A Grateful Meal

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Instant Pot Apple Butter

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This Instant Pot Apple Butter has all the tastes and smells of fall. And with just five ingredients and 20 minutes, it couldn’t be any simpler or quicker.  

Who doesn’t love apples in fall? This is the time of year I usually bring my favorite two apples, McIntosh and Honeycrisp, home with me after visiting my family in Western Pennsylvania. When I get home, the apples that survived the car ride home, I’ll make into festive apple desserts. I could not make the trip this year thanks to corona, but I wanted to make something with spiced apple. Apple butter is probably one of the easiest things to make with apples, and it’s also great to use up bruised or damaged apples that you don’t want to eat raw.

Jar of instant pot apple butter with a spoon resting in the jar with toast and whole apples on the side on a white background.

 What is Apple Butter?

Apple butter is simply cooked, spiced, and pureed apples. Contrary to its name, it doesn’t contain any butter or oil. It is very spreadable and works perfectly in place of jams or jellies. My favorite ways to enjoy apple butter are on my morning toast or swirled into some plain yogurt for a fall twist.   

Apple butter vs. applesauce

You might be asking, so what’s the difference between apple butter and applesauce? Not much. It comes down to how much water is in the puree and how long you cook the apples. Apple butter is a more concentrated version of apple sauce. Since applesauce tends to be more watery, apple butter is cooked longer and has that spreadable consistency I mentioned above. If your apple butter comes out more like applesauce, you can switch the instant pot setting to the sauté feature and let it comes to a boil to evaporate off more of the water. Be careful, though – it will burn quickly on the bottom, so make sure you stir it frequently to prevent scorching.

Apple butter on a spoon above a jar of the instant pot apple butter

Ingredients for Instant Pot Apple Butter

Apples: That’s an easy one.  According to several articles, the best apples to use are softer varieties, such as one of my favorites, McIntosh. However, since you’re using an Instant Pot, which uses heat and pressure to break down the apples, it’s pretty safe to use whatever apple you enjoy.

Water or apple cider: To prevent scorching in the Instant Pot, it is a good idea to add just a little bit of liquid so it doesn’t burn before the apples have a chance to release their juices.  For the best flavor, I prefer to use apple cider or apple juice as the liquid.

Spices: I used a combination of ground cinnamon, ginger, and cloves. If you want to make it super easy, use pumpkin pie spice, which contains all of those fall-like, warming spices.

Overview from above of a jar of instant pot apple butter with whole apples and toast on the side on a white-gray background.

How to Make Apple Butter in the Instant Pot

This recipe is a set it and forget it type of recipe with very little hands-on time. You start by slicing and coring the apples. You keep the peel on the apples. Keep the slices about the same size – about a half-inch across. You’ll then cook the apples on high pressure for 18 minutes in the Instant Pot. Once complete, you release the steam and cool a bit before transferring the apples into a blender or using a stick blender to puree the apples until smooth.

Like I mentioned above, if the apple butter is a little too watery for your liking, you can return the apple butter to the Instant Pot and cook on the saute feature, continually stirring until more water is removed (about 5-10 minutes depending on how much water your apples contained). You can also use a large soup pot on the stove to cook the water out of the apples some.

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Instant Pot Apple Butter

Overview from above of a jar of instant pot apple butter with whole apples and toast on the side on a white-gray background.
  • Author: Melissa
  • Prep Time: 5-10 minutes
  • Cook Time: 18 minutes
  • Total Time: 22-28 minutes
  • Yield: 1 large container 1x
  • Category: instant pot
  • Method: instant pot
  • Cuisine: American
Scale

Ingredients

  • 3 lbs. of apples, cored and cut in large chunks (keep the skin on) – about 10 small apples
  • ¼ cup water or apple cider
  • 1 tsp. cinnamon
  • 1 tsp. ground ginger
  • ¼ tsp. cloves

Instructions

  1. Put all of the ingredients into the instant pot. Cook on high pressure for 18 minutes using the manual feature. Quick-release steam valve. Let cool for about 10 minutes with the lid off.
  2. Blend apples with a stick blender or transfer to a regular blender to blend. Serve immediately or keep in a container in the fridge for up to 2 weeks or 1 year in the freezer.

Keywords: instant pot, apples, cinnamon, ginger, cloves, fall

Banana Nut Butter

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This post contains links that pay me a small commission at no extra cost to you.

Overview of banana nut butter with a spoon in the jar with nuts and dried bananas scattered on a white background.
This post contains links that pay me a small commission at no extra cost to you.

Hands down, y’all, this is the best nut butter you’ll ever taste. This banana nut butter is like almond butter and banana bread’s love child, so clearly, you just can’t go wrong making this one. 

A while back, I found an almond and cashew butter at Costco made with dried banana. I was in love. I went back almost weekly to restock. Unfortunately, you know how Costco is with their products; it’s here one day and gone the next. I kept telling myself that I’d find the ingredient list and make it at home one day. I finally made it last week, and let me tell you, it’s everything I remember and more. 

You can smear this on anything and be happy as a clam. You can eat it on toast, sandwiches, oatmeal, waffles, and definitely straight off the spoon. The last option is how most of mine gets used. Not only do I love the flavor, but I really like the creamy but slightly chunky texture from the hemp seeds that I added. And, it’s so easy – just a whirl in the food processor and boom, easy, peasy. 

Banana nut butter on a piece of toast with a jar and nuts beside.

For this recipe you’ll need:

  • Dried banana chips: If you can find the ones with banana as their only ingredient, that’s best. I used Bare Baked Banana Chips because they only use banana. Still, it’s okay if you can only find banana chips with some sweetener or oil. 
  • Roasted almonds: I bought the roasted so that I didn’t have to have an extra step of toasting the nuts. If you buy raw almonds, just make sure that you toast them to bring out the toasty, nutty flavor. Since almonds are the nut that is the bulk of the recipe, I chose the unsalted variety to control the sodium a bit. 
  • Roasted Cashews: Again, if you get the raw, just make sure you toast them. Since these nuts are used in a lesser quantity, I did buy the salted roasted cashews. If you buy all unsalted nuts, make sure you add about 1/2 tsp. of salt or to taste when you blend everything up. 
  • Molasses: This gives a touch of sweetness, but a more complex flavor than honey, agave syrup, or sugar. 
  • Vanilla extract: Something to round out the flavors and make it taste more like banana nut bread. 
  • Hemp hearts: These add texture and essential omega-3 fatty acids, which are important in heart health. You can also substitute flax seed or chia, but I think hemp hearts provide a better texture in this recipe.
  • (Optional) Neutral oil: A little oil can help make smoother nut butter, but be sure to use a neutral-tasting one like avocado, canola, or light tasting olive oil. 
Jar of banana nut butter with a spoon on a white background.

Tips for making nut butter:

  • You’ll need a heavy-duty food processor or blender to grind the nuts. The nuts will start off as meal, then move into clumps, then finally into creamy nut butter. This takes at least 10 minutes. I wanted a super creamy consistency, so I blended mine for closer to 20 minutes. I scraped down the sides every so often to make sure that everything was evenly blended. 
  • Use the oil if you’d like, but you can leave it out altogether if you blend for a more extended time. 
  • If you store this nut butter at room temperature, it will naturally separate. It’s okay, you can just stir it up again. However, I do recommend keeping it in the fridge to not only prevent separation but also to keep fats in the nut butter from going rancid. It should keep in the fridge for about 3-4 weeks, but I have a feeling it won’t last that long!
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Banana Nut Butter

Overview of banana nut butter with a spoon in the jar with nuts and dried bananas scattered on a white background.
Scale

Ingredients

Instructions

  1. Add dried banana, almonds, cashews, and molasses to a food processor or blender bowl. Pulse/blend until creamy. It will go from meal to clumpy, to creamy over about 10-20 minutes. Blend closer to 20 minutes for a creamier consistency. Add oil as needed.
  2. Once completely blended, add hemp hearts and pulse until just combined. Store in an airtight container for up to 4 weeks in the fridge. 
Banana Nut Butter

Citrus Winter Farro Salad

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Overview of farro salad with brussels sprouts and citrus

Happy New Year, folks! 2019 was quite the ride, and I’m ready for 2020. 2019 was a year of change for me. I quit my secure, well-paying job to move onto entrepreneurship. And I haven’t regretted it one bit. I’m genuinely excited about what the roaring twenties have in store for me and my little corner of the internet. It’s been a busy holiday season, and lately, I’ve been craving some fresh flavors like citrus, which is in season, so this Citrus Winter Farro Salad has been hitting the spot perfectly. It’s chock full of whole grains, crispy Brussels sprouts, and vitamin C-rich citrus. I recently went to a local tapas restaurant, which had fried, crispy brussels sprouts with grapefruit, and it was so good. I knew immediately that I needed to recreate it at home and for the blog as this Citrus Winter Farro Salad. It keeps well in the refrigerator, tastes great served warm or cold, and is an easy dish for weekend meal prep. 

Drizzling of citrus vinaigrette on farro salad with brussels sprouts

I know it seems cliche that a recipe posted on New Year’s Day would be a salad, but I assure you that this post is encouraging you to eat only salads this year. I’m not big on resolutions, but I do like the idea of setting intentions. I’ve set some intentions this year for peace, including cultivating more peace with food and my body. One area I think we (as a culture and society) could use is making peace with food. “Making peace with food” is the third principle of Intuitive Eating. Making peace with food means giving yourself unconditional permission to eat anything you want. Yes, a Registered Dietitian Nutritionist just told you to give yourself unconditional permission to eat anything you want. It shouldn’t be shocking, but sadly, it might be for many. If you want to eat cake, eat cake. If you want to eat a salad, eat a salad. By giving yourself unconditional permission to eat whatever you want, you’ll never feel deprived or look at a meal as if its the “last supper.” If given permission, no one would only eat cake for the rest of their lives. At some point, it would become awful; you would start craving crunchy and savory foods. This would probably happen sooner than you might think.  

Close up of farro salad with brussels sprouts and citrus

I think that’s exactly how this recipe was born. I was craving crunchy vegetables, grains, and bright citrus flavors after having a lot of rich, soft foods around the holidays like mashed potatoes/gravy, desserts, etc. And I love me some rich, soft foods like mashed potatoes with gravy and desserts and plan to eat plenty of them in 2020 as well. But, this is the way life goes. Honor those cravings. Eat the “good” food and the “bad” food. And, challenge yourself this year to make peace with food and changing your vocabulary to not label foods as “good” or “bad.” Eat the salad, eat the cake, and get on with your life. And if you’re going to eat a salad, eat this one. It tastes so good. 

Overview of farro salad with brussels sprouts and citrus with some portioned on a plate

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Citrus Winter Farro Salad

Overview of farro salad with brussels sprouts and citrus
  • Author: Melissa
  • Total Time: 30 minutes
  • Yield: 6 servings 1x
Scale

Ingredients

  • 1 1/2 cups of farro 
  • 1 lb. brussels sprouts, trimmed and cut in half
  • 1/4 cup olive oil, plus 2 tbsp.
  • 3 tbsp. lemon juice (juice of about 1/2 of lemon)
  • 1 tbsp. Dijon mustard
  • 1 large orange or grapefruit,  peeled and segmented
  • Salt and pepper to taste 

Instructions

  1. Cook farro to package directions, then place in a bowl to set aside to cool. 
  2. Meanwhile, preheat oven to 475 degrees. Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil. Toss sprouts with 2 tbsp. olive oil, salt, and pepper. Spread on sheet and bake for about 10 minutes. Remove from oven and toss again (or shake the pan to move around), place back in oven and cook an additional 5 minutes. Set aside. 
  3. While sprouts cook, make the vinaigrette. Mix lemon juice and dijon mustard together. Season with salt and pepper. Add 1/4 cup of olive oil while continually whisking until dressing is well blended.
  4. Toss farro, brussels sprouts, vinaigrette, and citrus segments together in a bowl. Drizzle with vinaigrette.

Brunch Pizza with Eggs

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Overview of a sliced pizza with drippy eggs, sausage, and spinach on top.
This post contains links that pay me a small commission at no extra cost to you.

I could have easily named my brunch pizza with eggs “breakfast pizza with eggs,” but you can eat this pizza any time of the day. Although brunch is my favorite and my choice for when to eat this “brunch pizza,” so there you have it. It’s loaded with some of my favorite breakfast and non-breakfast foods. We got sweet and savory breakfast sausage and runny eggs bringing in the breakfast component. Then we have spinach, mozzarella cheese, and pizza delivering on the non-traditional breakfast items. Although, I would argue that spinach, cheese, and pizza make excellent breakfast choices. I rounded it out with garlic and red pepper flake, and it’s a masterpiece. In addition to being super delicious, it’s filling and super satisfying thanks to a nice balance of protein, veggies, and whole grains (if you choose that type of crust).

Close up of pizza slice with drippy egg, breakfast sausage, and spinach on top.

Now you might be wondering pizza with eggs? Yes, pizza with eggs. They just up the ooey-gooey deliciousness of pizza. It’s a perfect match. Trust me, if you haven’t tried it yet.

Close up of a pizza with drippy eggs, sausage, and spinach on top.

Any other cold pizza fans out there? You’re going to love this next part. It also tastes just as good cold as it does hot. I might like cold pizza more than hot, and this one delivers well in that department. I ate a couple of leftover slices this morning for breakfast brunch, and it was heaven. Which is great if you’re serving it for company. You won’t have to worry about timing the baking just right so guests can eat it hot. It will still taste great warm and even cold. 

Any way you slice it (ha, see what I did there?), this is a great recipe to have on hand for unexpected guests for some weekending brunching or an easy weeknight meal. And of course, if you want to keep the good times rolling, don’t forget to sign up for my newsletter for all the latest and greatest here at A Grateful Meal. 

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Brunch Pizza with Eggs

Overview of a sliced pizza with drippy eggs, sausage, and spinach on top.
  • Author: admin
  • Prep Time: 40 minutes
  • Cook Time: 20 minutes
  • Total Time: 1 hour
  • Cuisine: Brunch, Italian
Scale

Ingredients

    • 1 tsp. light-tasting olive oil, plus more for coating
    • Refrigerated pizza dough (whole grain, if possible)
    • ~8-12 oz breakfast sausage patties of your choosing (chicken, pork, turkey, or plant-based)
    • 1/2 tsp. garlic powder
    • 8 oz. shredded mozzarella cheese (1 bag usually is 8 oz.) 
    • 5 oz. bag of fresh spinach, chopped finely, divided
    • 3 eggs
    • Red pepper flake, to taste (optional)

 

Instructions

  1. Remove pizza dough from refrigerator and allow to rest at room temp for about 20-30 minutes. Meanwhile, preheat oven to 450 degrees F. Lightly coat a baking sheet or pizza pan with olive oil. Allow the baking sheet to preheat in the oven for about 5-10 minutes.  
  2. Heat 1 tsp. olive in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add sausage patties, breaking them apart as they cook until they are fully cooked and crumbled. Drain on paper towels if necessary. 
  3. Working on a surface sprinkled with flour, roll out pizza dough into about a 12 inch round (or oval like me!) Sprinkle garlic powder all over pizza dough. Remove preheated pan from oven, and transfer the seasoned dough to pan. 
  4. Save a large handful of the spinach to sprinkle on top after pizza is cooked for a fresh taste (optional) — top dough with remaining spinach, sausage, and mozzarella cheese. Aim to leave a little bit of space to place eggs later. 
  5. Bake pizza for about 10 minutes. Remove from the oven. Top pizza with eggs, gently cracking eggs onto crust while keeping the yolks intact.
  6. Put pizza back in oven and cook for additional 8-10 minutes or until crust is golden brown and egg whites are set. 
  7. Top with red pepper flake and extra spinach, if using. Serve immediately. 

Keywords: pizza with eggs

Orange Chocolate Granola

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Overview of orange chocolate granola on top of yogurt with chocolate chips
This post contains links that pay me a small commission at no extra cost to you.

Does anyone get those chocolate oranges in their stocking at Christmas? You know the ones that you hit off the table, and they break into what looks like chocolate orange slices? Yeah, those ones. They’re one of my favorite Christmas treats because orange and chocolate are two flavors that are made for one another. This Orange Chocolate Granola is the same flavor profile and can be enjoyed all year round.

Holding a bowl of orange chocolate granola on top of yogurt

When I was baking this, the house smelled amazing. You know how you’re supposed to bake chocolate chip cookies when you’re trying to sell your house so that potential buyers will feel your home is cozy and want to buy it? Yeah, don’t do that. Bake this instead. It fills the air with bright, sweet citrus aromas and the indulgent smell of chocolate paired with the toasty nuttiness of pecans. Are you drooling on your keyboard yet? I am. After the orange chocolate granola came out of the oven, my mom called, and I talked to her for at least 20 minutes. I stood at the counter the entire conversation snacking on this granola because I couldn’t get over how great it tasted. It makes a great snack and an even more perfect breakfast.

It’s also a nutritional powerhouse with dark chocolate, whole grains, high protein nuts, and dried fruit. It clearly checks all the boxes for me – tastes good (first) and nutritious (second). That might sound weird coming from a Registered Dietitian Nutritionist that taste comes first (always), but let’s get real. What good is nutritious food if it doesn’t taste good? You have to want to eat it, and this is something that I’ll want in my kitchen forever.

Orange chocolate granola with yogurt bowl next to baked sheet pan of granola and chocolate chips

The best part is that you can double or triple this recipe as it will keep for at least 3 weeks in an airtight container. It’s perfect for making it on the weekend to enjoy all week long!

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Orange Chocolate Granola

  • Author: admin
  • Prep Time: 10 min
  • Cook Time: 60 min
  • Total Time: 1 hour 10 minutes
  • Cuisine: Breakfast
Scale

Ingredients

Instructions

  1. Preheat oven to 300 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with a silicone baking mat or parchment paper. 
  2. Mix oats, pecans, flour, cocoa powder, and salt in a small bowl. In a larger bowl, whisk together the honey (or agave), orange zest, orange juice, vanilla extract, and oil. Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and mix well.  
  3. Spread evenly onto the baking sheet and bake for about 1 hour. Set a timer to check and stir granola about every 20 minutes to ensure that edges don’t burn. 
  4. Remove from oven and cool. Granola will continue to crisp up while cooling. Once cool, mix in dried fruit and chocolate chips. Store in an airtight container for up to 3 weeks. 

Spiced Eggnog Waffles

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View of eggnog waffles on a cooling rack next to a plate of waffles with syrup and coffee on the side
This post contains links that pay me a small commission at no extra cost to you.

I love lazy mornings. Lazy mornings are complete with snuggling with puppies, staying in your PJs, and lingering over breakfast. This is the time of year for festive, cozy breakfasts, which are my ideal lazy morning. These Spiced Eggnog Waffles make for the best breakfast fare.

Close up of an eggnog waffle on a cooling rack dusted with powdered sugar

These thick, spiced waffles are perfect for dunking in coffee or cocoa in the morning and give that subtle taste of holiday eggnog. You can dust them with a light coating of powdered sugar, cinnamon, and/or a drizzle of warm maple syrup. If you’re looking for the ultimate lazy morning, make these waffles in advance. Store the eggnog waffles in ziplock bags in the freezer and reheat in a toaster or oven until they’re warmed through. You can even double (or triple, depending on how many people you’re feeding) the batch to freeze. By doing so, you’ll take out all the work for your lazy morning, which is especially crucial if it’s Christmas morning. There’s nothing better than a breakfast that only takes five minutes to prep so you can get the most joy out of your Christmas morning.

Overview of eggnog waffles cooling on a rack dusted with powdered sugar

Even if you do decide to make these on your lazy morning, don’t fret, they’re still easy as can be. It goes something like this: mix the dry ingredients, mix the wet ingredients, combine the two mixtures, but don’t overmix. Pour on the waffle maker, wait until they’re crispy and perfect. Repeat. While you’re repeating, you can pop the finished waffles in a 200-degree oven to keep nice and toasty. Top with your favorite toppings, and you’ve won the day. It’s as simple as that folks.

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Spiced Eggnog Waffles

Overview of eggnog waffles cooling on a rack dusted with powdered sugar
  • Author: admin
  • Prep Time: 10
  • Cook Time: 20
  • Total Time: 30 minutes
  • Category: Breakfast
Scale

Ingredients

  • 3/4 cup all-purpose flour
  • 3/4 cup whole-grain pastry flour
  • 2 tsp. baking powder
  • 1 tsp. baking soda
  • 1/2 tsp. salt
  • 1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon
  • 1/4 tsp. ground nutmeg
  • 1/8 tsp. ground cloves
  • 5 tbsp. unsalted butter, melted
  • 1 large egg
  • 2 tsp. vanilla extract
  • 1 1/4 cup eggnog
  • 1/4 cup milk
  • Powdered sugar, cinnamon, and/or pure maple syrup for topping 

Instructions

  1. Preheat the waffle iron, and spray with non-stick cooking spray. 
  2. Mix together dry ingredients in a large bowl – both flours, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and spices. 
  3. Whisk together wet ingredients in a separate bowl – butter, egg, vanilla extract, eggnog, and milk. Pour wet ingredients into dry ingredient bowl and mix together until just combined. It’s ok if there are a few lumps. 
  4. Ladle waffle batter onto hot waffle iron in about 1/4 cup increments, and cook waffles according to your waffle maker instructions (timing will vary).
  5. Serve with powdered sugar, cinnamon, pure maple syrup, and/or toppings of your choosing. 

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