Healthy Zucchini Apple Muffins

After posting about blueberry cheesecake ice cream and smores brownies, I figured I should make something a little healthier. I had some zucchini and apples that I needed to use up so I threw them into a healthy muffin recipe not really sure what to expect. I had 2 zucchini and 2 apples. I couldn't decide if I wanted to grate the apples or dice them, so I grated one and diced the other. I really liked the bites of diced apple running through the muffin. These came out great and I'll definitely be making them again!

This was my first time making a "healthy" muffin, so I still used a little real sugar and real oil. I think next time I make them I would cut the sugar out completely and just use a little more agave or honey. I definitely recommend keeping the walnuts in the recipe. I'm not usually a fan of nuts in muffins, cookies, or brownies, but in this case the walnuts added a really nice texture to the muffin.

Zucchini Apple Muffins
Recipe: Makes about 16 muffins
Ingredients:

• 1 cup whole wheat flour
• 1 cup AP flour
• 2 cups grated zucchini (squeezed, then packed into a measuring cup) [about 2 medium zucchini]
  
• 1 apple, peeled and grated
• 1 apple, peeled and diced
  
• 1 egg
• 1 egg white
• 1/3 cup sugar
• 1/4 agave or honey
  
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1/3 cup of unsweetened applesauce
• 3 tbls canola oil
  
• 1 1/2 tsp baking soda
• 1 heaping teaspoon cinnamon
• 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
• pinch of salt
• 1/2 cup chopped walnuts
  

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350F and line muffin cups with paper liners. Grate zucchini by hand or using a food processor, then gently squeeze grated zucchini to remove some of the water.
2. In a medium-sized bowl, beat egg, egg white, then add vanilla, sugar, and agave nectar and mix to combine. Stir in the grated zucchini, and apple then the oil and applesauce.
   
3. In a smaller bowl, combine AP flour, whole wheat flour, cinnamon, nutmeg, baking soda, and salt. Stir dry ingredients into the zucchini mixture, then fold in chopped walnuts and apples.
4. Bake for 25-30 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Let muffins cool a few minutes in the muffin tin or cups, then remove and cool a few minutes more.

Caramel Apple Cheesecake Bars with Streusel Topping

The day has finally come. The day when I have to blog about a dessert that I made that was sub-par. Unfortunately, as delicious as its name sounds, this dessert fell flat for me.

I had a bunch of apples that I wanted to use so I was looking for a good apple recipe. After reading numerous apple crisp, cobbler, and pie recipes I settled on this Caramel Apple Cheesecake Square recipe. The name just drew me in!

The cheesecake layer was good and the apple layer was good (though it probably could've been doubled... the apples sort of got lost), but the crust and the topping left a lot to be desired. The crust was soggy and didn't hold up to the layers very well. If you have a good crust recipe definitely use that instead. I would maybe use this recipe from the lemon bars I made this summer. And the topping just seemed a little too floury for me. I'm really surprised that it didn't turn out better because it had a lot of positive reviews. Oh well... at least I got a few pretty pictures!



Recipe: From FoodNetwork.com
Ingredients

• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1/2 cup firmly packed brown sugar
  
• 1 cup (2 sticks) butter, softened
• 2 (8-ounce) packages cream cheese, softened
• 1/2 cup sugar, plus 2 tablespoons, divided
• 2 large eggs
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 3 Granny Smith apples, peeled, cored and finely chopped
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
• Streusell topping, recipe follows
• 1/2 cup caramel topping

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
2. In a medium bowl, combine flour and brown sugar. Cut in butter with a pastry blender until mixture is crumbly. Press evenly into a 13 by 9 by 2-inch baking pan lined with heavy-duty aluminum foil. Bake 15 minutes or until lightly browned.
3. In a large bowl, beat cream cheese with 1/2 cup sugar in an electric mixer at medium speed until smooth. Then add eggs, 1 at a time, and vanilla. Stir to combine. Pour over warm crust.
4. In a small bowl, stir together chopped apples, remaining 2 tablespoons sugar, cinnamon, and nutmeg. Spoon evenly over cream cheese mixture. Sprinkle evenly with Streusel topping. Bake 30 minutes, or until filling is set. Drizzle with caramel topping.

Streusel Topping

• 1 cup firmly packed brown sugar
• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• 1/2 cup quick cooking oats
• 1/2 cup (1 stick) butter, softened

In a small bowl, combine all ingredients.

Pecan Apple Chicken Salad

Ever wonder what to do with leftover chicken? This has officially become my go to recipe for the single leftover chicken breast that always seems to be hanging around in my fridge. You see, the chicken I buy comes in a package of 3 boneless, skinless breast and I only cook for 2. Yes, I know, I could freeze the extra piece and save it for another day... but where's the fun in that?

Let me preface this recipe by saying that chicken salad usually leaves a lot to be desired in my book. Most chicken salads are mushy and squishy and all you can taste is mayo. Yuck! Not this chicken salad. This salad has a very fresh quality about it, you can actually taste the chicken, and the apples and pecans give it texture! If you think you don't like chicken salad, please do yourself a favor and make this.

This is the perfect recipe to use up leftover chicken. The apples and the pecans give the salad a great texture. I chose to use Granny Smith apples because I like the tartness, and it paired perfectly with the pecans, but I'm sure any apple and any type of nut would be great. It doesn't even have to be apple. You could throw in grapes, raisins, or cranberries instead. This is incredibly adaptable, delicious, healthy, and quick... what more could you ask for?

Recipe:
Ingredients

• 1 cooked chicken breast, chopped*
• 1/2 c. chopped Granny Smith Apple
• 1/4 c. chopped pecans
• 1 1/2 T. mayonaise
• Salt & fresh ground black pepper to taste

Directions

1. Put all the ingredients in a bowl.
2. Mix together.
   

*When I cooked the chicken originally I used Lemon & dried Thyme which complimented the chicken salad really well. Throw in a squeeze of fresh lemon juice or a pinch of dried thyme to add a little extra flavor!