Caramel Apple Recipe Without Dairy!

AHA Publisher — Tue, 28 Sep 2021 07:00:44 +0000

Dr. Josh Axe, DC, DNM, CN – When the weather turns cooler and the leaves begin changing colors, you know it’s caramel apple time. What better treat to welcome fall and all its delicious fruits and vegetables? If you have an apple orchard near your home, you can make this recipe into a fun family affair by taking a trip to pick up some fresh (hopefully organic!) apples. Then have the kids help with stirring the caramel and drizzling the apples and decorating them. Then the best part — eating the caramel apples — can be guilt-free because those nutrition-rich apples are filled with fiber to improve heart health and help keep weight down, plus phytonutrients and antioxidants. And my dairy-free caramel apple recipe, made with beneficial coconut milk, coconut sugar and maple syrup, just sweetens the deal (pun intended). You’re going to want to eat this sauce on everything. How to Make Caramel Apples Here’s how to make these easy and delicious caramel apple recipe. (Note that you’ll want to make these the day before you plan to eat them, to give the caramel time to set.) First, wash and dry four Granny Smith apples and remove the stems. (The tart nature of green apples works well with the sweet of the caramel.) Insert your sticks and set the apples aside to come to room temperature. This will help the caramel stick to the apples better. Grab a small pot and add the coconut milk, coconut sugar and maple syrup. Place the pot over medium-high heat. Stir the sauce as it heats to make sure the sugar and maple syrup dissolve in the milk and don’t burn. You want to bring the mixture to a rolling boil and allow it to boil for 1 minute. Once the caramel has boiled for a minute, turn it down to medium-low heat and set your timer for 15 minutes. You’re going to let the caramel simmer, reduce and thicken. Scrape down the sides of the pot and stir the caramel every few minutes. You’ll see it begin to thicken and turn a darker brown. At the end of the 15 minutes, it should be thick and coat the back of a spoon. If it seems like it could be thicker, allow it to simmer a couple minutes more. Remove the pot from the heat and stir in some vanilla extract and sea salt. Voila! Caramel sauce! Now comes the hard part: waiting for the caramel sauce to cool. Beware of little fingers sneaking into this sauce because it’s hard to resist. Transfer the caramel sauce to a glass bowl and refrigerate it until it cools. Once you no longer feel any heat on the bowl, it’s ready. Now the fun part in the caramel apple recipe. Stir the caramel and, holding the apples one at a time over the bowl, spoon the caramel over them to coat all sides. Then place the apples on a cookie sheet coated in parchment paper. Put them back in the fridge to set up. This will take at least 4 hours, or you can leave them overnight. Pull them out in the morning and give them one more coating of caramel. Then refrigerate them again to allow the caramel to set. Once the caramel apples are ready, you can add even more fun by drizzling some melted dark chocolate over them or sprinkling them with shredded coconut or your favorite chopped nuts. I hope you enjoy these as much as I do! Caramel Apple Recipe DESCRIPTION This dairy-free caramel apple recipe, made with beneficial coconut milk, coconut sugar and maple syrup, just sweetens the deal (pun intended). You’re going to want to eat this sauce on everything. INGREDIENTS 1 cup full-fat, unsweetened coconut milk ½ cup coconut sugar ¼ cup maple syrup 1 teaspoon vanilla extract ¼ teaspoon sea salt 4 green apples 4 sticks INSTRUCTIONS Line a small cookie sheet with parchment paper. Wash and dry the apples. Remove the stems. Insert the sticks into the top of the apples. Set the apples aside to allow them to come to room temperature. In a small pot, combine the coconut milk, coconut sugar and maple syrup. Place the pot over medium-high heat. Stir the “caramel” frequently as it heats, watching for it to begin boiling. Once it comes to a rolling boil (bubbles covering the entire surface), allow it to boil for 1 minute, stirring every 15 seconds to be sure the mixture doesn’t stick and burn. After 1 minute, turn the heat down to medium low. Allow the caramel to simmer for 15 minutes, stirring frequently to scrape down the sides and prevent sticking. You should see the caramel darken in color, reduce in volume, and thicken significantly. After 15 minutes, the mixture should resemble caramel and coat a spoon. Remove the caramel from the heat and stir in the vanilla and salt. Transfer the caramel to a glass bowl and place in the refrigerator to cool. Stir the caramel and, holding each apple over the caramel bowl, drizzle the caramel over the apples until they are fully coated. Place the coated apples on the lined cookie sheet and refrigerate for at least 4 hours, up to overnight. Refrigerate remaining caramel. Re-coat the apples in the caramel and refrigerate again. Add coconut milk to caramel as needed to thin it for dipping/drizzling. To read the original article click here.

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Healthy, Easy Chocolate Banana Muffins Recipe

AHA Publisher — Thu, 08 Jul 2021 07:00:45 +0000

Dr. Josh Axe, DC, DNM, CN – When you can’t decide between breakfast and dessert, these chocolate banana muffins are a delicious choice. They’re made with gluten-free flour and naturally sweetened with ripe bananas for a healthy option that will satisfy your sweet tooth. You probably already have everything on hand to make these tasty treats, too — and they’re super simple to make. Key Ingredients These chocolate chip banana muffins aren’t your average sweet muffins loaded with sugar and gluten. Quite the opposite, in fact! That’s because this chocolate banana muffins recipe calls for healthy ingredients and a natural sweetener to avoid a sugar overload. Here are the stars that make this take on a classic recipe healthy and delicious: Banana: You’re likely well-aware that bananas are loaded with potassium, but that’s not all. Also rich in B vitamins, vitamin C, manganese and magnesium, bananas benefit everything from energy levels to digestion, mood, heart health and more. Dark chocolate chips: When most people think of chocolate, they think of unhealthy candy bars and sugar-laden processed snacks. Dark chocolate is none of that. In fact, it’s full of flavonoids that can help combat disease and support brain, heart, eye and skin health. Coconut sugar: While you don’t want to overdo it with coconut sugar, it is a better alternative to regular sugar because it contains trace elements of iron, zinc, calcium, potassium, polyphenols and inulin. Plus, it has a lower glycemic score. Eggs: A staple in baking, eggs are a great protein source, but make sure you opt for cage-free, free-range eggs that from chickens that are free from antibiotics and hormones. Gluten-free flour: Gluten-free flour is easier on digestion and good for those with gluten sensitivity or celiac to consume. These chocolate banana muffins are a great way to get the kids cooking, so let’s get in the kitchen and start baking! How to Make Chocolate Banana Muffins Start by preheating the oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit. Then in a bowl, mix the butter and sugar until the two are well-combined, then add in the eggs slowly, one at a time. Next, beat in the nutrition-rich bananas, almond butter (or choice of nut butter), milk and vanilla. Then, in a separate bowl, combine the flour, baking soda and salt. Now, mix together the two bowls, and fold in the chocolate chips. Delicious! Fill the waiting cupcake liners, about 3/4 of the way, and bake the chocolate chip banana muffins for 18–25 minutes or until they’re baked through. That’s all there is to making this chocolate banana muffins recipe. These banana chocolate chip muffins come together in just minutes for the whole family to enjoy. I know you’ll love them as much as I do! Similar Recipes Here are some other healthy muffin recipes to try: Banana Nut Muffins Recipe Gluten-Free Blueberry Muffins Recipe Paleo Muffins with Almond Meal and Cacao Nibs Gluten-Free Berry Muffins Recipe Gluten-Free Apple Muffins Recipe Healthy, Easy Chocolate Banana Muffins Recipe DESCRIPTION When you can’t decide between breakfast and dessert, these chocolate banana muffins are a delicious choice and actually good for you. INGREDIENTS ½ cup butter, softened 1 cup coconut sugar 2 eggs 1 cup ripe bananas, mashed ⅔ cup sprouted almond butter 1 tablespoon coconut milk 1 teaspoon vanilla extract 2 cups gluten-free flour 1 teaspoon baking soda ½ teaspoon sea salt ¾ cup dark chocolate chips INSTRUCTIONS Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. In a bowl, mix the butter and sugar until well-combined. Add in the eggs, one at a time. Beat in bananas, almond butter, milk and vanilla. In a separate bowl, combine the flour, baking soda and salt. Combine both bowls, and fold in the chips. Fill tins with cupcake liners and add the dough until 3/4 full and bake for 18–25 minutes. NOTES You can sub out almond butter for the nut butter of your choice. Use the gluten-free flour of your choice, such as coconut, oat, almond, tapioca, chickpea, sorghum, cassava, amaranth, buckwheat or teff flour. To read the original article click here. For more articles from Dr. Axe click here.

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Caramel Apple Recipe Without Dairy!

Healthy, Easy Chocolate Banana Muffins Recipe