Cranberry Apple Pecan French Toast

Saute the apples

It was a little brisk out there this morning. I don't know why, but tasty aromas just smell different with a dip in air temperature.  Leaving yoga class this morning, I was overwhelmed by the need for some autumn flavors in my brunch. Inhaling the sweet and savory breakfast smells wafting from apartment windows and restaurants, I headed to my nearest market to pick up a few things to throw together. This time of year is so easy to convert classic dishes to a seasonal treat. With apples, pumpkins, cranberries, figs, pecans, concord grapes, walnuts, and spices a typical menu can make something basic into something really special.

Cook 3-4 minutes on each side

Today I decided to go with some French toast. Sometimes I use whole wheat challah, sliced thickly, for my French toast. Today, though, I was drawn to the 9-grain sliced loaf from The Baker. Adding some apple butter to the egg mix and doing a quick sauteed topping makes this classic breakfast a perfect cool weekend treat. I considered going with a pumpkin theme by using pureed pumpkin and spices with the egg mix, so if you are a pumpkin lover, that is a great variation to try. Use organic pastured butter to get your omega 3's!

Cranberry Apple Pecan French Toast

1 sliced Golden Delicous apple (with skin on, if organic)
2 T +1 T+ 3T organic unsalted butter, pastured if available
pinch of sea salt
dash of ground cinnamon
1/2 cup roughly chopped pecans
1/2 cup dried cranberries
another dash of sea salt and cinnamon
1 tsp or so of honey

3 large eggs
1/2-2/3 cup oat milk, rice milk, or other preferred milk (I used sunflower seed milk)
2 dashes of ground cinnamon
1/2 cup apple butter
10 slices whole grain bread

real maple syrup for serving


In a saute pan, cook the sliced apple with 2 T butter, dash of salt, and dash of cinnamon over low heat for 15 minutes or so or until apples are nice and tender and beginning to caramelize. Transfer to a bowl and cover to keep warm.

Melt another tablespoon butter in the pan and cook pecans and dried cranberries over medium-low heat with a pinch of cinnamon and a dash of sea salt for about 10 minutes, stirring often until fragrant and pecans are just toasted. Finish with honey, stir honey in, and transfer to bowl with apples. Mix nuts and fruit together and cover.

Wash and dry the pan. and Melt some butter over low. In a mixing bowl, whisk together eggs, milk, cinnamon, and apple butter. Raise heat in the pan to medium. Dip bread into egg mixture two slices at a time (or more if your pan is big), and cook for about 3-4 minutes per side.

Transfer to a warming plate and continue with remaining bread OR serve immediately by topping with apple cranberry pecan mixture and drizzling with real maple syrup. Enjoy with a hot cup of coffee or tea.

Celery Root

Celery Root is one of my favorite winter vegetables. Typically knobby, dirty, and a little hairy on the outside, this fragrant and sweet root vegetable is a culinary treasure on the inside. Treat it as a potato and mash it, roast it, or fry it. Treat it like regular old celery and chop to add a pungent twist to salads.

Here is a great salad recipe for a winter meal. It works great on greens or on its own. Crisp and naturally sweet, the apples and fennel are a nice counterpoint to the dense and fragrant celery root. The hazelnut vinaigrette is simple and aromatic. Love this salad and it will love you back.

Celery Root, Apple, and Fennel Salad
with Hazelnut Vinaigrette
adapted from a recipe found in Bon Appetit magazine
(The original recipe was very white in color. I added the chopped herbs for green, fresh flavor and toasted, chopped hazelnuts for crunch.)

SALAD
1 medium celery root, peeled and cut into matchstick strips
1 medium fennel bulb, halved lengthwise and thinly sliced
1 unpeeled Gala apple, cut into strips
2 T snipped chives or chopped parsley
Parmesan cheese shavings
½ cup chopped hazelnuts


HAZELNUT VINAIGRETTE
2 T Dijon mustard
2 T white wine vinegar
1 T fresh lemon juice
½ t sea salt
Minced garlic clove
Freshly ground black pepper
1/3 cup hazelnut oil


Toss together salad ingredients in a large bowl.

In a separate bowl, whisk together mustard, vinegar, lemon juice, salt, garlic, and pepper. Slowly drizzle in oil while whisking. Taste for seasoning and adjust.

Pour over salad ingredients just before serving and toss together well.

Apple Blueberry Coffee Cake Muffins

After a late night, I woke up this morning so hungry. With nothing much to eat in the house, I decided to use up a bowl of blueberries that were lying around and make something to welcome a sunny, but cold Saturday. I added a diced apple and the blueberries to a muffin recipe and voila! The moist fruit turned this healthy muffin recipe into a gooey, delicious coffee cake. The streusel topping was an afterthought, but really makes it.

Apple Blueberry Coffee Cake Muffins

1 apple
1 ½ c ww pastry flour or barley flour
½ c turbinado sugar
2 t baking powder
½ t baking soda

½ t sea salt
2 eggs (Egg-Replacer works)
2 c applesauce
2 t vanilla extract
1/3 c rice milk
2/3 c maple syrup

1 cup blueberries (fresh or frozen--I like fresh)

Streusel Ingredients:
1/4 cup flour
1/4 cup turbinado sugar
dash of cinnamon
3 T melted butter

Peel and core the apple. Cut it into a medium dice (about blueberry-size pieces).
Place in a pot with about 1/2 cup water and simmer until tender, about 10 minutes. Drain.

Oil about 16 muffin cups or line with paper muffin cups and preheat oven to 375 degrees. (I know it's weird, but that's just how the count turned out--You could just do 12 and make a small loaf instead)

Combine flour, turbinado sugar, baking powder, and baking soda in large mixing bowl.

In a smaller bowl, whisk together salt, eggs, applesauce, vanilla, rice milk, and maple syrup. Whisk until uniform. Add berries and apples.

Make a well and scrape into dry mix. Gently fold together until just blended. Spoon into muffin cups.

Combine streusel ingredients in a small bowl and combine with a fork. Mound it over the top of each muffin.

Bake for about 20 minutes, or until just firm in the center.