Gluten Free Apple Crisp

This gluten free apple crisp is the perfect dessert for any summer day. Serve it with a scoop of vanilla ice cream, or a bit of whipped cream and it’s heavenly. It’s also simple to make – which is another reason I like it. Baking can be very picky, especially when it comes to gluten free. It’s not healthy, and I won’t claim it to be so, but not everything we eat has to be healthy. Sometimes we need a little bit of dessert, right?

Ingredients:
6 large apples, peeled, cored, and coarsely chopped (I used pink lady)
1/4 cup granulated sugar
3 tablespoons pure maple syrup
Juice of 1 lemon and 1/8 teaspoon of lemon zest
1 tablespoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

The topping
3/4 cup almond flour
3/4 cup gluten free old fashioned rolled oats
1/4 cup packed dark brown sugar
pinch of sea salt
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/3 cup melted butter
* 3-4 tablespoons chopped walnuts (optional but adds great crunch!)

Preheat the oven to 350F.

In a 9″ pan prepare the first set of ingredients together, and toss until the apples are fully coated in the sugar, cinnamon, and nutmeg.

In a medium sized bowl, mix the topping ingredients together and mix well with a spoon. (make sure to get any clumps out of the brown sugar). Cover the apples with the topping and place into the oven. Bake for 25-30 minutes, until the topping is starting to slightly brown.

Allow to cool a bit before serving.  Enjoy!

Oven Roasted Kielbasa and Potatoes with Cheese

This is a delicious and easy to make comfort dish. We ate a lot of kielbasa and potato type meals growing up (often with sourkraut) and it’s something I crave from time to time, so I made a spin off on that. It’s a 1 dish meal that you can toss in the oven and only need to check on once or twice while it’s cooking. There’s nights where that’s something I need! I ate some of the leftovers the next day with some eggs, and it fantastic then as well.

Ingredients:
14 oz polish kielbasa, sliced (other sausage of choice works as well)
2 lbs red potatoes, diced
1 green pepper, diced
1/2 small white onion, diced
2 garlic cloves, minced
3 tablespoons olive oil
1 tablespoon paprika
sea salt and fresh ground pepper, to taste
3/4 cup cheddar cheese, grated (add more if needed)

Preheat the oven to 375F. In a large baking dish lined with aluminum foil, place the sliced kielbasa, potatoes, green peppers, and onions – then toss them with the olive oil. Once they are evenly coated, add the spices stir well, then place into the oven. Bake for about 45 minutes, allowing the potatoes to brown, checking every 15 minutes and giving a bit of a stir. At the end of the 45 minutes, turn the oven off and cover with the cheese, set the pan back in the oven and allow the cheese to melt before serving.

Serves 3-4, enjoy!

Grape, Avocado, and Chopped Walnut Salad

Who doesn’t like a fresh and light summertime salad. This has fresh grapes, diced avocado, roasted walnuts, crumbled blue cheese, and a light vinaigrette. It’s perfect for an outside meal, or served along at a cookout.

Ingredients:
6 cups lightly packed mixed greens of choice
1 avocado, pitted, peeled and chopped
2 cups red seedless grapes, cut in half
1/4 cup walnuts, chopped and roasted
1/2 cup blue cheese, crumbled
1/4 cup red onion, diced

For the Vinaigrette:
1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil
2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
1 clove of garlic, minced
pinch of salt and ground black pepper, to taste

Start by roasting the walnuts. Place a skillet on the stove and turn it to medium high. While allowing it to warm up, you can start preparing the greens and other items.

Keep an eye while roasting the nuts, they can burn quickly and only take 5-10 minutes. They’ll start to brown and smell toasted when ready, stir frequently.

Slice the grapes in half, Dice the onion, chop the avocado and add it to a large bowl with the greens.

Mix all the items in the vinaigrette together. When the walnuts have cooled off a bit, add them and the blue cheese to the salad and carefully pour the vinaigrette on top.

Serves 3-4. Enjoy!