Apple Cinnamon Whole Wheat and Oat Pancakes

I don't know why I haven't posted about these before. Maybe because I usually eat them all before I can take a picture. A couple years ago I decided I wanted to make healthy pancakes that still tasted good. Though there were others that were pretty good, these came out on top for me. I just love cooked apple. These are the pancakes you eat when you want something tasty and filling, but don't want to feel slothful afterwards. They almost look like cookies, don't they?

Apple Cinnamon Wheat Pancakes
How I Did It:

1 egg
4 oz unsweetened apple sauce
1/4 cup + 1 tbsp almond milk
1 tsp vanilla
1 tbsp honey
1/3 cup oats, slightly processed
1/3 cup whole wheat flour
1 tbsp flaxseed meal
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp baking powder
2 tsp cinnamon
1/8 tsp nutmeg
1 apple, peeled and chopped

1. Whisk the first 5 ingredients together.

2. Stir in the remaining ingredients, except for the apple. Let sit for 15 minutes.

3. Lightly coat two large frying pans with oil (I used light olive oil) and heat on low.

4. Stir in the the apple and when the pans are heated, pour or spoon the batter in making the size pancakes that you prefer.

5. Cook until small bubbles start to form and the edges look set. Flip, and cook on the other side.

6. Serve immediately,

Whole Wheat Caramel Apple Cookies

Nothing beats a chocolaty cookie, am I right? Well, while traveling for work last year I had a caramel apple cookie that completely wow'd me. After I was done wishing I had taken two instead of just one, I decided I would have to make my own caramel apple cookies. So I started to look to see if I could find their recipe. Sadly, I couldn't find it or anything that seemed even similar. Skip ahead a year and the fall has brought thoughts of caramel apple cookies back to my brain. Instead of trying to replicate my work cookie, I made my own healthier version and I was pretty impressed with how they turned out.

Whole Wheat Caramel Apple Cookies
How I Did It:

(Makes 10-12 cookies)


3/4 cup whole wheat pastry flour
1 1/2 cups rolled oats
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp salt
3/4 tsp cinnamon
1/8 tsp nutmeg
1/4 cup canola oil
1/4 cup brown sugar
1/4 cup + 1 tbsp + 1 tsp granulated sugar
1/4 cup unsweetened apple sauce
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
1 egg
1 cup diced peeled apples
10 caramels, chopped


1. Whisk together flour, oats, baking soda, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, and nutmeg. Set aside.

2. Combine the oil and sugar and stir together for a couple minutes with a spoon. Add in the apple sauce, vanilla, and egg. Mix until well combined.

3. In three parts, slowly stir in the dry mixture until just combined. Add in the apples and caramels and stir just until distributed.

4. Cover and place dough in the fridge for 30-60 minutes to firm up.

5. Preheat oven to 375.

6. Form dough into large balls and place on Silpat (or parchment paper) covered cookie sheet.

7. Bake for about 10 minutes or until they look set and not gooey. Unlike other cookies, I do not recommend under-cooking these, but they do go from under-cooked to slightly too cooked very quickly.

8. Let cool for a couple minutes before transferring to a cooling rack. They are the best fresh (with the gooey caramel), but you can store in an air-tight container in the fridge for up to a week.

Hearty Apple Pecan Cake

My favorite desserts (after those with chocolate) are apple desserts. From the simple apple sauce and caramelized apples to fritters, crisps, bars and pies...cooked apples just make everything better. I am the person who always replaces walnuts with pecans in recipes. Same crunch with better flavor (walnuts are just so borrring)! So you can see how when I saw this "breakfast cake" at Oh She Glows I had to try it out. 

I used more apple and apple sauce than she did and I would do the same if I made it again. Maybe I should say when I make it again. Since I'm not vegan, I used honey instead of maple syrup since I prefer that flavor (the extra apple sauce helped moisten up the batter enough). I had it for breakfast this morning and between the whole wheat flour and the pecans, it really kept me full and satisfied until I was ready to eat again (I had slightly more than shown below).

Hearty Apple Pecan Cake

How I Did It:

1 cup pecans, chopped

3 apples, peeled and chopped

2 cups whole wheat pastry flour

1 tsp baking powder

2 tsp cinnamon

1/2 tsp salt

1/4 buttery spread, melted and cooled

1 tsp vanilla

1/4 + 1/8 cup +1 tbsp honey (to make this vegan, use maple syrup)

2 single serving no sugar added apple sauce cups

1. Preheat oven to 350. Grease a 8x8 casserole dish and then spread 1 tbsp of the honey along the bottom. You will really have to rub it around as it does not spread as well as maple syrup.

2. Cover the bottom of the dish with a full layer of the chopped apples and slightly under 1/2 cup of pecans. Set aside.

3. In a large bowl whisk together flour, baking powder, cinnamon, and salt.

4. In a separate bowl mix together the spread, vanilla, remaining honey, and apple sauce.

5. Mix the wet ingredients into the dry. Spread half on top of the apples and pecans. Add another layer of apples and pecans on top, reserving some to sprinkle the top with. Spread the rest of the batter on top and then the remaining apples and pecans on top of that. Press down lightly on the apples and pecans. 

6. Sprinkle with cinnamon and bake for 45 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean. Let sit until just warm before cutting. Store any remaining in the refrigerator.

Chunky Apple Sauce

The first time in September or October that I go out in the middle of the day and still need my jacket always makes me a little sad. I love summer and really hate to say goodbye to those warm sunny days. If the cool days of fall have one saving grace though it is that it's apple season. Crunchy apples straight from the tree...just so refreshing and delicious! And while a plain apples are great snacks, there are so many things you can do with them...and I love them all! So yes, apple desserts are by far my (second) favorite (umm...chocolate).

I have a apple cake recipe I love, two apple crisp recipes (one much healthier than the other), and I have already made myself caramelized apples and of course apple sauce. I have been making apple sauce a couple times a season for a few years now and every year I make it slightly more chunky. This year I belive is the best yet! I left on all of the peals (lots of fiber, oh yeah!) and did mash it at all, just stirred as it breaks down a lot just from the heat and spoon mixing. The result was the very chunky apple sauce you see above. You might think the peel would make it not as good, but apple sauce is one place where I think it is better to leave the peel on. Plus, it takes only 1/4 the time to make if you don't have to peel your apples! The part that takes the longest is waiting for it to cook down. It is well worth the wait though, even if it is after 10 PM at night. I had a bowl right away - it was so tasty nice and hot. I also love it as an after lunch treat, room temperature/slightly cold....or re-heated! I can't get enough!

Chunky Apple Sauce
How I did it:

11 apples (I used mac and ginger gold), chopped
1 cup water
1/4 cup sugar
1 3/4 tbsp cinnamon
1 tbsp nutmeg

1. Throw all of your chopped apples (with the peels still on!) in a large pot on medium-high heat with one cup of water. Put the cover on and let heat up a bit.

2. Once it starts to cook, mix your apples up. Add your spices, mixing well. Add the sugar and mix some more!

3. Cover and let it cook, making sure to stir occasionally. The more aggressively you stir the more the apples will break down. Once the apples are softened and it is the consistency you desire, it is done!

4. Have a bowl warm if you wish and store anything remaining in the refrigerator.

Fruit and Nut Whole Wheat Bread

I am always drawn towards bread with fruit in it for some reason. Not for sandwiches of course, but it is so nice with breakfast or as a quick snack. I found this a recipe for healthy breakfast bread at Spoonful of Sugar Free and have been wanting to try it out for a while. I made a few modifications, but her idea was great and the bread is fantastic. Very hearty and healthy tasting and definitely quite filling! It was great right out of the oven, but since then I have been just slicing off pieces and eating them cold. Maybe I will try toasting a piece, but it definitely doesn't need butter/spread or honey. 

Fruit and Nut Whole Wheat Bread

How I did it:

2 apples, chopped and peeled
1 cup whole wheat flour
1 cup rolled oats
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
3 teaspoons cinnamon
1/4 cup flaxseed meal
1/2 cup dried apricots, thickly chopped
1/4 cup dates, thickly chopped
1/4 cup dates, chopped into small pieces
1/8 cup dried apple slices, chopped
3/4 cup nuts, chopped (almonds and pecans)
1 1/8 cup water
topping:
1/4 cup rolled oats

1. Preheat oven to 375°F. Grease a bread pan and set aside.

2. Pour 1/8 cup water in a medium frying pan and add in the chopped apples. Leave covered until apples begin to soften and then mash with a potato masher until it looks like fresh apple sauce (leave some apple chunks remaining). Take off the heat and set aside.

3. Pour 1 cup of rolled oats into a food processor until the oats turn into a fine powder. Transfer to a mixing bowl and combine with whole wheat flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, and flaxseed meal. Once well combined, mix in 1 cup of water and the apple sauce. Stir in the dried fruit and nuts and make sure they are well distributed throughout.

4. Pour into prepared bread pan evenly. Sprinkle oats on top and lightly press down. Cook for about 40 minutes or until a toothpick comes out (almost) clean.