Harvest Apples

You've got an apple tree. You've got apples... lots of 'em. What to do with the blessing of apple abundance in the next two weeks before they metamorphose into a disgusting pile of rotten apples?

Here are apples done three ways: applesauce, arroz con adzuki, and my godmother Kim's classic apple cake. All of these are dairy free, cinnamony applications for an apple avalanche.

Applesauce is always welcome in my place: not to sweet, not to cinnamony, just the succulence of fresh apples and flavor of fallen autumn. Many baked goods can also be made without butter by substituting a bit of applesauce and oil. This is a basic outline for making a traditional, slightly tart sauce that is as versatile as it is simple. Applesauce is also ideal for using up those apples that are less than beautiful without wasting precious fruit.



Applesauce
4 pounds apples, peeled, cored, and chopped in large chunks
1 cup apple cider or apple juice
1 teaspoon cinnamon

Combine the apples and cider in a large pot, bring to a boil, then cover and simmer for 20 minutes, stirring occasionally. Remove the lid, add the cinnamon, and cook another 10-15 minutes, until most of the liquid has evaporated. Either mash the apples in the pot for a lumpy texture (my vote), or pour it all into a food processor to puree into a uniform sauce.

Applesauce makes a great breakfast, but lacks the substance I crave in the morning; protein, complex carbohydrates, and something slightly sweet are usually on my tongue after a shower and before a bike ride to work. For breakfast I often go the route of an egg or high-protein grain, but was recently turned onto adzuki beans.

Arroz con leche (rice with milk) was a staple in my house growing up. My mother made a steamy pot of cinnamony, golden-raisin breakfast about once per week during the winter months by using leftover rice from dinner. Arroz con adzuki is my own high protein take on the Mexican classic.



Arroz con Adzuki

1 cup adzuki beans, rinsed and soaked for an hour
1 1/2 cups brown basmati rice
1 1/2 cups almond milk
1/2 cup light coconut milk
1/2 cup peeled grated sweet potato
1 1/2 cups chopped apple
1/2 cup grated apple
2 tablespoons tapioca
1/2 cup dried cherries
1/4 cup dried golden raisins
1 teaspoon cinnamon

Bring the adzuki beans to a boil with 2 cups of water, then turn it down to a simmer. Cook the beans until the skin detaches, about 30 minutes, adding 2 more cups of water as it evaporates and absorbs. Add the rice, sweet potato, coconut milk, and almond milk, and raise the heat to boil again. Once the mixture boils, return to a simmer, and cook gently for 35-45 minutes, until the rice is tender. If the mixture begins to scorch, add 1/2 cup of water. As the rice finishes cooking, add the apple. Mix the tapioca with 1/4 cup of water to make a paste, then add it to the pot with the dried fruit and cinnamon.

This recipe doesn't have any sugar in it, so I like to top mine with a bit of honey , then slivered roasted almonds and raisins for extra texture and flavor.



Enough of the healthy stuff. Get to the apple cake.

Apple Cake

Dry
2 cups white flour
1 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon cinnamon

Wet
2 cups sugar
1 cup vegetable oil
4 cups apples peeled and finely diced
1 teaspoon vanilla
2 eggs
1 cup pecans or walnuts

Preheat the oven to 350F.

Combine the dry ingredients in a medium bowl.

In a large bowl cream together the sugar and vegetable oil, then add the apples, vanilla and eggs. Add the dry ingredients to the wet, then add the nuts. Pour it into a well-greased bundt pan and bake about 45 minutes. Mmm. Cake.