Easy & Delicious Baked Apples

[This isn't exactly my recipe, but since I have participated in the buying of ingredients and it was baked in my oven, I figure it counts :)]

AK first made these divine baked apples for me a few months ago (it's his mom's recipe, thanks JW!), and it's a great alternative dessert if you don't want to serve baked goods, or if you have vegan friends but don't want to just serve raw fruit.

AK's mom uses Rome apples, but I have also tried these with Braeburn apples and they were great. Whatever apples are good for making apple pie will work. Just hollow out the center, fill them with raisins, sprinkle with cinnamon, drizzle with agave and them bake them in the oven until they are soft and sweet. Yum!

I like eating the apples as is, but I bet they would be great chopped and served over oatmeal or yogurt for breakfast, or over ice cream for dessert!

Easy & Delicious Baked Apples

6 large apples
dark raisins
1 Tbsp cinnamon
1/4 cup agave

Directions:
Core the apples so you remove the seeds and most of the core, but don't cut all the way through to the bottom. Place in large baking dish.
Fill apple centers with raisins until they are full (amount will depend on how big the apples are and how much you cut out). Sprinkle with cinnamon, drizzle with agave and bake in the oven at 375 degrees for 45-60 minutes until the apples are soft. Serve hot or cold.

The cost:
apples: 3.54
raisins: 1.99
agave: 1.99

Grand total: $7.52; serves 6-8

Healthy Eating for Penny Pinchers: Iron-Rich Foods

I've had anemia problems for a number of years (runs in my family), so I'm careful in making sure I eat iron-rich foods.

A lot of people think that the only way to get iron is through red meat, but there are actually many sources of iron outside of meat and liver, which can be both expensive and not too healthy in large quantities. Here are some items that will ensure you are getting a good amount of iron but not breaking the bank.

Iron-rich foods include cooked & canned beans, cooked lentils, almonds, pumpkin seeds, dried fruit like prunes & raisins, baked potatoes (skin on), beets, and breakfast cereals that are iron-enriched (i.e. manufacturer adds iron to them). Most of these will cost you less than .50 per serving.

It's important to note that when you eat iron-rich foods, it's also a good idea to pair them with with foods that have lots of Vitamin C, which helps you absorb the iron you are ingesting (especially with non-heme [not from an animal] iron). Citrus fruits, tomatoes, red & green bell peppers, brussel sprouts, and broccoli are all good sources of Vitamin C.

Quinoa Salad w/ Curry-Ginger-Cardamom Vinaigrette

A few weeks ago, AK and I visited his sister (a fellow gluten-freenik) and brother-in-law; Saturday we had a pretty lazy morning (read: slept in very late :)) and decided lunch should be light fare, mostly salads. I whipped up this quinoa salad with chickpeas, chopped pecans, and raisins for lots of texture, and a simple vinaigrette of apple cider vinegar, curry, ginger & cardamom.

Quinoa Salad w/ Curry-Ginger-Cardamom Vinaigrette

Ingredients:

1 cup of quinoa, cooked according to package & cooled
1 can chickpeas, drained & rinsed
1 scallion, chopped
1/4 cup raisins
1/4 cup chopped pecans

3 Tbsp apple cider vinegar
1 Tbsp olive oil
2 tsp honey or agave
1/4 tsp sea salt
1/4 tsp curry powder
1/4 tsp cardamom
1/4 tsp ground ginger
pinch of garlic powder
pinch of pepper

Directions:

1. In a salad bowl mix together quinoa, chickpeas, scallions, raisins & pecans.
2. Blend together remaining ingredients and pour over quinoa mixture, stirring to combine.

The cost:
quinoa: .99
chickpeas: .69
scallion: .10
raisins: .40
pecans: .40

Grand total: $2.58; serves 4-6 as a side dish (recipe is easily doubled for a larger group)

Cinnamon Chocolate-Covered Raisin Oatmeal Cookies

Okay, so I could probably use a more concise name for these cookies, but they are well worth the mouthful. A while back when I was making chocolate chip oatmeal raisin cookies I realized I had some leftover chocolate covered raisins; you wouldn't think it'd be so different from using chocolate chips and raisins, but wow, they transformed these cookies from delicious to sublime. I like to add cinnamon to desserts around the holiday season for a bit of extra cheer :)

Note 1: This is my cookie recipe, but you could also use any oatmeal cookie recipe and just add chocolate covered raisins.

Note 2: It is very easy to overbake cookies because they keep cooking even after you take them out of the oven. If the cookies still seem a little soft, don't worry as long as they don't seem "soupy."

Cinnamon Chocolate-Covered Raisin Oatmeal Cookies

Ingredients:

1 cup (2 sticks) margarine, softened
1 1/2 cups brown sugar
2 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 tsp bourbon (optional)

1 1/2 cups flour
3 cups rolled oats
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 tsp baking powder
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 tsp pepper

1 cup chocolate covered raisins
1/2 cup chopped walnuts (optional)

Directions:

1. Cream margarine and sugar until smooth; blend in eggs one at a time, waiting until one egg is combined before adding the next. Add bourbon and vanilla and mix until combined.
2. In another bowl, mix together flour, oats, baking soda, baking powder, and spices. Stir into wet mixture until just combined.
3. Fold in chocolate covered raisins (and nuts if you are using them).
4. Spoon mixture onto greased cookie sheets (make sure you leave space because these cookies will spread out). Bake at 350 degrees for 10-12 minutes (1-2 minutes longer if you like crispier cookies).

The cost: Around $3.00 per batch, give or take.