The BEST Gluten Free Apple Pie with Crumble Topping

It's apple time!  There's nothing quite as wonderful to usher in the autumn season than a homemade apple pie made from freshly picked apples.  This recipe is simply the best!  The fact that it's gluten free and drastically reduced in sugar are just healthy bonuses.  Honestly, you'd never know it was low sugar or GF; there's nothing lacking in taste here.  My gluten-eating, non-diabetic family members loved it!  Because of the crunchy, crumble topping, this pie is best eaten on the day it's made (although it will taste wonderful the day after, even though the topping will have softened).  Be sure to read the note about choosing apples for pie--it's important, you don't want to end up with a mushy, applesauce pie!  For ease, I used a ready-to-fill, frozen gluten free pie crust (Whole Foods has them), but you certainly could make your own using your favorite recipe.

The BEST Gluten Free Apple Pie with Crumble Topping
Makes 12 servings

one 9" gluten free, frozen pie crust, thawed (or make your own)

Filling:
5-6 medium cooking apples* (see note below)
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
1/8 teaspoon allspice
1/4 cup Stevia or Splenda granular
1 tablespoon tapioca flour
1 teaspoon melted butter, butter substitute (Earth Balance) or ghee (clarified butter)

Topping:
1/4 cup light brown sugar
1/4 cup Stevia or Splenda granular
1/2 cup all purpose gluten free baking flour
1/8 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon nutmeg or mace
1/8 teaspoon ginger
1-1/2 tablespoons gluten free old-fashioned oats
3 tablespoons very cold butter or butter substitute, cubed

1.  Preheat oven to 400-degrees F.  Thaw pie crust.  Poke crust with fork on bottom and sides.  Place crust on a foil-lined cookie sheet; set aside.

2.  To prepare the filling, peel, core and thinly slice apples and place in a large bowl.  Add remaining filling ingredients and stir to coat apples evenly.  Spoon apples into the pie crust until quite full and heaped in the center (apples will reduce in volume as they cook).

3.  In another bowl, stir together the sugars, GF flour, oats, salt, and spices.  Add the cold, cubed butter and, with a pastry cutter or two knives, cut butter into the dry ingredients until butter is well distributed and mixture resembles coarse crumbs.  Spoon crumb topping evenly over apples.

4.  Bake in preheated oven for 40 minutes.  Topping should be nicely browned and the apples bubbly.  Cool for at least one hour before slicing.

*Note about choosing apples: The type of apples is important.  Create a mixture of several types, such as Cortland, Macoun, Granny Smith, Honey Crisp, Yellow Delicious or Macintosh.  Be aware that Macintosh apples are tart and impart a wonderful flavor, but when baked can turn soft or mushy (but in a good way, when combined with firmer apples).  I recommend using Macintosh sparingly in the mix and never use Macintosh by themselves.

Nutritional Information per serving: 185 calories, 30.5 g carbohydrate (2.3 g dietary fiber, 14.1 g sugar), 8.4 g total fat (4.9 g saturated fat, 0 g trans fat), 47 mg cholesterol, 236 mg sodium, 25.4 mg calcium, 106 mg potassium, 2 g protein.

Recipe by Kathy Sheehan, copyright 2013

Oatmeal Cookies

My daughter has been begging me to bake some of my healthy cookies for days, so I was motivated to try out a new recipe. These oatmeal cookies can be made with raisins or mini chocolate chips, whichever you prefer. Unlike a traditional oatmeal cookie, my recipe calls for more oats and less flour which adds more fiber to the batter. The addition of almond flour to replace some of the wheat flour, plus the reduction of sugar cuts the carbs of a traditional recipe by half! These soft and chewy cookies are delicious with a cold glass of milk on a hot, summer afternoon!

Also, I wanted to share a product I discovered recently that appears to be a good store-bought cookie choice. The brand is called Who Nu and the cookies come in three varieties: chocolate chip, a chocolate sandwich cookie and a vanilla sandwich cookie. The numbers look pretty good and they taste great!

Oatmeal Cookies
Makes 30 cookies

3 tablespoon unsalted butter, at room temperature
¼ cup zero trans fat butter spread (I use Smart Balance), at room temperature
¼ cup dark brown sugar
½ cup Splenda granular
1 egg
1½ teaspoons vanilla extract
¼ cup almond flour (or finely ground almonds)
½ cup all-purpose or whole wheat flour
1½ cups old-fashioned oats (not quick cooking)
½ teaspoon baking soda
½ teaspoon baking powder
¼ teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
½ cup raisins or mini semi-sweet chocolate chips

1. Preheat oven to 350°F. Prepare baking sheets by lightly spraying with non-stick cooking spray or use parchment paper; set aside.

2. In a small mixing bowl, measure the almond flour, all-purpose (or wheat) flour, oats, baking soda, baking powder, salt and cinnamon; set aside.

3. Cream the butter, butter spread, brown sugar and Splenda until fluffy. Add egg and vanilla and beat well. Using a wooden spoon, stir in the flour-oat mixture into the butter and egg mixture and mix until thoroughly combined. Fold in the raisins or chocolate chips.

4. Drop the batter by rounded teaspoonfuls (or use a small cookie scoop) onto the prepared baking sheets. If desired, flatten each mound slightly with the palm of your hand. Bake for 10-12 minutes or until lightly browned on the bottom. Remove to a wire rack to cool.

Nutritional information per cookie with raisins: 60.2 calories, 7.8 g carbohydrate, 2.8 g total fat, 1 g saturated fat, 55.6 mg sodium, 0.6 g fiber, 1 g protein

Nutritional Information per cookie with chocolate chips: 71.6 calories, 8.3 g carbohydrate, 3.9 g total fat, 1.7 g saturated fat, 55.6 mg sodium, 0.7 g fiber, 1 g protein

Original recipe by Kathy Sheehan, ©2011

Slice-of-Pie Oatmeal

The mornings are getting colder and I'm in the mood for a hot breakfast. These quick, flavorful additions to a bowl of steaming oatmeal make a wonderful start to the day! Using simple ingredients you might already have on hand, you can create a different flavor every morning. Oatmeal makes an ideal brunch, especially on weekends when most people sleep a bit later. Also, I'll admit to eating it as an afternoon snack, especially when it tastes like pie or cheesecake! My favorite style is the old-fashioned oats (or steel cut), which only take 5-7 minutes to prepare over the quick cooking variety, because the thicker grain is heartier and more substantial. I like my oatmeal to have a bite to it! Quick cooking is fine, but instant is too mushy in my opinion. Whatever time of day you get a craving for it, just boil some water and, in a few minutes, you'll have a satisfying bowl of warm goodness.

Slice-of-Pie Oatmeal
(Serves 1)

½ dry oatmeal, old-fashioned or quick cooking (not instant)
1 cup water
Pinch salt

Prepare oatmeal on the stovetop according to package directions. (Quick cooking may not require as much water, so please check the package.) Add topping of your choice from suggestions below and add nutritional information accordingly.

Nutritional Information for cooked oatmeal alone: 150 calories, 27 g carbohydrate, 2.5 g total fat, 0.5 g saturated fat, 250 mg sodium, 4 g fiber, 5 g protein.

Pumpkin Pie Spiced Oatmeal (pictured): Top cooked oatmeal with 1 tablespoon pumpkin butter, 2 tablespoons light vanilla yogurt and 1/8 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice. If you like it a bit sweeter, add ½ teaspoon Splenda granular and stir.
Add the following nutritional information to cooked oatmeal: 47 calories, 12 g carbohydrate, 0 g fat, 7 mg sodium, 0 g fiber, 0.5 g protein.

Apple Pie Oatmeal: Top cooked oatmeal with 1 tablespoon apple butter or ½ grated apple, 2 tablespoons light vanilla yogurt, 1/8 teaspoon vanilla extract and 1/8 teaspoon cinnamon. If you like it sweeter, add ½ teaspoon Splenda granular and stir.
Add the following nutritional information to cooked oatmeal: 47 calories, 12 g carbohydrate, 0 g fat, 7 mg sodium, 0 g fiber, 0.5 g protein.

Banana Cream Pie Oatmeal: Top cooked oatmeal with 1 tablespoon mashed ripe banana, 2 tablespoons light vanilla yogurt, 1 packet Splenda or Stevia and 1/8 teaspoon banana extract. Stir to combine.
Add the following nutritional information to cooked oatmeal: 46 calories, 11.2 g carbohydrate, 0.1 g total fat, 0 g saturated fat, 7 mg sodium, 1.1 g fiber, 0.9 g protein.

Cherry Cheesecake Oatmeal: Mix together 1 tablespoon low-fat cream cheese, ½ teaspoon vanilla extract, 1 packet of Splenda or Stevia and spoon onto cooked oatmeal. Top with 1 tablespoon chopped dried cherries and a pinch of nutmeg.
Add the following nutritional information to cooked oatmeal: 55 calories, 7 g carbohydrate, 1.8 g total fat, 1.1 g saturated fat, 30 mg sodium, 0.3 g fiber, 1.5 g protein.

Recipes by Kathy Sheehan, copyright 2010