Baked Apples

I’ve been craving a lot of sweet stuff recently, probably because of Easter, but I don’t feel like eating something heavy. If you’re in the same boat, then these apples are about to change your life! They’re rubbed with spices and then baked until soft and sweet, making them the perfect light snack or dessert. Also, I love how simple they are. You won’t need to run out to the grocery store for these babies! If you have a little nice cream or yogurt on hand, then that’s a bonus because it would pair well with a steaming hot apple right from the oven…. did you hear that? It sounded like angels were singing from heaven as I described these apples. I don’t blame them. Here’s the recipe!

Baked Apples

Serves: 4 (but lets be honest here; you’re going to want at least 2 halves so the legit number of servings is 2)

Total Time: 40 minutes

Ingredients:

  • 2 apples (I used gala but I think any kind would work)
  • 1 tsp coconut oil
  • 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
  • 1/4 tsp ground ginger
  • 1/4 tsp ground nutmeg
  • 1/4 tsp ground allspice

Directions:

  1. Preheat your oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.
  2. Cut the apples in half, remove the stems, and use a spoon to remove the cores. Put aside.
  3. Mix together the spices and coconut oil in a small bowl. Rub the 4 apple halves with the mixture until they’re evenly coated.
  4. Place the apples skin down in a glass baking dish, and bake for 15 minutes.
  5. Once 15 minutes have passed, raise the oven’ s temperature to 375 degrees Fahrenheit, and continue baking for another 15 minutes.
  6. Remove the apples from the oven and serve with hot with nice cream or greek yogurt;))

Enjoy these apples!

Yours Truly,

MyDayIsBooked;)))

Spiced Carrot Falafel

Hey there! I’m starting to feel a bit of cabin fever, but I’m trying to keep busy and positive;) Cooking is a really great way to do that, and today I have a great recipe that’s freezable and super versatile. These spiced carrot falafel are super flavourful and easy to make! I like eating them with hummus in their own or in bowls, and they’d also be great in wraps or in pasta dishes. Maybe I could even make a sandwich with them… veggie sandwiches are amazing😍😍 Hope you like this recipe!!

Spiced Carrot Falafel

Serves: Makes 12 falafel

Total Time: 45 minutes

Ingredients:

Ingredients:

  • 1 can of chickpeas, drained and rinsed
  • 1 clove of garlic, minced
  • 2 tsp cumin
  • 1/2 tsp chilli powder
  • 1/2 tsp cinnamon
  • 1 tsp turmeric
  • 1 tsp coriander
  • Salt and pepper to taste
  • 1 cup shredded carrots

Directions:

  1. Preheat your oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit.
  2. In a blender or food processor, blend the chickpeas, garlic and all of the spices until smooth and combined.
  3. Transfer the mixture to a bowl and stir in the shredded carrots.
  4. Scoop out a tablespoon of the falafel mixture and form into a flat disc, and place onto a parchment lined baking sheet. Repeat until you have about 12-15 falafels.
  5. Place the falafels in the oven, and let bake for 15 minutes before removing the pan and flipping them over. Bake for another 15-20 minutes on the other side.
  6. Remove the pan from the oven and let the falafel cool completely before enjoying;)

I wrote a list in my bullet journal of ways to keep busy during this time, and so I’ll try to share it in my Instagram page soon;) For now, stay safe and hang in there!

Yours Truly,

MyDayIsBooked;))

Butternut Squash Hummus

This first week of staying at home has been alright, although I’m finding it a bit harder than I thought to stay disciplined and be productive. However, I haven’t gotten very antsy yet, so that’s good. Hummus is a great “I’m trapped at home snack” because you can eat it with pretty much everything- veggies, pretzels, rice cakes, bowls, sandwiches, etc- and it’s something to make when you’re bored😂😂 This hummus uses frozen butternut squash, which I defrosted. I’m really into this frozen stuff because you can just throw it in a pot with some water and it’s done in like 5 minutes, whereas cooking it from scratch would take waaay longer. I also used two cloves of garlic because I love my garlic, but you can use one if you’d prefer. The people who you’re hanging out with at home all day will thank you for your less garlicky breath if you just use one. But I mean, if you really need to enforce social distancing, go ahead and use two. Either way, make this hummus right now because it hits the spot!!

Butternut Squash Hummus

Serves: 4

Total Time: 15 minutes

Ingredients:

  • 1 can chickpeas, drained and rinsed
  • 1/2 tbsp cumin
  • 3 tbsp olive oil
  • 1 1/2 cups frozen butternut squash
  • 1 tbsp balsamic vinegar
  • 2 cloves garlic, minced
  • Salt and pepper to taste

Directions:

  1. Add the butternut squash with a cup of water into a pot and bring to a boil, then simmer for about 5 minutes until soft. Drain and set aside.
  2. Blend all of the ingredients in a blender or food processor until you are left with a smooth, delicious hummus. Enjoy!

Hope you like this recipe! Stay safe everyone;))

Yours Truly,

MyDayIsBooked;))

Pantry Staples

Hey there guys:)) I’ve been posting a lot of recipes lately, but I thought that I’d post about some of the pantry ingredients that I always like to have on hand in order to make them. Having a few things that are always in your pantry is handy for meal prep and just cooking in general. Here are the pantry ingredients that I use most often;))

Oils

I usually like to have 3 kinds of oil on hand; olive, coconut and sesame. Olive is really great for sauteing things and starting curries and stews, whereas coconut oil is usually used to replace butter in baking. I mainly use sesame oil for flavouring Asian dishes, and unless I am making a stir fry I don’t really cook in it. Having oils in your pantry is essential to making pretty much every dish. If I would pick one to have on hand, it would be olive.

Vinegar

Vinegar is also something that is important to have. I love balsamic because you can use it in dressings and sauces, and I even cook veggies in it. Red wine vinegar is also great for salads, but I personally like the flavour of balsamic better.

Oats

I pretty much eat either yogurt or oats for breakfast everyday. Other than being a delicious start to your morning, oats are used a ton in baking and can be ground into a flour and used in a variety of different recipes. They’re super versatile and that makes them something that is awesome to have at all times in your pantry.

Whole Wheat Pasta

I like having whole wheat pasta because it cooks quickly and you can just throw a quick sauce on top for a delicious meal. Choosing whole wheat over regular gives you more whole grains, but still actually tastes really good. There are also chickpea and lentil pastas out there, which have lots of protein and are great as well.

Canned Goods

There are lots of canned goods that I like to have on hand at all times. Mainly legumes, like chickpeas, lentils, black beans, and red kidney beans, but having canned diced tomatoes and canned organic soup is awesome. Tomatoes allow you to make a whole range of curries, stews and sauces, while canned soup is great for quick lunches. Just make sure you buy a kind with no preservatives; organic is the way to go.

Quinoa

I’m actually out of quinoa right now, which makes it more evident how much I depend on it. Quinoa is amazing in bowls, underneath stews or in soup. It’s so versatile, good for you and easy to cook.

Those are all of my pantry staples! If you have any questions about these or any other feel free to ask me either here or on my Instagram account. Have a great weekend and I’ll see you Monday

Yours Truly,

MyDayIsBooked;)))

Fruit Compote

Let’s face it: mornings suck. So let me paint you a picture of how they can be less sucky: you wake up, leap out of bed because you know you’ll soon be enjoying a delicious breakfast, brush your teeth, make and enjoy said delicious breakfast, get ready for school and leave the house feeling satisfied and happy that you got to eat something awesome. This fruit compote can make all of that happen😍😍 It’s super easy to make and tastes absolutely amazing with oatmeal, yogurt, or even on toast. It’s also full of fruit and contains no added sugar, which makes it a great, healthy way to start your day. Now go ahead and get ready to slay your mornings, because this compote is pretty dang good.

Fruit Compote

Servings: 1-2

Total Time: 15 minutes

Ingredients:

  • 1/2 a banana, sliced
  • 1/2 an apple, diced
  • 2 tbsp raisins
  • 1 cup berries (fresh or frozen)
  • 1/2 tsp cinnamon
  • 1/2 cup water

Directions:

  1. Throw everything into a small pot and bring to a boil.
  2. Turn the heat the low and let the mixture simmer for about 10 minutes, until the fruit has softened and most of the water has been cooked off.
  3. Enjoy over yogurt or oatmeal;)

That’s about it! I love this compote so much because of its delicious simplicity. Hope you enjoy!

Yours Truly,

MyDayIsBooked