Serve warm, at room temperature, or cold. Flavors will meld as it sits.

Rosemary Roasted Brussels Sprouts, Sweet Potatoes, Apples, and Tofu

You can’t go wrong highlighting the flavors of fall in this easy dish. It works well as both a main course or side dish, depending on what you’re serving with it. For me, I love pairing it with some warm Maple-Kissed Cornbread from my first book and a quick kale skillet.

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Rosemary Roasted Brussels Sprouts, Sweet Potatoes, Apples, and Tofu

2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
2 tablespoons minced fresh rosemary
1 teaspoon packed finely grated orange zest
1 1/2 pounds Brussels sprouts, trimmed and cut in half
1 1/2 pounds sweet potatoes, cut into 1-inch cubes (about 2 medium)
1 pound (454g) extra-firm tofu, cut into 3/4-inch cubes
2 large sweet-tart baking apples, such as Mutsu, cut into 1 1/2-inch cubes
Fine sea or Himalayan salt
Freshly ground pepper

Preheat the oven to 450 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.

Put the olive oil, rosemary, and orange zest in a small bowl. Whisk well to combine. Add the Brussels sprouts, sweet potatoes, tofu, and apples. Gently toss to coat. Transfer the mixture to the prepared baking sheet in a single layer. Sprinkle with salt and pepper.

Bake for approximately 35 minutes, stirring twice, until the vegetables are tender and cooked through, and the tofu and vegetables are golden brown. Serve warm.

Liquid Apple Pie Smoothie

Bananas all too often make their way as the base of smoothies. Berries are a close second, along with mango. This version uses local apples as its base, then adds apple pie spices which makes breakfast taste like dessert (and you can’t taste the kale).

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Liquid Apple Pie Smoothie

1 medium sweet apple
1 large handful of chopped kale, just the leaves
6 to 10 fresh honey dates (see Notes)
1 heaping tablespoon (15 ml) roasted cashew butter
1/2 cup (120 ml) homemade unsweetened applesauce (see Notes)
1 teaspoon (5 ml) vanilla extract
3/4 teaspoon (3 ml) ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon (1 ml) ground ginger
1/4 teaspoon (1 ml) ground nutmeg
1/2 cup to 1 cup (120 ml to 240 ml) unsweetened plain or vanilla nondairy milk

Blend all ingredients together, adding nondairy milk to achieve desired consistency, until smooth. Serve cold.

Notes: You can add honey dates to the desired sweetness that you’d like. If you’re using sweetened applesauce or nondairy milk, you might want to omit them altogether.

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