Apple Cranberry Crumble (Pie)

I started out intending to make a pie.  But, I got a little careless with the crust and it turned out more like a crumble.  I'm sure you could make a pie with no problem:)  In either case, it turned out fantastic -- sweet & tart, with a nice buttery crunch.

Ingredients:

• 1 1/2 cups soaked macadamia nuts
• 4 Tbs ghee (or coconut oil)
• 1 1/4 cup coconut milk (get the kind with no added "junk")
• 1/2 cup frozen apple juice concentrate (get the kind with no added sugar -- 100% apple juice)
• 1 tsp cinnamon
• 1/4 tsp freshly grated ginger
• 1/4 to 1/2 cup fresh cranberries (I used 1/2 cup)
• 4-5 small/medium apples, peeled, cored, and sliced

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
2. In a food processor, blend nuts until they make a meal or flour consistency.
3. Mix with ghee (or coconut oil) and mash into the bottom of a pie plate.
4. Bake for about 10 minutes (you want the nuts to brown, but not burn).
5. In a saucepan large enough to fit the apple filling, combine coconut milk, apple juice concentrate, cinnamon, ginger, and cranberries.  Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to a simmer and cook until cranberries begin to break down.
6. Add apples and coat in liquid mixture.
7. Add to baked pie crust, then bake for another 30-40 minutes, watching to make sure your apples don't burn.

Part of Real Food Wednesday and Pennywise Platter.

Baked "Spaghetti"

My sweetie traveled all week and said his stomach hurt from all of the eating out.  This was my creation for his "welcome home" dinner.  I really wanted to try a chicken satay, but didn't get my chicken marinating (maybe tomorrow?).  Of course, his rental had a flat and he didn't get home until late...but he thought it was a great lunch today:)  I'm always looking for inspiration and this one comes from a baked spaghetti dish my best friend's mom made.

Ingredients:

• Ghee or other oil 
• 1 onion, diced
• 2 bell peppers, diced (I used one red and one orange)
• Mushrooms, diced, about 8 oz or so
• 1.5 pounds sausage (look for a kind with no nitrates, and if you can find it, no sugar)
• Olives, sliced or diced (I had about 10 sitting in the 'fridge)
• 3-4 cups spaghetti sauce (homemade or jarred -- if jarred, look for one with no sugar, and if you're really hardcore, no alcohol)
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 tsp red pepper flakes, or to taste
• 3-4 zucchinis, sliced lengthwise
• 2/3 cup macadamia nuts, crushed

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2. Heat ghee or oil in a large skillet or pot (big enough for veggies, meat, and sauce)
3. Chop veggies (onion, peppers, mushrooms).
4. Saute veggies until they are tender, but not brown.
5. Add sausage and cook until no longer pink.
6. Add olives, spaghetti sauce, garlic, and red pepper flakes.
7. Simmer for a few minutes to allow the flavor to meld.
8. Slice zucchinis.  If you have a mandolin, you can make pretty fast work of this.  I cut them longways (is that even a word?), for a long "noodle".
9. Crush macadamia nuts.  You could whirl them fast in your food processor or take out the stress of the day and use a meat mallet
10. Pour a ladle-full of sauce on the bottom of your baking dish.  Put a layer of zucchini "noodles".  Then add more sauce.  Layer until you are finished, ending with a layer of sauce and covering all of the zucchini.  Top with nuts.
11. Put in the oven and bake between 15-20 minutes, or until nuts are browned, but not burnt.  Then, cover loosely with foil and bake another 15-20 minutes.  Remove, serve, and enjoy.  It might be a little "saucey", depending upon how thick your sauce is.