For my readers who have been around since the beginning: can you tell I’m not as into apples as I used to be?
I used to love them so much. They were the first “health food” I hooked myself on when I started weaning myself off processed foods. I would honestly eat two or three apples a day to keep myself from eating crap like Doritos or ice cream. When I started buying organic food, apples and bananas were pretty much the only produce I could afford. When I fell in love with peanut butter, I would eat sliced apple with peanut butter every afternoon when I came home from my last class of the day during my junior and senior year in college.
You can see that obsession in my early recipes. So. Many. Apples. I’m not sure when it happened, but during my year in Newark, the love affair ended. I started having stomach issues (mainly bloating) after eating apples, and I found bananas and oranges to be less abrasive. The apple recipes faded away.
If I’m being honest, for the past two years, I only use apples to add some variety to my recipes. I know you will like them, so I throw an apple recipe in every now and then. The same was true of this one. I felt obligated to have an apple recipe now that it’s autumn (and New York has SO many local apples at the market).
You know what? This was stellar. I adore my quick homemade applesauce, and parfait-style is a satisfying way to enjoy an apple in oatmeal. DELICIOUS.
What you'll need:
- 3/4 cup milk of choice, or water
- 1/4 cup quick-cook steel cut oats (I use Country Choice Organic)
- 2 tsp caramel agave syrup (or maple syrup)
- 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
- pinch of salt
- 1 apple
How to make it:
- Bring milk (I use 1/2 c almond milk and 1/4 c water) to a boil, add oats, and reduce heat to medium. (If you'd like to add a teaspoon of flax or chia seeds, do so now.)
- Once more of the liquid has absorbed, stir in vanilla extract and caramel syrup, and salt.
- Cut apple into chunks and place in a microwave-safe container with a lid. Add a splash of liquid (either water or lemon/orange juice). Cover and microwave for 4 minutes.
- Mash steamed apple pieces with a fork. If it's too hard, microwave for another 90 seconds and mash again. Optional: add a dash of cinnamon.
- In a glass, bowl, or parfait dish, alternate layers of caramel oatmeal and applesauce. Serve!
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