We went to a pick-your-own farm last weekend. It was pretty amazing. My husband asked me as we were picking giant spinach leaves why I didn't get the big leaves at the store...I wasn't sure how to explain that the stores apparently think baby spinach is better, mostly because I'm not sure why they think it is... Anyway, we got spinach, beets, and apples, lots and lots of apples!
I've got several apple recipes I've been wanting to try and even a beet recipe, but when I got home from work Monday night, the one I wanted was warm apple crisp with a fluffy whipped cream. I whipped it up in about a half an hour. It was great and is one of those desserts that could conceivably work as breakfast too. Very little sugar, loaded with nutrients and goodness. Also, I know I've already given you a recipe for some fantastic, stabilized whipped cream, but, believe it or not, I made it even better... :)
Apple Crisp with New and Improved Whipped Cream
makes about 8 good-sized servings; adapted from A Small Snippet
6 tart apples (I used Stayman), peeled, cored, and thinly sliced
2 tbs lemon juice
1 tbs apple juice or water (I used apple cider since we'd just gotten some from the farm)
2 scant tbs honey
2 tsp cinnamon
Topping
1 1/2 cups rolled oats
1/2 cup wheat germ
1/2 cup whole wheat flour
6 tbs butter, melted
1/2-3/4 cup almonds
1 tsp nutmeg
1/4 tsp salt
4-6 tbs honey
Preheat oven to 350*. Toss the apple slices with the honey, lemon juice, and cinnamon. Spread in the bottom of a 9x13" pan. I lined mine with foil, which made for super easy clean up!
Place the oats, germ, flour, almonds, salt, and nutmeg into a food processor. Pulse until well mixed. Melt the butter and honey together; add to the food processor mixture and pulse until combined. Sprinkle over the apple mixture. Bake for 25-30 minutes, or until nice and golden on top.
Meanwhile...
So, I loved my new stabilized whipped cream, but did not love the use of gelatin. Not only does it seem like kind of a waste of gelatin, since you don't use the whole pack, but as you can probably tell by now, I'm a big fan of real, whole foods, not synthetic manufactured food-like products. I had a theory at the time of trying the first whipped cream recipe that I could perhaps make a gel out of chia seeds to substitute for the gelatin. Oh buddy, am I a genius or what?! Not only does the chia gel substitute work, it works BETTER! It's both healthier AND stabilized my whipped cream for not one, not two, but going on THREE days! It might still be stable today - I can't tell you because I ate it last night... :)
Even awesomer honey whipped cream
1 cup heavy cream
2 tsp chia seeds
2 tsp water
honey
Grind the chia seeds into a dust with a spice grinder or coffee grinder. Mix with the water. Let sit for about 5 minutes or until a nice gel has formed. Whip your cream in a mixer, building up to high speed, until it thickens and just starts to form soft mounds. Add the chia/water mixture and honey. I think I added about 2 tsp; you can always taste and add more if it doesn't seem sweet enough for you. Mix on high until fluffy and whipped cream-like. Careful not to over do it! Stores in an air-tight container in the fridge for at least 2 days...probably more!
Apple Crisp with New and Improved Whipped Cream
makes about 8 good-sized servings; adapted from A Small Snippet
6 tart apples (I used Stayman), peeled, cored, and thinly sliced
2 tbs lemon juice
1 tbs apple juice or water (I used apple cider since we'd just gotten some from the farm)
2 scant tbs honey
2 tsp cinnamon
Topping
1 1/2 cups rolled oats
1/2 cup wheat germ
1/2 cup whole wheat flour
6 tbs butter, melted
1/2-3/4 cup almonds
1 tsp nutmeg
1/4 tsp salt
4-6 tbs honey
Preheat oven to 350*. Toss the apple slices with the honey, lemon juice, and cinnamon. Spread in the bottom of a 9x13" pan. I lined mine with foil, which made for super easy clean up!
Place the oats, germ, flour, almonds, salt, and nutmeg into a food processor. Pulse until well mixed. Melt the butter and honey together; add to the food processor mixture and pulse until combined. Sprinkle over the apple mixture. Bake for 25-30 minutes, or until nice and golden on top.
Meanwhile...
So, I loved my new stabilized whipped cream, but did not love the use of gelatin. Not only does it seem like kind of a waste of gelatin, since you don't use the whole pack, but as you can probably tell by now, I'm a big fan of real, whole foods, not synthetic manufactured food-like products. I had a theory at the time of trying the first whipped cream recipe that I could perhaps make a gel out of chia seeds to substitute for the gelatin. Oh buddy, am I a genius or what?! Not only does the chia gel substitute work, it works BETTER! It's both healthier AND stabilized my whipped cream for not one, not two, but going on THREE days! It might still be stable today - I can't tell you because I ate it last night... :)
Even awesomer honey whipped cream
1 cup heavy cream
2 tsp chia seeds
2 tsp water
honey
Grind the chia seeds into a dust with a spice grinder or coffee grinder. Mix with the water. Let sit for about 5 minutes or until a nice gel has formed. Whip your cream in a mixer, building up to high speed, until it thickens and just starts to form soft mounds. Add the chia/water mixture and honey. I think I added about 2 tsp; you can always taste and add more if it doesn't seem sweet enough for you. Mix on high until fluffy and whipped cream-like. Careful not to over do it! Stores in an air-tight container in the fridge for at least 2 days...probably more!