Apple Nachos

The first day of school is right around the corner and quick, healthy snacks are an afternoon essential. I might not be in school anymore, but I still like the idea of a healthy afternoon snack. These apple nachos are a sweet, but smart, treat and come together in under 5 minutes. I chose to use two different types of apples to add some more flavors. Feel free to switch up the toppings to your liking. I am sure these would be great with some dried berries or butterscotch chips.

Recipe yields 2-3 servings

Ingredients 

2 apples (I used 1 Gala and 1 Golden Delicious)

3 tbsp creamy organic peanut butter

2 tbsp shredded coconut

2 tbsp sliced almonds

2 tbsp chopped pecans

2 tbsp semi-sweet chocolate chips

Core and slice the apples. Arrange on a plate and drizzle with peanut butter. Sprinkle with toppings. Enjoy!

Blueberry Pecan Coffee Cake

This coffee cake is so delicious. The cake is moist and the crumble is packed with flavor from the pecans. I made this to bring with me to a birthday party for dessert. Once I took one bite, I knew I would soon be craving it alongside my morning cup of tea. This cake can also easily be altered to include chopped apples, strawberries or any other berries.

Recipe yields one cake (about 16 squares)

Ingredients
1 cup + 1 tbsp all-purpose flour
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
3 tbsp unsalted butter
3 tbsp canola oil
3/4 cup granulated sugar
2 large eggs
1/3 cup milk
1 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
1 cup fresh blueberries

Crumble:
2 tbsp unsalted butter (cold)
1/4 cup granulated sugar
1 cup chopped pecans

Preheat oven to 350F degrees. Prepare an 8"x8" baking pan by lining with foil and coating in non-stick cooking spray. In a small bowl, combine 1 cup of the flour, baking powder and salt. Whisk together to combine.

In the bowl of a stand mixer, beat the butter and oil until evenly combined.

Add in the sugar and mix until smooth and incorporated.

Add in the eggs, one at a time, the milk and the vanilla extract. Mix until all ingredients are well combined.

Slowly add in the flour mixture and continue to mix until just incorporated. Be sure to scrape down the sides of the bowl to mix in all the ingredients.

Pour your batter into the prepared baking pan.

In a separate bowl, mix together the blueberries and the remaining tablespoon of flour until all blueberries have a nice coating. This process helps the berries from sinking to the bottom of the batter and allows the berries to remain 'floating' in the cake. Drop the berries on top of the batter and gently push down with the back of a spoon.

Now we can put together our crumble for the top of the cake. In a new bowl, combine the cold butter and sugar. Using a pastry blender or a knife, cut the two together until crumbles begin to form. Add in the pecans and continue to mix together until combined.

Sprinkle the topping over the cake and gently pat down.

Place the cake in the oven and bake for 48-50 minutes, or until a tester comes out clean.

Let the cake cool in the pan. Once cool, sprinkle the top with a little bit of powdered sugar. Cut into squares and serve for breakfast or dessert. Enjoy!