Today I'm teaming up with Nicole from Harp and Wellness to discuss mindfulness when cooking and eating. Featured here is my go-to apple crisp recipe that is refined sugar free, gluten and dairy free, and is sure to satisfy any apple fan.
The video posted below and on Nicole's Harp and Wellness Youtube Channel, highlights some of the benefits of cooking for stress relief, as well as ways to further connect with your food while you prepare and enjoy it afterwards. Have you ever considered where your ingredients come from? Do you select ingredients that are wholesome and easy to work with? Having a stress free cooking experience means giving yourself the grace to start small if you are new to the kitchen. Similarly, when we think of the holidays coming up, oftentimes cooking for a crowd can be chaotic and stressful. By remembering why we are cooking the food we are, and focusing on the repetitive motions of cooking - stirring, chopping, peeling - we can actually lower stress levels and feel at peace. Have you ever rushed through a meal or re-heated leftovers and not given much thought to it? We encourage you to take a step back, and really tune in to the type of food you are preparing and eating. Smell the wonderful aromas, taste the food, and chew thoughtfully.
Ingredients really do matter! Choosing ingredients that are known to improve mood, reduce inflammation, and stabilize blood sugar all play a role in how we feel after we enjoy the food we prepare. In this recipe specifically, we have apples which are a great source of fiber for gut health, and oats contain plant-based iron which can improve energy levels for those that are iron deficient. Cinnamon is known to stabilize blood sugar, and local honey can help boost immunity. Bonus points for choosing locally harvested ingredients to support farms and reduce your carbon footprint.
So let's check out the recipe and please enjoy the video to see how Nicole walks us through a mindfulness exercise to engage our senses in enjoying the apple crisp after we prepare it.
Ingredients:
5 Apples
1/2 c. Almond Flour
1/2 c. Oats
2 tbsp Coconut Oil
2 tbsp Honey
1 tsp Cinnamon
Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 375' F
2. Chop the apples and layer in an 8x8 baking dish
3. Sprinkle cinnamon on top of the apples
4. For the crumble topping, mix almond flour, oats, coconut oil, and honey together until it forms a crumble
5. Spread crumble evenly over the top of the apples and bake for 45 minutes
**Please note: the type of oats does not matter (can be quick or old fashioned) and the coconut oil can be used at room temp, it does not have to be melted. I used a glass pyrex baking dish so I did not need to "grease" the bottom of the pan, but if you use a different baking pan, you can grease with a little oil.
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