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In lieu of Valentine’s Day, I offer you my version of loving-kindness meditation (aka “metta meditation”), a tool aimed at helping us develop more compassion and kindness towards ourselves and others.
I like to turn to this form of meditation when I am feeling super critical or harsh towards myself and/or other people, or when I am struggling in relationships. I believe relationships (with ourselves and with others) are the primary reason why we are here. They also usually help us to feel joy, and also to feel pain… I feel they are often the source of life’s most meaningful work and lessons. This meditation, when done over time, helps me (and has helped others) to soften, and to love more unconditionally. I hope it will help you, too.
The Recipe
In the past month and a half, I have literally made apple crisp six times. That’s a whole lotta’ crisp.
It started at Christmas, when I knew I wanted to make dessert one of my contributions to the Christmas Day feast. While I love to cook, baking is not my jam. I think it may be because it’s also not my mom’s jam, and baking is like math (ugh). It’s so exact, unlike cooking (which is like creative writing, or journaling to me), where you can screw up a bit and be a little free-spirited with it. Plus, my taste buds tend to sway toward savory over sweet (I’d take a cheese plate over a piece of cake any day).
So, I knew I needed something close to fail-proof and somewhat simple. I also knew I wanted to incorporate fresh produce from my local Saturday market. While apple-picking season is way over in Georgia now, my market is still cranking em’ out (and I’m not complaining!).
I remembered an apple crisp my mom had made for me a few years ago and how much I loved it. I asked her for the recipe (see “Traditional” recipe below) and tried it out on Christmas Day. It was a winner, so I made it again the next week for New Year’s dinner at a friend’s house… another win. The warm combination of the tart Granny Smiths, the mouth-watering buttery/sugary topping, crunch of the oats and toasted walnuts, and the cold vanilla ice cream (or gelato) was hard to beat.
It’s definitely a treat, as it’s full of sugar and butter (nothin’ wrong with some butter sometimes!), but it also offers some complex carbs and fiber (from the oats and apples) and healthy fats from the nuts. Plus, the peanut version offers even more healthy fats and protein!
When I was back at work for the National Peanut Board (where part of my role as a RD/communication specialist is to develop recipes), I was brainstorming recipes that would work for an upcoming Tasty video shoot. It didn’t take long until I thought about the crisp and how I could transform it into a peanut-y dessert. It was one of my first times using peanut powder, which is essentially peanut flour. I just subbed it in for the regular flour, and also mixed it in with the apples before adding them to the pan.
Then, I swapped the butter for half canola oil and half peanut butter, and left out the egg. It took a couple of taste-tests and trial-and-error, but the result was amazing. It’s like a peanut butter lover’s heaven… like my favorite snack of apple and PB, but on crack. (The PB version is also vegan.)
BUT if you’re not into peanut butter/peanuts (or allergic), the traditional crisp is probably more your style. It’s equally as delish, just has a more classic taste.
Whether it’s for Valentine’s Day this year, or just because, either version of my mom’s crisp is a crowd-pleaser. Plus, it’s pretty hard to mess up. Take your pick, and happy baking!
*Note: The recipe video for the PB crisp will be available soon.
With love and light,
Caroline
Traditional Apple Crisp
2017-02-06 13:34:46
Serves 8
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Total Time
1 hr
Total Time
1 hr
Ingredients
6 cups slices, peeled Granny Smith apples
1/2 lemon
1 cup brown sugar
2 cups rolled oats
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp salt
1/2 cup butter, melted
1/2 cup chopped walnuts
Instructions
Preheat oven to 350.
Put apples in 8" by 8" pan and sprinkle with lemon juice and 1/2 cup sugar.
Mix rest of ingredients in a bowl, and pour and spread on top of apples.
Bake for 40 minutes.
Remove from oven and add walnuts to top of crisp.
Bake for 5 to 10 more minutes, until apples are tender and top starting to brown.
Serve with vanilla ice cream.
Whole Self Nutrition http://www.thewholeyogird.com/
Peanut Butter Apple Crisp
2017-02-06 13:38:11
Serves 8
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Total Time
1 hr
Total Time
1 hr
Ingredients
6 cups sliced, peeled Granny Smith apples
1/2 lemon
1 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup canola oil
1/2 cup creamy peanut butter
1/2 cup and 2 Tbsp peanut flour
2 cups rolled oats
1/4 tsp salt
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/2 cup peanuts
Instructions
Preheat oven to 350.
Place apples in medium bowl and toss with 2 Tbsp flour.
Transfer to 8" by 8" pan and squeeze lemon juice on top.
Add 1/2 cup sugar.
In a medium bowl, combine peanut butter and oil.
Add flour, oats, salt, cinnamon and rest of sugar. Mix well.
Pour on top of apple mixture and spread evenly.
Bake for 40 minutes.
Remove from oven and add peanuts to top of crisp.
Bake for 5 to 10 more minutes, or until apples are tender and top is starting to brown.
Serve with vanilla ice cream.
Whole Self Nutrition http://www.thewholeyogird.com/