Mexican Cabbage and Individual Apple Crisps

Tonight, we had mexican cabbage, a recipe from Happy Herbivore, using up a bunch of the leftover green and purple cabbage in a simple, delicious, vegan recipe packed with nutrients.

And since everyone ate all they were served, we got to have individual Apple Crisps for dessert.  These are really easy to make, just core some organic apples, but leave the bottom in so it's like a cup.  Coat the inside with cinnamon. At the same time, soak 1/2 cup of steel cut oats (I use the 5 minute kind) in water for 10 minutes or so and preheat the oven to 350.

Mix together the oats, drained, with1/4 cup whole wheat flour, 1 cup brown sugar or a substitute, and 1/3 cup butter substitute.  The mixture will be rough and crumbly.

Fill the apples with the mixture and bake for 35 minutes or until the apples are soft and the crisp is crisp.

These are excellent with Stonyfield Farms humane vanilla ice cream.

Healthy Surprise Brownies

      I originally posted this recipe back in 2009, and have made it a number of times since, but haven't yet updated the recipe.  These days, I add even more spinach and use organic and local (when available) veggies in the recipe.  Next time I make these from scratch, I'll be sure to update this with a step-by-step.  In the meantime, here is the original post from March 17th, 2009:



 

Made brownies with Punky last night, and they friggin rock - AND they have spinach and carrots in them! Why, what did you think they had in them? Haha.

The recipe was an experiment based on a similar recipe I read. I just used a box of Betty Crocker Low Fat Brownie mix, left out the water, and substituted in ½ a cup of pureed spinach and ½ a cup of pureed carrots.

Punky was a little incredulous at first. "Didn't you know brownies had spinach in them?" I asked.
"So - chocolate is healthy?"
"It is if it has spinach in it."

I let her lick the spoon as proof. You couldn't taste the spinach at all. I didn't try them when they were warm, but cooled off, there isn't a trace of spinach (or carrot) taste - but it's in there! Rock.

Next time, I'm going to make the brownie mix from scratch with whole wheat flour.