I can’t believe it’s October. I honestly don’t know where the year has gone! As I was planning this month’s blog posts, I received a message from a reader about a blog post I ran two years ago.
It was a Pumpkin Challenge where I ate only pumpkin-based foods for an entire day and added links to all the recipes. She loved that post and asked if I’d run it again. So later this month, I’ll repost that article. But it gave me the idea for another challenge–this one with apples! So today’s question is… what if, for one day, I could only eat things made from apples? What would that look like or taste like? And here is what happened.
Breakfast:
Dutch Apple Pancakes
~ I love pancakes and this recipe comes from Tarrytown, NY (where the Legend of Sleepy Hollow takes place) which was settled by the Dutch long before the English arrived. This pan-baked pancake is a perfect fall breakfast. Because the apples are baked in, I just added a bit of pure maple syrup.
Hot Apple Spice Black Tea
~ Home brewed coffee is a must in the morning but I didn’t like the idea of adding anything apple-flavored to my coffee. So I brewed a pot of my favorite Apple Tea. It’s a sweet and spicy Harney tea that I usually buy it on Amazon. (I added a link but I am not an affiliate in any way so don’t make any money from external links). This tea is a wonderful wake-up tea, flavored with cinnamon and cloves, that’s almost as good as coffee. But, to be honest, nothing is as good as coffee!
Snack:
Apple Cinnamon Granola and Greek Yogurt
~ I get up early and I get hungry by 10 a.m. But my favorite snack is a small bowl of yogurt topped with granola. This granola is made with rolled oats, nuts, cinnamon, and dried apples so it’s the perfect autumn morning treat!
Lunch:
Apple & Brie Grilled Cheese
~ This is the best grilled cheese ever! I use Macoun or Granny Smith apples with soft brie and fig jam. It’s one of my favorite lunches in the fall, especially when I can find my favorite Macoun apples. It’s warm and filling on a chilly fall afternoon. I usually eat it alongside a small salad and it gets me straight through until it’s time for my afternoon snack.
Afternoon snack:
Baked Apple Cider Donuts
~ These wonderful baked donuts are perfect anytime of the day. I usually eat them with coffee, but since it’s an apple day I treated myself to another cup of the Hot Apple Spice Tea. I could easily eat three or four of these baked donuts, but I limited myself to one. Maybe one and a half.
Dinner:
Winter Squash & Apple Soup
~ You can mix and match any roasted winter squash for this soup, but I love to use butternut and acorn squashes. I also use either Granny Smith or Macoun apples because they’re both tart and sweet. There’s no cream or milk in this soup and you can adjust the thickness with water or broth. I have found that this soup is easier to make with an immersion blender–it’s a lot less messy and makes fewer dishes. I ate this soup with the chicken, apple, and dill salad mentioned below. And there may have been a glass of wine involved.
Chicken, Apple, & Dill Salad
~ This recipe is quick and easy to make if you have leftover chicken lying around — which I almost always do. It’s also a flexible recipe that you can adjust to make your own. You can add any other ingredients you like (nuts!) and take out others that you hate (celery!). I ate this on a plate along with the soup, but it’s really meant to be served as a croissant sandwich or with any other sandwich bread.
Dessert:
Dutch Apple Pie
~ Because the Dutch settled the Hudson River Valley, which is filled with apple orchards, for centuries they were known for their apple recipes. And this pie, which is more like a cake, is one of my favorite apple desserts. I definitely prefer a more tart apple in this recipe–like a Granny Smith–and make sure it’s fresh and crisp. Not mushy or mealy. You really will be able to tell the difference. I may have eaten this with whipped cream and vanilla ice cream.
Spiced Apple Cider:
~ This apple cider is a perfect late night snack and is super easy to make. But it’s also special because it uses rosemary and sage along with the traditional cinnamon and allspice. There’s also a touch of brown sugar and caramel syrup. It’s definitely worth trying out!
So I have to admit that while all the foods I made were delicious, I was done with apples by the end of the day. And I probably won’t eat another apple until November! But it was fun and I’m grateful to the reader who gave me the idea. Thank you!
