Harvest Time Stove Top Apple Butter

    Thanksgiving has come and gone. I hope you all had a wonderful day! Some people might go from Thanksgiving straight to Christmas, but my mind is still on 'Fall' mode, so that means more fall recipes! Apples are just one of the many wonderful foods that are popular during the fall months, and I love to use them as often as I can!

     I have always loved apple butter! Its delicious, full of warm flavors and also really easy to make! A lot of recipes are made for the crockpot, but not everyone has a crock pot, so I wanted to make a recipe that everyone could use! With just a few simple ingredients, you can turn delicious apples into terrific apple butter!

     We ordered 2 bushels of apples a few weeks ago, and we've been eating a lot of them, but we can possibly eat both bushels before they go bad, so I had to do something with them! I made apple butter with a few and I hope to make apple sauce and apple-pie filling soon!

Ingredients:

7-8 Large Apples, peeled and chopped into small pieces

1 cup Apple Cider

3/4 cup Sugar of Choice
 
2 tsp Cinnamon

2 tsp Allspice

Pinch of Salt

1/2 tsp Vanilla

2 TBS Lemon Juice


Once you have peeled and chopped your apples, add them to a pot on the stove along with the apple cider. Turn it on to medium/high.

Bring it to a boil and then reduce to a simmer for 20 minutes. Make sure to stir every few minutes to keep it from sticking and burning.

Once the 20 minutes are up, add in the sugar, spices, salt, vanilla and lemon juice.

Bring the mixture back up to a boil and then reduce the heat back to a simmer. Cook at a simmer for 30 minutes, making sure to stir often.

Turn the heat off and taste the mixture to make sure the flavors are to your liking. You might want to add more cinnamon, vanilla or allspice! Transfer to a blender or use an emulsion blender to puree the mixture to your desired texture.

 

 Once you have it blender, add it back into the pot at medium/low heat.

Cook for around 10 minutes, stirring almost constantly to keep from sticking. Then, turn the heat off and allow the mixture to cool. Transfer to an air-tight container or Ziploc back or eat it right away! You can keep it in the fridge for a week or two, or in the freezer for several months!

 

     As I was making this batch of apple butter, I was also making homemade bread! You can imagine how good our kitchen smelled! There is nothing better than homemade apple butter on fresh homemade bread!

 

 

    This apple butter is delicious on homemade bread, biscuits, muffins, oatmeal, pancakes, waffles, French toast and so much more! It can be enjoyed warm or cold and is terrific by the spoonful!

     I really hope you try this recipe out and that you like it as much as I do! Apple butter has always been a favorite of mine and I am so excited to have made some for myself and with my own recipe! If you love it too, please share this recipe with your friends and family so everyone can make homemade apple butter!

 

Please share my blog with your friends and family to spread the love of a healthy lifestyle and help others become the healthiest version of themselves!

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Happy Holidays!

Hannah

Fall Inspired Vegan Recipes

     Fall is here! I love fall so much :) The weather here is slowly beginning to cool off, and it is getting darker earlier as well! We are slowly breaking out the sweaters and cozy blankets and praying that it doesn't decide to warm up again!

     Fall comes with its own set of flavors, from pumpkin, cinnamon, and nutmeg to caramel and apple .. the list could go on and on! With these delicious flavors, you can make a million different recipes that are 'fall inspired' to get you in the mood for the season! I have many recipes here on my blog that I have shared with you in honor of my favorite season-Fall! In case you've missed some, or you need a refresher, I am going to share them with you again!

 

Okay! Lets get into it! I am sharing the links to the recipes, so feel free to click over to them for the recipe and step-by-step instructions!

 

 

Meatless Monday Chili has to be first on my list! We make chili all the time during the colder months and this is a great vegan, oil free, and delicious recipe!

Pumpkin Muffin Tops are of course a must have for the fall months! Pumpkin and cinnamon make these muffin tops the perfect fall snack or even breakfast! For a completely vegan option, sub in maple syrup for the honey!

Sweet Potato Pumpkin Faces are a great and fun way to make your meals more festive! These are also great for little kiddos to help them eat their veggies! Perfect as a side item or a delicious snack!

Healthy Homemade Bread is a staple recipe to have anytime of the year, but especially in the fall and winter months! There is nothing better when its chilly outside than a warm slice of bread with jam, pumpkin or apple butter or dipped in some soup!

 

This Sweet Potato Casserole is on of the best I've ever had(not to brag or anything)! Its super creamy even though there is no butter or milk in it! Its great for the Thanksgiving table!

 

Harvest Salad is a delicious, healthy, and flavorful dish that is perfect for lunches, dinners and the Thanksgiving table! Its great warm or cold, so it does wonderfully in packed lunches!

 

 

Gingerbread Cookies are a delicious treat to make in the fall months! They are packed full of fall flavors and are perfect with  cup of coffee! For the vegan version, sub maple syrup for honey and vegan cream cheese for regular cream cheese!

These are just a handful of the fall inspired recipes that I have here on my blog! Hopefully you enjoy these recipes and they get you in the festive, fall mood! Each one of these recipes contain delicious fall flavors, healthy nutrients and are all really easy to make! Delicious food can still be healthy, even during the holidays!

Please share these recipes and my blog with your friends and family to help everyone live a healthier lifestyle!

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H. Banana

Healthy Homemade Bread

I love bread! I love all kinds of bread, but my favorite is the kind with a crunchy crust and soft insides! Whenever we make bread at home, it fills the house with a lovely smell, and I just can't wait for it to come out of the oven!
    Fall is here and we are already having some cooler weather, which has put me in the mood for some delicious homemade bread!

    This bread recipe is super simple, easy to make, and super healthy! I don't use any oil in making my bread, so its pretty much fat-free, and you can choose whether you add a sweetner or not to make it sugar-free!

     Another thing I love about making bread at home is that you can add whatever you want to it! I added herbs and oats to my bread today, but there are a million other things you can add! Here are a few of my favorites!

     Cinnamon and Maple Syrup

     Cinnamon and Raisins

     Pumpkin Seeds, Sunflower Seeds and Cracked Wheat

     Herbs and Sundried Tomatoes


Ingredients:

1 cup Warm Water

2 tbs Dry Active Yeast

3 tbs Sweetener (optional)(I used Organic Raw Sugar here, but I also love to use Maple Syrup, or you can use Agave, Honey, or any other form of sweetner you like! )

2 cups Flour (I like to use a 1/2 and 1/2 ratio of whole wheat and white flour, but you can do all one or the other as well!)

2 tsp Salt

Flavoring of Choice (Here I used 1/3 cup crushed oats and 2 tbs of herbs)

     Start by adding your water, yeast and sugar to you mixing bowl. I suggest using a electric mixer for this! Mix your yeast and sugar into the water for a few seconds and then let it rest for a minute or two.

     Then, add in the flour, salt and flavorings. Make sure not to put the salt directly into the yeast mixture or it will kill the yeast. Once its mixed with the flour, its fine!

 

     Mix together until a dough ball has formed and the bowl of your mixer is fairly clean. You may need to add in extra flour.

 

     Knead the dough for 10 minutes in your mixer or 15 minutes by hand. Keep and eye on it, you might need more flour during the kneading process.

 

     After you have kneaded your dough, for it into a ball and allow it to rise for 30-35 minutes, or until it has doubled in size. It will rise better in a warm place, covered with a tea towel.

     Once it has risen, it's time to form your loaves. You can use bread pans, muffin tins, or do free-form as I did. I did two differnt loaves, one with herbs and oats and one with just oats. Make whatever shape you like, just remember they are going to rise again.

     Place themon a floured baking sheet or greased bread/muffin pan in your oven with the temps. set at the lowest setting. Mine goes down to 170 F. Let the bread rise for 25-30 minutes.

     If you want, you can take a sharp knife and gently make slices across the top, for a rustic look! Bake at 350 F for 24-30 minutes, or until the top goes golden brown and the bread comes off the pan easily.

     Allow them to cool for at least 15 minutes before slicing and enjoying! Your house should smell amazing and you should feel all warm and cozy!

     I sliced mine for supper and ate it along with some delicious vegetable soup! It was the perfect fall supper!

     How ever you choose to enjoy your bread, and what ever you like to put in your bread, I know that you will love this recipe just as much as I do! I love the simplicity of the recipe and the deliciousness of the bread! I just know that, once you make it, you won't go back to store bought ever again! :)

     If you enjoyed this recipe, please share it with your friends and family memebers!

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H. Banana

Boost Your Immune System

     Fall is approching and with it comes cooler weather, leaves changing color and shorter days. I love Fall and I look forward to it all year long! But, Fall and Winter are usually the time when people get sick the most! The cold and flu seem to be every where and it never fails that my family and I get sick at least once (usually more than that) a season!
    

     Being sick doesn't have to become your reality! With just a few simple tips and facts, you can boost your immune system and stay well all year long! Instead of having a running nose, headache, cough or sore throat, you can enjoy all the lovely things Fall has to offer!

What Causes a Weak Immune System?

     There are many things that can lead to having a weak immune system, but there are a few basic culprits.
      Sugar competes with Vitamin C, which is good for the immune system. If you are consuming alot of sugar, than that can lead to a weaker immune system.

     Fatty Foods or having high cholesterol levels makes your immune cells lazy and inactive.

     Alcohol causes your immune cells to become disorientated and confused so they can't do their job!

     Lack of Sleep lowers your immune function. Your body needs at least 7 hours of sleep to maintain healthy immune functions.

    Other things like Under Eating, Stress, and Smoking can lead to having a weak immune system. If you have a weak immune system, you are going to get sick more often and alot easier!

     No one likes to be sick, and learning how to boost and strengthen your immune system will help you stay well and healthy all year long!

How Do You Boost Your Immune System?

     Simply staying healthy is one sure way to have a healthy immune system! There are a few specific ways to strengthen your immune system,and adding these things to your life can insure that your immune system is in tip-top shape!

Green Tea is richin many chemicals that have been shown to have health protective properties called phytochemicals! Drinking a cup or two a day can aid in boosting your immune system!

Echinacea is an herb known to aid the body in its fight against the cold and flu. Supplements of echinacea helps support the immune system and maintain the body's resistance to disease.

Eating your vegetables is very helpful in maintaining and boosting your immune system. One serving of vegetables contain over a hundred differnt phytochemicals!

Exercise has also been shown to help boost your immune system. Be careful, though, doing too much can tire your body out and make your immune system weak! Swimming, walking, running or biking for half and hour a day can be very beneficial in supporting a healthy immune system.

Medatation has been shown to boost energy levels and help the body cope with the stresses of the world around it. It is incorporated into cancer patient programmes in Germany and helps with the recovery process.

     These are just a few of the many ways to boost your immune system. Using these tips will help you strengthen and boost your immune system, so that you can stay healthy and well this Fall and Winter as well as the rest of the year!

     Taking care of your body not only helps you stay well and healthy, but also helps the people around you too! If you aren't sick, then you can't get anyone else sick! Having a healthy immune system is the key to not getting sick, even if the cold and flu are 'going around'!

I hope these tips help you stay well this Fall and Winter! Share them with your friends and family members to help them stay well too! Share this post so that more people can learn how to become the healthiet verison of themselves!

I post every Friday! Follow the blog via email, Google or social media so that you never miss a post!

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H. Banana

Amazing Apple Chips

    Apples are great for so many fall inspired recipes, crafts, and snacks! We ordered two boxes of apples a few weeks ago, and ever since I've been eating apples everyday! We've made apple crisp, cobblers, pancake toppings, and baked apples and they've all been delicious! But, most of those things aren't super healthy, so I wanted to try out a healthy recipe and use some of our apples!

    We have made apple chips in a dehydrator before, but not everyone has a dehydrator, and I wanted to make this recipe easy for everyone! These are super easy, super delicious, and such a perfect snack for just about anytime! We ate them all in about a day and a half, they were that good! 

     What I love about this recipe is how healthy and delicious it is! The chips are still so sweet and apple-y even though you don't add any sugar! Also, this recipe is vegetarian, vegan, and oil free,  so what is not to love about them?

Ingredients:
4 Large Apples
Lemon Juice
Cinnamon ( or any other seasonings you like!)

Preheat you oven to 200 F. Wash and dry your apples.

Using a sharp knife, mandolin slicer, or food processor, slice you apples as thinly as  you can. Be careful if using a knife or mandolin, you don't want to lose any fingers! :)

Then use a small knife, or little cookie cutter to cut out the center part with the seeds. I used some cute fall themed cookie cutters, and I love how they turned out!

 

Aren't they just adorable? I love the different shapes from the cookie cutters!

 

 

    Next, add your apple slices to a bowl and splash on them lemon juice. Make sure to coat each slice. This keeps them fresh-tasting and helps them not turn brown. Then lay the slices on a baking sheets lined with parchment paper or tin-foil. Make sure none of the slices are touching, because they will stick together after baking.  Sprinkle with cinnamon to desired flavor!

     I honestly would be happy eating just this, but lets continue and make these apple slices into apple chips! Place the pans in the oven for 1 hour. Then carefully flip each slice over and bake for another hour. Depending on how thin your slices were, you might need some extra time. I baked mine for a total of 2 hours and 35 minutes, and some of my slices were fairly thick.

   The house smelled so good while these were baking! Let them cool a bit. They will crisp up a bit as they cool too! Place them in an air tight container, if you don't eat them all first! :)

     These are so good! I will be making these again very soon, and I want to experiment with the seasonings a little bit! I am thinking nutmeg, ginger, or even go savory with curry powder or paprika!

     Fall is such a great time to make recipes using apples, and I really hope you try this one out! Apples are such a beautiful fall fruit, and I want to use them as much as possible right now! These apple chips are a perfect healthy snack for on the go, or whenever you want to reach for those oily potato chips!

     I really hope you give this recipe a try, and share it with your friends and family! Please share my blog with your friends and family to spread the love of a healthy lifestyle!

Stay up-to-date on the blog by following via email, Google, Twitter @SpinachisGood, Tumblr @ justrunningforfood, and on Pinterest @ Hannah Plunkett.

New post every Friday!

Keep Healthy and Safe!
H. Banana

Pumpkin Muffin Tops!

These are the kind of muffin tops that you do want! :) They are healthy, soft, pumpkin-y, spiced, and delicious! Also, they can be made completely Vegan!

 

   Fall is officially here, and with it comes pumpkin flavored everything! Most of the popular Fall treats aren't that great for you, but thankfully there are some great healthy choices too! These muffin tops are the perfect example, since they are both healthy and plenty pumpkin-y to satisfy your fall cravings and keep you feeling great at the same time!

   I am calling these muffin tops because I baked them in a ( leaf and pumpkin shaped) whoopee pie pan, so they are a bit thinner than muffins. I love the way they turned out! Beautiful fall shapes, super moist and soft, and a great serving size to help you not over eat!

Ingredients:

1 1/2 cup Whole Wheat Flour
2-3 tsp Pumpkin Pie Spice or Cinnamon
1 tsp Baking Soda
3 Tbsp Ground Flaxseeds
8 Tbsp Water
1/2 cup Coconut Oil- room tempt.
1/2 cup Honey(or Maple Syrup if you want to keep this completely Vegan)
1/2 tsp Vanilla
1 cup Canned Pumpkin
1/4 tsp Salt

First, we need to make our Flax Eggs! We aren't using eggs in the recipe, so that it can be Vegan( if you use the maple syrup)! If you've never made a flax egg, don't be scared of them! They are super simple!

Add your ground flax to a bowl and add in the water. Stir well- you'll notice it go really thick. Leave it to the side while we get on with the recipe.

Add the flour, pie spice( or cinnamon), baking soda, and salt to a bowl and stir to combine. Then add in the rest of the ingredients, including the flax egg.

 

Stir well, making sure to mix the flax egg in well. Then, grease a pan and spoon in your batter. If you don't have a whoopee pie pan, you can use mini muffin tins, regular muffin tins or a 8x8 baking pan.

I wanted to use my whoopee pie pan because of the fall shapes! :)

 

Make sure to press the batter into all the little corners. I like to give the pan a little tap on the counter to help it settle.
Bake at 350 F for 10-12 minutes for the whoopee pan and mini muffin tins. For the regular muffins or 8x8 baking pan, 12-15 minutes. To check that they're done, just stick a tooth pick in the center. If it comes out clean, they are done! Also, they will smell really good!

 

Let them cool for 5-6 minutes before removing them from the pan.

Eat them fresh from the oven, or store them in an air tight container for a few day- but I doubt they last that long! I love how festive, delicious, pumpkin-y, healthy, and cute these little muffin tops are!

I enjoyed my(1st) tasting with a warm cup of coffee and a good book! They are the perfect afternoon snack, dessert, and they are even healthy enough to have for breakfast!

I really hope you try these delicious and healthy fall treats! If you like them, please share this post with a friend and family member to help them celebrate fall on the healthy side!

Please follow the blog via email, Google, Twitter @ SpinachisGood, Pinterest @ Hannah Plunkett, and now on Tumblr @ Justrunningforfood.

New post every Friday!

Keep Healthy and Safe!
H. Banana