Arkansas Black, Honeycrisp, Gravenstein, Braeburn, Northern Spy, McIntosh, Gala, Empire, Winesap. It’s heaven for apple lovers this time of year.

The great thing about apples is that different varieties grow all over the country – from California to Kentucky. Mostly I just like to eat them, but they are great for desserts, too. Not up for baking a pie? Here’s an easy, healthful, baked apple dessert that’s special enough for company and perfect for Rosh Hashanah (next year anyway!):

Baked Apples Stuffed with Figs, Honey & Almonds

Serves 2

2 medium organic apples (your favorite local variety)
6-8 fresh or dried organic figs (any variety) depending on size
1/3 cup coarsely chopped organic raw almonds
3-4 tablespoons local honey (or to taste)

Core the apples, leaving them whole and unpeeled.

Chop the figs into 1/4 inch pieces and place in a small bowl. Add the almonds and honey to the figs and toss to combine. Set aside.

Place the apples in a small baking dish with about 1/2 inch of water in the bottom. Bake the apples in a preheated 425 degree oven for 20-25 minutes, or until they begin to soften. Remove the apples and, if the tops are cooked more that the bottoms, flip them. Stuff the fig mixture into the apples, piling to fit it in. Return the stuffed apples to the oven and continue to bake for an additional 10-15 minutes before serving.

Serve warm, plain or with a scoop of yogurt or vanilla ice cream.

Recipe Copyright 2009 Vanessa Barrington

Image: Muffet

The post Ecosalon Recipes: Seasonal Eating from the Farmers’ Market: Baked Apples Stuffed with Figs, Honey & Almonds appeared first on EcoSalon.

As much as I love crepes, pancakes and omelets, who has the time to chef away in the kitchen before work every morning? But just because you’re running short on time doesn’t mean you can’t savor a delicious organic breakfast and start the day off on the right foot.

Here are some quick and easy recipes.

Granola

In just an hour, you can make a tasty breakfast that will last for weeks to come. In a large bowl, mix a cup of organic honey and apple juice with 8 cups of oats and spread it out thinly on a cookie sheet. Cook it in the oven for 45 minutes at 350 degrees, let it cool completely, crumble your homemade granola and store it in an airtight container.

Oatmeal

If oatmeal sounds like a pretty bland meal, try this simple recipe. Boil 2 cups of water and a pinch of salt. Turn down the heat, add a cup of organic oats and stir until it absorbs the water. Mix in a tablespoon of flaxseeds, ¼ cup of chopped walnuts and dried cranberries, and ½ teaspoon of cinnamon. Shut the burner off, cover and wait 5 minutes. Stir in some molasses and soy milk to make this meal as good as gourmet.

Smoothie

Boost your early morning energy level with this scrumptious organic smoothie recipe. Pour a teaspoon of almond extract, a cup of firm light tofu, 2 scoops of soy protein powder, 3/4 cup of blueberries and a cup of vanilla soy milk into a blender and press the button. Trust me, it will turn out to be the best 5 minutes you spend all morning.

Cereal

Skip the processed, sugary boxed version and make your own. Mix a cup of unsweetened apple juice, 4 cups of applesauce, 2 cups of oats, a teaspoon of cinnamon, ¼ cup of almond slivers and ¾ cup of raisins, and refrigerate this tasty concoction overnight. The best part is that you can store it in the fridge and enjoy your homemade cereal all week long.

Yogurt

Measure a cup of organic yogurt, ¼ cup of granola and a cup of seasonal fruit of your choice, and layer these ingredients in a bowl. Now aren’t you glad you didn’t splurge on that fancy parfait?

Image: the bitten word

The post 5 Ecosalon Recipes: Easy Organic Breakfast Ideas for Mornings on the Go appeared first on EcoSalon.

This is the season for outdoor eating and impromptu get togethers. It’s also the season for stone fruit – peaches, apricots, plums, cherries, and nectarines.

Here’s a gorgeous dessert to take to a cook-out or barbecue. It’s quick and easy to put together, simple enough to showcase the fruit without overpowering it and the dough is easy to work with – even for those who are inexperienced with pie crust. The only secret to a flaky crust is to keep the ingredients as cold as possible and don’t mix the dough too much. Make this with whatever stone fruit looks best at the market. You can use one type or several.

You’ll need:

3 tablespoons yogurt
1/3 cup ice water
1 cup flour
1/4 cup cornmeal
1 teaspoon sugar, plus about 1 tablespoon additional for sprinkling on top
1/2 teaspoon salt
7 Tablespoons butter, cut into small pieces and chilled
About 2 large peaches or nectarines, or 4 to 5 plums, or many cherries, or a mixture (pitted and sliced)

To make:

Stir together yogurt and water and keep in the freezer while you mix the other ingredients.

Mix together flour, cornmeal, sugar, and salt. Add butter and work in quickly with a pastry blender, leaving some pieces of butter the size of small peas.

Sprinkle the ice water/yogurt mixture over the flour-butter mixture gradually, mixing it in with a fork. Be careful not to over mix. The dough can still be crumbly, but should stick together when pinched. You may not need to use all the yogurt-water mixture.

Gather the dough into a ball, wrap and refrigerate for two hours.

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. F.

Roll out dough to a quarter inch thickness and transfer to a baking sheet. Top the dough with sliced fruit, working in a spiral from the inside out, leaving a border of about 2 inches all along the edge of the dough. Fold the edges of the dough inward to encase the fruit, and sprinkle with sugar.

Bake at 400 degrees until the crust is brown and flaky and the fruit soft, bubbling and fragrant, about 15 to 20 minutes. Enjoy!

We recommend using local, organic ingredients whenever possible.

Image: bensonkua

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We’ve been talking about the health and environmental effects of our heavy reliance on soy in processed foods, in our diets, and for use in biofuels. But not all soy is bad. It has been enjoyed healthfully in moderation in Asian cuisines for a long time. Two weeks ago we provided a recipe for tofu lettuce wraps. Here’s another healthy take on soy – this time, miso.

Miso is a traditional soy product made by fermenting soybeans with a grain – usually rice or barley. It contains beneficial bacteria, making it good for the digestion. It is also very flavorful and salty and it has a variety of culinary applications. In Japan it is most often used to make miso soup and to pickle vegetables. I like to whisk together a quick dressing with miso and use it in a variety of dishes.

This dressing is fantastic on a plain green or spinach salad. Try adding caramelized nuts and orange segments.

Miso-Sesame Dressing
Makes about 1/3 cup

Ingredients:
1 garlic clove, peeled and finely chopped
1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon red or white miso
2 tablespoons rice vinegar
2 teaspoons mirin (Japanese cooking wine)
1 teaspoon toasted sesame oil
A couple shakes of your favorite Asian chili sauce

To make:
Whisk together all the ingredients and use or refrigerate. Will keep for 1 to 2 weeks in the refrigerator.

Here are a few other ideas to get you started cooking with miso:

– Drizzle over steamed asparagus
– Drizzle over steamed, grilled or baked fish
– Make a salad with cabbage, tofu, sprouts, mushrooms, and carrots
– Make a salad with leafy greens, canned wild salmon, avocado and steamed potatoes
– Toss warm grains like barley or quinoa with miso dressing and add steamed kale, seaweed, and other vegetables
– Toss rice or soba noodles with tofu or seafood, green onions, and seaweed
– Marinate fish in the dressing before baking or grilling

Image: dizznbonn

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