Just Another Mom HQ

Just another Mom's guide to a healthy lifestyle

Spiralized Apple Crisp with Date Caramel

Crisp, is one of the easiest desserts in the whole world!   In fact when my kids ask for pie I always try to convince them crisp is better.  Don’t get me wrong I can make pie crust, but I really don’t have a lot of time on my hands so…crisp is my go to. The hardest part of this Apple Crisp is prepping the apples, and since that isn’t hard at all that makes this dessert easy as pie…ahem crisp.

I chose to spiralize my apples for this crisp, feel free to use sliced apples if you prefer.  The spiralizer is perfect for apples as you don’t even need to core them!  Just secure in your spiralizer and crank away.  In a recent spiralizer cooking class I taught I really loved this spiralizer by OXO.  In a recent spiralizer cooking class this spiralizer secured to the counter top better than its competitors making it easier to use.

Once your apples are prepared and ready to go toss with the balance of apple ingredients and pile in an oiled baking dish.  You’ll see I haven’t used any refined sugar in this recipe (and most of my recipes…). Instead we are replacing all sugar with coconut sugar.  It has a nice almost molasses flavor and has been shown to not spike your glycemic index the way that refined sugar would.

With your apples all spiralized and ready for fun, mix all crisp ingredients together and top apples with it spreading evenly being sure to fully cover apples.  Spiralizing your apples also make this a super fun dessert for kids as it is like eating apple noodles if you don’t trim them.  If longer spiralized apples isn’t your jam, no worries go ahead and snip them with a pair of kitchen shears as you finish spiralizing.

When it’s all put together,  bake in a preheated oven until apples are tender and bubbly and crisp topping is golden.

Top with my homemade salted vanilla date caramel sauce and whipped cream or coconut cream and enjoy!  Dessert is served, guilt free!!

Instapot Italian Beef Ragu with Butternut Squash Noodles (squoodles)

Italian Beef Ragu with Butternut Squash Noodles

Happy New Year!!  I am always sad to take down our Christmas tree and decor.  At the same time I prefer my stand up paddle board to my cross country skis so being one step closer to Spring isn’t so bad either!  This year I am hoping to share more recipes and insight with you, including Instapot recipes!  This recipe can definitely be made stove top as is traditional, in a slow cooker or in your Instapot or other pressure cooker.

Traditionally this delicious slow simmered Ragu would be prepared stove top, simmered over several hours.  For Christmas Day I prepared this recipe with a slight variation stovetop (recipe here) and we enjoyed every delicious bite on some chewy delicious parpadelle pasta.  Yes actual gluten loaded pasta…and it was divine.

[amazon text=Amazon&asin=Today in keeping with my more paleo-ish lifestyle I have prepared it with spiralized Butternut Squash.  The earthy sweetness of the squash paired super well with the deep beefy tomato yummyness.  I also grabbed my Instapot for this one as I was rather short on time and it didn’t disappoint!  I chose to leave out the tomato paste that I had used on Christmas in my more traditionally prepared Ragu as sometimes the tomato paste can burn to the bottom of your Instapot.

For the preparation, turn your Instapot on sauté.  Cut your roast into 4 equal size chunks, season with salt and pepper.  Once your Instapot is hot sear 1 or 2 pieces at a time browning on all sides (2-3 minutes a side).  Then set aside.  Next sauté the “sofrito”, carrot, celery and onion in a bit of olive oil and a pinch of salt and a pinch of black pepper for about 5 minutes to really develop the flavor.  Add garlic, oregano and thyme and continue to sauté for an additional minute or until fragrant.

Deglaze the pan by pouring in 3/4 cup of a good dry red wine, I had a Spanish Tempranillo open so I chose that for my sauce.  Let it simmer for a minute or two or until the liquid reduces just a little.

Pan full of Butternut Squash Noodles

Now add the beef, beef stock, and tomatoes to the veggies and wine. I usually wait until the end to salt as there is salt in the tomatoes and the stock and as it reduces it will concentrate the salt flavor.  Lock cover on Instapot and press manual then adjust to 20 minutes on high pressure.  While your Ragu is cooking grab your spiralized and spiralize your Butternut Squash.  Any pieces that couldn’t be spiralized save for squash fries or squash hash or whatever your desired preparation.  Toss your squash with a tablespoon of olive oil and a touch of salt and pepper and roast in a 400 degree oven for 20 minutes.  You should have plenty of time for this step as it takes a while for your pressure cooker to come to full pressure (up to 15 minutes).

After the 20 minute pressure cook is complete allow to natural release for a minute or so then flip the valve to manual release.  I use my Instapot on my stovetop with a cutting board under it, so I can use my fan to vent steam, etc.  I really don’t want to damage my cupboards while releasing steam or smoke the house up searing meat!  Okay once your steam is all released and you can safely open your pressure cooker turn it off, then back on the sauté high.  Remove meat and shred while the sauce is reduced until it thickens.  Then toss Squash Noodles  (squoodles) into the sauce and let it cook for a minute or two longer.  Season to taste with salt and pepper, pile it on your favorite pasta plate, hit it with a grating of Parmesan or Pecorino and enjoy.

Cheers!

Italian Beef Ragu with Butternut Squash Noodles

PS:  Don’t let the wine you opened go to waste.  If you don’t enjoy drinking it be sure to freeze it in ice cube trays for future recipes.

PPS:  There was an error in the original recipe, I have since reduced the beef broth on the recipe from two cups to one.  Sorry for any inconvenience this caused!

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