Do you like apple pie?

I'm going to confess something... don't judge me, ok?

For most of my life, I didn't think I liked apple pie!

Well, it wasn't that I didn't like it... I just didn't think it was that appealing when juxtaposed with chocolate lava cake or creme brûlée. Let's just say, if I was out at a restaurant it wasn't the dessert option I'd go for.

But this all changed two Christmases ago when my Dad had a bunch of extra apples sitting in his pantry and I had an extra gluten free pie crust that we didn't want to go to waste. (By the way, if you are gluten free the cup for cup brand pie crust mix is amazing!)

Never having made an apple pie before I did what any resourceful woman would do - I looked to the QUEEN for advice.

Enter: Queen Ina Garten.

Sure enough, she had a delicious (and simple) looking recipe for apple pie sitting on food network just begging to be made. And that apple pie recipe changed it all. I am adamant about cooking apple pie for the holidays now! I liked it better than our cheesecake and the pecan pie.

I was a secret apple pie lover all this time and never even knew it!

When Life Gives You Apples...

Well, funny enough, last week I found myself with several extra apples in my fruit bowl getting a little bit old... old enough that wouldn't have that crunch that I must have in my fresh apples. So I thought "why not try to roast them and make them like apple pie filling?"

And that is exactly what I did!

And it. is. DELICIOUS!

So, without further ado... the recipe!

Apple Pie Roasted Apples

Apple Pie Roasted Apples a La Mode

The Recipe

Ingredients:

6 - 8 Apples, Peeled
Zest and Juice of 1 Lemon (Could also use orange!)
1 Tbsp Ground Cinnamon
1/2 Tbsp Ground Nutmeg
1/2 Tbsp Ground Allspice
1 - 2 Tbsp Honey (Optional)

Optional Add Ons:

Greek Yogurt
Nuts: I like walnuts or pecans for this!
Granola or other crunchy crumbles
Oatmeal

Directions:

Preheat your oven to 400 degrees.
Cut each apple into quarters. Then, cut each quarter in thirds crosswise.
Combine the apples in a bowl with the zest, juice, cinnamon, nutmeg and allspice.
Place the apple mixture in an oven safe baking dish, preferably one where the apples will not be spread out very much.
Cover the dish with aluminum foil or a lid and bake in the oven for 30 - 45 minutes, or until the apples are soft and the juices have cooked down. When the apples resemble apple pie filling they are done!

Healthy Nutrition With Ease

I hope this recipe helps you find a little more ease in your nutrition strategy. So often we think that doing something well means it must be really hard or require willpower or a struggle. But the truth is, the EASIER we make it on ourselves to integrate healthy delicious foods into our kitchens - the easier it will be to feel lean, strong, and confident in our body!

Letting solid nutrition be an extension of your life, your food preferences, and your culture is a HUGE part of my mission at ABFN.

That's not to say it will be easy to make these changes and you'll just coast all the way to the finish line... but it is to say that it should be easy at least some of the time - because if it's not you're probably never gonna make it to that finish line!

If I can do it, so can you! See you next week :o)

Ash