snack | dmarie-dining

Refreshing is the word that kept springing from my mouth when I first tasted my Apple Salad dish and when I described it to my hubby and son. I have been thinking about light and refreshing dishes quite a bit lately since warmer weather has crept into my life. During warmer weather I don’t feel like making heavy or complicated meals. Summer is the time when I am looking for quick recipes and dishes that don’t make me tired or lazy after eating.

My Apple Salad recipe is all the things I just mentioned. It is quick to make. It is light and refreshing. Plus, it does not make me feel heavy, bloated or lazy after eating it. On the contrary. I actually feel energized after eating this salad. Apple Salad is packed with protein from the delicious chopped walnuts and golden raisins and has vitamin C from the apples. Another plus is that the raisins contain antioxidants which helps our bodies to fight against cancer and heart disease. Also, the raisins add a hint of sweetness to counter the tartness of the apples.

Bottom-line… Apple Salad is a low calorie, healthy dish that will leave you feeling refreshed and energetic. Just ask my son. He liked this salad so much that he had it for breakfast and as a snack. If my biggest critic loved my Apple Salad, I think you will too.

Apple Salad

Ingredients:

2 large granny smith apples diced

2 large re crispy apples diced

1 8oz container marscapone cheese

½ cup golden raisins

½ cup chopped walnuts

¼ cup sour cream

4 tbsp milk

2 tbsp sugar

1 tsp vanilla extract

1 tsp orange zest

1 tsp ground cinnamon

¼ tsp ground nutmeg

juice from ½ of a lemon

Place apples in a large bowl and squeeze lemon juice over apples then toss. This will keep the apples from turning brown. Set asides.

In a deep bowl add marscapone cheese, sour cream, milk and sugar. Beat with a hand mixer until smooth. Add vanilla, nutmeg and cinnamon. Beat until seasonings are incorporated into mixture. Stir in orange zest. Pour mixture over apples then add walnuts and raisins. Gently mix until the apples are well coated along with the nuts and raisins. Serve chilled or at room temperature.

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Once in a while I have a sweet tooth for something other than chocolate. Cookies, cakes, pies and ice cream don’t always hit the mark for me. Instead, I just want a small treat that will satisfy my desire for sweets but will not make me feel too guilty or bloated.

Looking around my kitchen on one of those days of having a sweet tooth I found a container of granola. I know. Granola as a treat does not sound very exciting when you have a sweet tooth and I wanted more than plain ol’ granola. To jazz up the granola and make it into a really delicious treat I added a few extra ingredients to a basic granola bar recipe and created Sticky Granola Clusters.

Naturally sweetened from the whipped honey I used along with the dried fruit, this easy treat satisfied my sweet tooth and kept me from feeling too guilty or bloated. I liked the nice crunch of the granola, toasted almonds and walnuts plus the chewiness of the dried plums, mango and cranberries. The whipped honey made it all sticky and fun to eat.

Usually, I use my family as taste testers but this time I took my recipe directly to the public and asked my co-workers what they thought of the Sticky Granola Clusters. Sometimes you have to go outside of your own bubble to make sure you are on the right track when cooking. Judging by their comments and the fact that a few folks came back for seconds I know this recipe is a hit. The next time you have a sweet tooth make a batch of Sticky Granola Clusters. Not a lot of fuss and a lot less guilt than most treats.

Sticky Granola Clusters

Ingredients:
14 oz granola (I used Aurora Natural Vanilla Crunch)
½ cup sliced almonds
½ cup chopped walnuts
½ cup dried chopped plums
½ cup dried chopped mango (optional)
½ cup shredded coconut
½ cup whipped honey or regular honey
¼ cup dried cranberries
¼ cup light brown sugar (lightly packed)
3 tbsp butter
2 tbsp vanilla extract

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Spread coconut and almonds on a rimmed baking sheet and toast for 10 minutes. Check coconut to make sure it does not burn. Remove from oven and set aside to cool. Lower oven temperature to 300 degrees.

Place granola, cooled coconut, almonds and walnuts in a large bowl.

In a small pot heat brown sugar, butter, honey and vanilla in a small pot over medium heat. Bring to a boil. Remove from heat and pour over granola mixture and stir. Add dried fruit and stir until well mixed.

Line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper and spray with cooking spray. Pour granola mixture onto baking sheet and gently press to spread out the granola evenly. If necessary, wet your fingers before handling to prevent mixture from sticking to you.

Bake for 25 – 30 minutes. Remove from oven and let cool for 3 hours to set. You can cool in the refrigerator the last 30 minutes. Break into clusters or cut into squares. Store in an air tight container. Refrigerate if necessary.

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