Upside-Down Baby Apple Cakes
These are deluxe dessert muffins. Best eaten the same day they’re made, they can also be frozen for up to one month. Rewarm before serving.
1/4 cup (60 mL) pure maple syrup
1 Granny Smith apple, diced
10 pitted Medjool dates, chopped
1/2 cup (125 mL) boiling water
1/2 cup (125 mL) coconut oil
2 cups (500 mL) gluten-free flour or whole wheat flour
1 tsp (5 mL) ground cinnamon
1 tsp (5 mL) baking powder
1/2 tsp (2 mL) baking soda
1/4 tsp (1 mL) sea salt (optional)
2 large free-range eggs
1 cup (250 mL) apple purée
2 tsp (10 mL) vanilla extract
Position oven rack in top third of oven and preheat broiler to high.
Lightly oil bottom and sides of each cup in a standard-sized 12 cup muffin pan. Pour 1 tsp (5 mL) maple syrup into each cup.
Divide apple between muffin cups. Broil until syrup is bubbly and apples start to brown, 4 to 6 minutes.
Remove from oven and reduce temperature to 375 F (190 C). Position oven rack in centre of oven.
Place dates in bowl of electric mixer. Pour boiling water over top. Add coconut oil and let stand 10 minutes.
Meanwhile, blend flour with cinnamon, baking powder, baking soda, and salt (if using).
Using paddle attachment, beat dates and oil until well mixed. Add eggs, one at a time. Beat well between additions, and then beat in apple purée and vanilla. Using spoon, stir in flour mixture. Spoon into muffin cups.
Bake until edges pull away from pan and tops spring back when gently touched, about 20 to 25 minutes. Remove from oven and let stand 10 minutes. Run a knife blade along inside edge of each muffin cup. Invert tin onto platter. Serve with Greek yogurt or crème fraîche.
Serves 12.
Each serving contains: 258 calories; 4 g protein; 11 g total fat (8 g sat. fat, 0 g trans fat); 38 g total carbohydrates (21 g sugars, 4 g fibre); 66 mg sodium a
Purée substitutes
Use unsweetened applesauce or make your own fruit purée with apples, pears, or a mixture of both. Alternatively, try making this recipe with carrot or banana puree.
source: "Naturally Sweetened Deserts", alive #385, November 2014
Upside-Down Baby Apple Cakes
Directions
READ THIS NEXT
SEE MORE »
Banana French Toast with Raspberry Syrup
Custardy French toast drizzled in pure maple syrup is a cozy, cold-weather breakfast classic. We’ve given this recipe a vegan makeover by swapping out eggs in the batter with mashed banana and a bit of ground flaxseed. This clever swap makes the French toast reminiscent of banana bread. Top it off with a decadent drizzle of raspberry syrup and you’re just a quick stint in the kitchen away from breakfast bliss. Citrus swap If you don’t have any bananas around, consider swapping for an orange. In blender, add zest of one large orange along with peeled fruit and other batter ingredients. Blend until smooth and proceed with the recipe as described.
Supersalad with Sprouted Quinoa, Beans, and Roasted Veggies
A satisfying plant-based dinner or packed lunch, quinoa and beans add filling protein, while greens, cucumbers, roasted veggies, and a probiotic-rich dressing bring texture and flavour. Try it with a creamy plant-based cheese on top, or goat cheese for non-plant-based eaters. Mix and match Use this recipe as a guideline. Add in your go-tos such as chopped walnuts or hemp hearts, pitted sliced dates, roasted cauliflower, and crumbled feta (plant-based, if desired).
Curried Coconut Lentil and Rice Porridge
Brown rice and two varieties of lentils cook in one pot with broth, coconut milk, and simple spices. Nourishing spinach and sweet green peas bring this meal to life. It’s true sunshine in a bowl for those cold winter nights. Main grains White basmati rice, short-grain brown rice, quinoa, or millet can be used in place of the brown basmati rice. Try a mixture of grains for added nutrition and taste (e.g., millet and basmati rice, quinoa and millet, and so on).
Sheet-Pan Sprouted Tofu, Mushrooms, and Potstickers with Bok Choy
Sprouted tofu and mushrooms soak up a delicious tamari marinade before being baked along with prepared vegan potstickers and bok choy. A tasty sauce, sesame seeds, and a bed of whole grains to serve tie everything together. Adjust the heat level of this dish in the sauce or at the table so kids can partake. Salad swap Once cool, the tofu mixture can be served on a bed of crunchy romaine for a packable lunch that’ll spark office envy. Keep the sauce on the side and dress right before serving.