You can look for beef pre-sliced for stir-fry to save time, but slicing it yourself will probably be cheaper. Look for tender cuts like top loin, top sirloin, tenderloin, or even flank. Placing the beef in the freezer for 10-15 minutes will help firm it up, making it easier to slice the beef into thin strips.

Curried Beef Stir-Fry
adapted from Southern Living

1 lb beef, cut into thin strips
Olive oil
Sea salt
Cracked black pepper
1/2 red onion, thinly sliced
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 tsp freshly grated ginger
1/4 tsp red pepper flakes
1 bell pepper (red, yellow, orange), sliced into 1-inch pieces
2 small zucchini, quartered lengthwise and sliced into 1/4 inch thick pieces
1 large apple, such as fuji, cored and diced
1/2 cup apple juice
2 tbsp low-sodium soy sauce
1 1/2 tsp curry powder
hot cooked couscous or rice, for serving

Heat a small amount of olive oil in a large skillet. Season beef with sea salt and black pepper. Add the beef, working in batches if needed, and stir-fry over high heat until cooked through, 3 to 4 minutes. Transfer to a plate.

Reduce heat to medium-high, add additional oil, scraping the bottom of the pan to loosen any browned bits. Add red onion, garlic, ginger, and red pepper flakes. Saute 2-3 minutes, then add bell pepper. Saute 2-3 minutes, adding additional oil if needed, then add zucchini and saute 2-3 minutes. Add diced apple, apple juice, soy sauce, and curry powder. Bring liquid to a boil and return beef to pan along with any accumulated juices on the plate. Toss ingredients, reduce heat to low, and cover. Simmer for 3-5 minutes, adding additional apple juice if needed.

Remove from heat and let stand, covered, for 5 minutes. Serve over hot cooked couscous or rice.

The main issue I had with the original recipe was that it used pre-packaged measurements in the ingredient list (ex: 1/2 of a 20 oz  package of bite-sized dried plums), which means you have to actually buy the package or put forth your best guess on the amounts. Given the economy, many people are buying in bulk and using simple measurements such as “1 cup” or “1/2 cup” would lend itself better to the recipes usability.

Kielbasa & Peppers w/ Couscous
adapted from Southern Living

1 cup couscous
1 cup golden or regular raisins
1 lb kielbasa, sliced 1/2 inch thick
2 tbsp olive oil
2 sweet bell peppers (red, orange, or yellow) thinly sliced
1/2 red onion, thinly sliced
2 garlic cloves, minced
Sea salt
1/4 tsp crushed red pepper flakes
1 Granny Smith apple, diced
1 1/4 cups low-sodium chicken broth
2 tbsp orange juice
2 tbsp brown sugar
1 tbsp cornstarch
Cracked black pepper

Bring 1 cup of water to a boil. Remove from heat and stir in couscous and 1/4 tsp sea salt. Cover and let set for 5 minutes. Fluff with a fork and stir in raisins.

In a large skillet, heat olive oil. Over medium-high heat, saute bell peppers, onion, garlic, and red pepper flakes with 1/4 tsp sea salt for 3-5 minutes, until tender. Add kielbasa to pan and saute until warmed through, about 5 minutes. Add additional olive oil to pan if needed. Add diced apples and an additional 1/4 tsp of sea salt and saute 2-3 minutes.

Meanwhile, whisk together chicken broth with orange juice, brown sugar, cornstarch, and 1/2 tsp sea salt. Add to skillet and bring liquid to a boil. Reduce heat and cover, simmering for 2 minutes or until liquid has thickened slightly. Remove from heat and toss all ingredients. Season to taste with cracked black pepper.

Serve kielbasa and peppers over a bed of couscous. Spoon additional sauce from the pan over top.

Allow bread slices to set out for a couple hours to dry and make better crumbs.

Sweet Potato & Apple Gratin
adapted from Cooking Light

3 Granny Smith apples, peeled, cored, and thinly sliced
1 tsp lemon juice
4-5 small sweet potatoes, peeled and sliced 1/4 inch thick
1/4 cup maple syrup
1 tbsp melted butter (unsalted)
1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp sea salt
1/4 tsp black pepper
2 slices dry bread, crusts removed
2 tsp olive oil
1/4 tsp nutmeg

Preheat oven to 400F and coat a 13×9 inch baking dish with cooking spray.

Combine apples with lemon juice in a large bowl and toss. Add sweet potatoes, maple syrup, butter, cinnamon, salt and pepper. Toss and spread mixture into prepared baking dish. Bake for 40 minutes, stirring once half-way through baking time.

Tear up bread slices and place in a food processor or chopper. Pulse until small crumbs form, and add olive oil and nutmeg. Pulse to combine. Sprinkle over sweet potato mixture and bake an additional 15 minutes, or until top is golden brown (if needed, drizzle with additional olive oil to prevent burning). Let stand for 10 minutes before serving, allowing baking juices to thicken.

Baked Apples with Dried Fruit

4 large, firm baking apples such as Braeburn
1/3 cup packed brown sugar
2 tbsp pure maple syrup
1/2 cup dried fruit, such as apricots, cherries, and golden raisins (chopped if large)
1/4 cup chopped pecans
olive oil
caramel sauce

Preheat oven to 450F

In a small bowl, combine brown sugar, maple syrup, dried fruit and pecans. Using a melon baller or small spoon, remove stem and core from apples, creating a “tunnel” in the center, stopping about a half-inch from the bottom of the apple.

Drizzle olive oil in the bottom of a 9×9 inch baking pan. Place apples upright in the pan and spoon fruit mixture into the center of each apple, allowing mixture to overflow slightly. Drizzle again with olive oil (to keep apples and topping moist).

Bake apples for 30-35 minutes, until soft and apples begin to “burst.” In a small saucepan, combine any leftover fruit mixture with caramel syrup and place over low heat. To serve, cut apples in half and top with caramel mixture.

Enter Midnight Snacks. In the first section of the book 10:15 PM Past Your Bedtime Repast, the first recipe is for “Impromptu Pizza.” Basically, the recipe provides ideas for making a personal size pizza out of everyday food items such as flour tortillas, sliced tomatoes, and shredded cheese. After reading through some of the variations, I decided to try my hand at my own Apple-izza in the spirit of the Sweetza.

I started with a flat whole wheat tortilla and added a couple ounces of cream cheese mixed with a pinch of cinnamon and a splash of milk. Then I thinly sliced an apple and created a layer over the cream cheese, slightly overlapping the slices. Next, I seasoned with a small pinch of salt and cinnamon sugar. I then topped it all with a light sprinkle of cheese and baked until bubbly. Once out of the oven, I sprinkled with a bit more cinnamon sugar and cut into pieces. 

I served this for brunch, but it could also be a great dessert or appetizer to a meal. Be sure to cut the apple thinly so the slices cook and soften quickly in the oven. Cheddar cheese and apples are a classic combination, but mozzarella also works. I would recommend a firm, crisp apple like Braeburn or Fuji, or you could use a Granny Smith and substitute caramel for the shredded cheese and add some chopped nuts to make a delicious caramel apple pizza.

Jenn’s Apple-izza 
1 flour tortilla
3 oz cream cheese
1/4 tsp cinnamon
1-2 tsp milk
1 apple, thinly sliced
1/4 cup shredded cheese
cinnamon sugar 

Preheat oven to 400F and cover a baking sheet with parchment paper.

In a small bowl, combine cream cheese, cinnamon, and milk. Stir until smooth and spread over tortilla.

Arrange apple slices in a single layer, slightly overlapping the pieces. Sprinkle with cinnamon sugar and top with shredded cheese.

Bake 10-12 minutes, until cheese is bubbly and the edges of the tortilla are golden brown. Remove and sprinkle with additional cinnamon sugar if desired.

Allow to cool 2-3 minutes and cut into pieces.

From chapter 2:30 AM: Late Night Rehab of Midnight Snacks, “try this fortifying concoction to hydrate your system, flush out some lingering impurities, and get your body rebounding with a vitamin booster shot.” The authors certainly don’t lack imagination. 

While the recipe is designed to stave off a hang-over, it’s a great early morning booster as well. Bonus: a full serving of fruit and veggies first thing in the morning, and then some. Normally, I adjust recipes to my liking, but this one was practically perfect. The only snag is the recipe is suppose to serve one, but I had plenty for two.

1 small papaya, peeled, seeded, and cut into chunks
1/2 cup orange juice
1/2 cup apple juice
1/2 medium cucumber, peeled, seeded, and cut into chunks
ice cubes (about 5-6)

Author’s instructions:

“Cast all the ingredients, along with any of the evening’s regrets, into the blender and puree.”

I do not advocate the peeling and seeding of fruits and vegetables, but in the case of papaya it is necessary. For the cucumber, it’s more about the texture of the smoothie. The only thing I added to this was a sprig of mint, just for show. If you really want to balance your breakfast, try yogurt or milk in place of the fruit juices.

Ripe papaya are more yellow than green and should yield slightly when you squeeze it.

2 tbsp vegetable oil
3/4 cup all-purpose flour, spooned and leveled
1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp baking soda
1 cup packed dark brown sugar
1/2 cup unsweetened applesauce (not chunky)
1/2 cup reduced-fat sour cream, room temperature
4 oz bittersweet chocolate (2 oz melted, 2 oz coarsely chopped)
2 large eggs

Preheat oven to 350F and lightly coat a square baking pan (8×8 or 9×9) with cooking spray.  

In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, cocoa, salt, and baking soda; set aside. In a slightly larger bowl, whisk together dark brown sugar, applesauce, sour cream, melted chocolate, eggs, and oil until combined. Add flour mixture and mix just until moistened (do not over mix).

Spread batter in prepared baking pan. Sprinkle top with chopped chocolate. Bake until a toothpick inserted in the center of cake comes out with a few moist crumbs attached, about 25 to 35 minutes.

Allow brownies to cool completely. Cut into squares. Share the goodness!

36 oz (4 1/2 cups) apricot nectar
2 cups water
1/4 cup lemon juice
1/3 cup sugar
1/4 tsp cloves
2 (3 inch) cinnamon sticks

Combine all ingredients in a 4 quart or larger crockpot. Stir well and set crockpot to low. Heat for 2-3 hours, stirring halfway through.

Serve with a cinnamon stick if desired.

Here is the recipe, halved:

1 1/2 cups tart apples, cored and cut into wedges
1 cup carrots, peeled, cut into 3/4 inch thick rounds
1/2 medium onion, cut into wedges
1/2 lb small red skin potatoes, cut into quarters
1 large sweet potatoes, cut into 3/4 inch cubes
1 cups parsnips, peeled, cut into 3/4 inch chunks 
2 tbsp olive oil
1/4 tsp dried thyme or 1/2 tsp fresh chopped thyme
1/4 tsp salt

For soup, add:
2 tsp minced garlic
4-5 cups water or chicken stock
1/4 tsp nutmeg
pinch of red pepper

Preheat oven to 425F

Combine apples, carrots, onion, red skin potatoes, sweet potatoes, and parsnips in a large bowl. Drizzle with olive oil, thyme,  and salt. Toss to coat and spread vegetables evenly on a large baking sheet coated with cooking spray. Bake 20-25 minutes, or until vegetables are tender and beginning to caramelize. 

Saute garlic over medium heat in a large saucepan for 1-2 minutes, until fragrant. Add 4 cups chicken stock or water, plus nutmeg and red pepper. Bring to a boil.

Add reserved vegetables. Simmer until the vegetables are warm (if using leftovers). Blend in batches, filling the blender halfway each time. Combine batches in a clean pot and add additional water or stock if too thick. Top with fresh ground black pepper.   

Shown below, garnished with a cinnamon stick:

3 cups tart apples, cored and cut into wedges
2 cups carrots, peeled, cut into 3/4 inch thick rounds
1 medium onion, cut into wedges
1 lb small red skin potatoes, cut into quarters
2 large sweet potatoes, cut into 3/4 inch cubes
2 cups parsnips, peeled, cut into 3/4 inch chunks 
2 tbsp olive oil
1/2 tsp dried thyme or 1 tsp fresh chopped thyme
1/4 tsp salt
1/8 tsp pepper 

Preheat oven to 425F

Combine apples, carrots, onion, red skin potatoes, sweet potatoes, and parsnips in a large bowl. Drizzle with olive oil, thyme, salt and pepper. Toss to coat and spread vegetables evenly on a large baking sheet coated with cooking spray. Bake 20-25 minutes, or until vegetables are tender and beginning to caramelize. Remove from oven and serve.   

Root vegetables on a baking sheet:

Bake and serve: