Fall of Apricots!

September 16, 2009 by Marni Wasserman  
Filed under Delicious Recipes, For Your Health!

apricot amaranth muffinsWhat better way to transition into the fall season than with some Apricot Amaranth Muffins? Everyone needs a new muffin recipe when the fall season comes around. The cool breeze, the changing leaves, it is such a wonderful time to get into some warming fall recipes. ( I know it still maybe a little early – but I am getting ready anyways!)

There is something about apricots and that fall that seem to go so well together.  A little note on apricots. Make sure you are buying dark Turkish apricots, meaning they should look fairly brown as opposed to bright orange. The orange ones that you typically find in most grocery and bulk food stores are that colour because of preservative called sulphur dioxide. These little guys can get into our system and cause a whole host of health issues from headaches to stomach cramps. So if you can avoid sulfites and this is very easy, especially if you just stick to a whole foods diet, as most sulfites are found in things that are packaged and processed!

Apricots can be a wonderful ingredient to add into a whole bunch of recipes (especially in the fall). Whether you are making muffins, granola, a cake or pie – just chop them up and throw them in. They will not only naturally sweeten you baked goody, but they also add a great chewy texture. Apricots are also great in trail mixes. So if you have never seen or purchase dark brown apricots…I encourage you to go out and find them and use them in this extremely simple and delicious gluten free recipe!!

Apricot Amaranth Muffins

1 cup brown rice flour

1/2 cup amaranth flour

1 teaspoon each baking soda/baking powder

1/4 teaspoon sea salt

1/4 teaspoon cinnamon

1/2 cup puffed amaranth

1/4 cup coconut oil

1/4 cup maple syrup

1/4 cup rice milk

1-2 cups chopped apricots, soaked (I actually heated them up with some water and mixed them with some apple butter and lemon juice)

Procedure:

Mix all the dry ingredients in bowl.

Mix the wet ingredients in another bowl.

Mix the two together and stir in the chopped apricots.

Divide into 8 – 12 muffin cups and bake on 350F for 20 minutes.

Enjoy!

Homemade Granola Goodness

Watch Marni make Granola!

Wouldn’t it be nice to sit down to a bowl of delicious granola in the morning knowing you made it and that it tasted better than anything you bought in a store….well you can.
You could have come to my Breakfast Cooking Class to learn how, or you could simply find a recipe that suits your needs to make a batch of this golden toasted goodness.
But I will give you some quick tips to get started with.
First of all get yourself some good quality organic whole rolled oats. This will be your basis and substance to the recipe. Use sweeteners such as maple syrup, agave nectar, honey. Oils such as sunflower oil, coconut oil or organic canola oil. Then comes the fun part adding such things as almonds, pumpkin seeds, sunflower seeds, flax seeds, sesame seeds, coconut flakes, apricots, raisins, goji berries….whatever you want! It’s yours to enjoy. Just store it in a glass jar and it will keep for a good couple of months.
So really it is that easy to make granola at home. Then you don’t have to worry that it is loaded with trans fats, processed sugars and other preservatives.

Golden Morning Granola

4 cups rolled oats

¼ cup coconut or canola oil

¾ cup pure organic maple syrup

1 tbsp rice milk

1 ½ cup oat bran or quinoa flakes

¾ cups sesame seeds

½ cup sunflower seeds

½ cup pumpkin seeds

1 cup coconut flakes

¼ cup flax seeds

1 cup of chopped almonds

1 tsp sea salt

1 ½ cups raisin, apricots or cranberries

  1. Combine maple syrup, rice milk and coconut oil in a large saucepan and set aside.
  2. Mix remaining ingredients in a large bowl, except raisins, and toss well.
  3. Add the oil maple mixture and stir together really well.
  4. Pour mixture into shallow pan or baking sheet with parchment paper and bake for 15 minutes, stir and bake for an additional 10 minutes.
  5. Remove from oven and stir in raisins.
  6. Cool and store in air tight container.
  7. Serve in ½ cup portions and serve with rice or almond milk, or add into a cup of yogurt.

Watch Marni make Granola!