SPICED APPLE BREAKFAST CAKE WITH OAT STREUSEL

I'm definitely one for a savory breakfast (eggs, avocado toast, etc), but as soon as it starts to get cooler, I crave a sweet one now and then.  With apple season in full effect, I know a lot of us are trying to get rid of apples in as many recipes as possible.  This breakfast cake goes great with any fruit, but seasonal apples are a winner. It's perfectly sweet and nutty with the most delicious oat topping.  It's somewhere in between a light dessert and breakfast, but either way - I promise you'll enjoy it.

SPICED APPLE BREAKFAST CAKE WITH OAT STREUSEL (gluten-free) serves 6

• 3/4 cup almond flour or meal
• 1/4 cup cornmeal
• 2 tablespoons tapioca flour
• 3/4 cup brown sugar
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1 teaspoon sea salt
• 5 tablespoons butter, melted & cooled
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 2 large eggs
• 2 tablespoons almond milk
• 2 large apples (honeycrisp or granny smith, or your preference), peeled and cut into small cubes
• 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
• freshly ground nutmeg to taste

TOPPING:

• 1/2 cup gluten-free oats
• 1/3 cup walnuts, chopped
• 1 taplespoon maple syrup
• 1 teaspoon butter
• 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
• Sprinkle of sea salt
• Raw sugar, to top

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. 

Whisk together first six ingredients in a large mixing bowl.  In separate mixing bowl, mix together butter, vanilla, eggs, almond milk, cinnamon, nutmeg and apples.  Slowly mix in the dry ingredients to the wet, adding a little at a time until all is well-combined without lumps.  

Pour cake batter into a greased 9x9 cake pan.  Chill for 30 minutes in the fridge.  In the meantime, combine oats, walnuts, maple syrup, cinnamon, butter and sea salt in a medium mixing bowl.  Using your hands, mix together mixture well until cookie dough-like texture and well-combined. 

Top chilled cake with crumb topping, and sprinkle with flaky sea salt and raw sugar. then bake for 45-50 minutes or until a toothpick stuck into the center of the cake comes out clean.  Cool for 20-25 minutes before serving.

RASPBERRY ALMOND CORN MUFFINS | MORNING MEALS

I grew up eating those coveted JIFFY Corn muffins in the bright blue box.  The raspberry flavor was my favorite and I recall eating countless mini muffins and usually ruining my appetite for dinner. I have always loved a raspberry and cornmeal pairing ever since then.  These mini muffins were the perfect addition to our Mother's Day brunch at home.  

RASPBERRY MINI CORN MUFFINS (Gluten-free, Dairy-free) 

• 1 1/2 cups almond meal
• 1/2 cup cornmeal
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/3 cup coconut or brown sugar
• 1/4 teaspoon sea salt
• 2 tablespoons almond milk
• 2 eggs
• 3 tablespoons coconut oil
• 3 tablespoons maple syrup
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 3/4 cup raspberries
• 2 tablespoons raw sugar, to top

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Prepare a mini muffin tin with paper liners, or coat the pan generously with coconut oil.

In a large mixing bowl, combine the almond meal, cornmeal, baking soda, brown sugar and salt. In another bowl, whisk the eggs, coconut oil, almond milk, maple syrup, vanilla extract together.  Add the wet to the dry ingredients and fold in (do not overmix!).  Carefully fold in raspberries to evenly distribute in the batter.

Fill the muffin liners to the top, as they do not rise much.  Sprinkle each muffin with raw sugar to top.

Bake on the middle rack for 16-18 minutes until the tops are golden brown and a toothpick poked in the center comes out clean. Cool on a wire rack for 20 minutes before serving.

CHESTNUT & CHIA PANCAKES (Gluten-free, Vegan)

As much as I eat my fair share of avocado toast, I love a pancake breakfast. Eggs or toast can be equally satisfying, but there’s something inherently special about pancakes. They always signify an occasion, or leisure weekend breakfast. These little chestnut cakes are super flavorful and will hold you over thanks to the addition of the beloved chia seeds. Be sure to top them with your favorite fruit and a little powdered sugar for some extra sweetness.

CHESTNUT & CHIA PANCAKES (Gluten-free, Vegan) Makes about 10 pancakes

• 3/4 cup chestnut flour
• 1/3 cup oat flour
• 2 tablespoons chia seeds
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/4 cup coconut or brown sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 cup almond milk
• 1/2 lemon, juice + zest
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 2 eggs
• 2 tablespoons powdered sugar
• Coconut oil, for frying
• Maple syrup, for serving

Preheat oven to 275 degrees. In a small mixing bowl, stir together almond milk, lemon juice, zest and chia seeds. Set aside.

In a large mixing bowl, whisk together chestnut flour, oat flour, baking powder, brown sugar, nutmeg and salt. Whisk in eggs and vanilla extract to the almond milk mixture and then fold wet ingredients into dry. Mix until combined well. Chill batter for 20-25 minutes.

Heat a large skillet over medium high heat. Add about 1 tablespoon of coconut oil before pouring approximately 1/4 cup of batter per pancake.  These pancakes take very little time to cook, so flip after 1-2 minutes. Make sure pan always has enough coconut oil to coat the bottom, so add when needed.

Once pancakes are fully cooked, add them to a paper-towel lined plate to absorb excess liquid. Then, add finished pancakes to a parchment-lined baking sheet and store in the oven to keep warm while you continue frying. Repeat until you have 8-10 pancakes. Top with fresh berries, sifted powdered sugar and maple syrup. Serve warm!