These baked apple crisp rings made with almond meal are a healthier version of the classic dessert. Top with vanilla ice cream for a delicious treat.
Being on the road for the past few days has really made me disturbingly aware of how much I keep myself in a bubble when I’m at home. We have no cable and my internet awareness is whatever I read on twitter, facebook or blogs, all content that I control by the people I choose to follow. God, that makes me sound lame.
There are many things I like about fall.
In fact, my decision to move back north when we lived in Florida was about 95% due to me *thinking* I missed the change in seasons, apple cider donuts and pumpkin picking in a real patch while not 90 degrees outside.
However, there are two major downfalls of the season.
Football and politics.
For my thoughts on football, see this post on edamame dip – it’s a little intense.
My thoughts on politics? Glad you asked.
Short story…I cannot stand them. Or at least what they’ve become in this country.
Longer story…The hoopla, and yes, that’s an appropriate word because nothing concrete ever actually gets discussed, drives me nuts.
We turn conventions into freakin’ spectacles where news reporters comment on the dress of the first lady or other stupid trivial things rather than actual issues, we listen to politician after politician say absolutely nothing of substance and instead deliver 1 liners that will bring the already incredibly biased audience in attendance to their feet, clapping every other minute so we can pause, wait for the ruckus to die down and then listen to the next 1 liner and we listen to commercials that attack the opposite party about their past and marital relations rather than state what they actually stand for.
It.is.ridiculous.
My parents think because of my lack of interest in all this I’m a naïve, liberal (I’m not liberal, but they’re about as Fox News slanted as it gets) youngin’ that is living in some blogging la-la land.
Part of that may be true at times, but naïve I am not.
In truth, I honestly just think this country is so far broken in many of it’s policies and “systems” that it’s beyond fixing. Well let me rephrase that, it’s beyond fixing because the way our electoral system is set up, the American public will never elect a person who is capable of actually making real change.
I do believe those people exist, they just don’t make it on the ticket and even if they did, I don’t believe we have the balls to “hire” them for 4 years. We’re a country that wants everything and yet for the most part, aren’t willing to put in the effort or sacrifice anything so change will never actually happen.
So when I’m forced to listen to and watch pathetically shallow recaps of the democratic convention while eating breakfast at the hotel, getting coffee in line at Starbucks and even when discussing deferred maintenance on a college campus, it makes me want to scream and go back to my bubble.
A bubble that happily includes apple crisp rings.
Because to me, that’s way more interesting and attention worthy than critiquing Michelle Obama’s attire or speculating on why Bill & Hillary are still married.
Baked Almond Apple Crisp Rings
Ingredients
- 1 large apple, cored and sliced into rings
- 2 tablespoons melted coconut oil
- 1/2 cup almond meal
- 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
- 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
- vanilla ice cream & maple syrup for topping, optional
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil and place a wire rack on top.
- Pour coconut oil into small shallow dish.
- Mix almond meal, cinnamon and nutmeg together in another shallow dish.
- Coat each apple slice in the coconut oil then dip in the almond meal mixture on both sides. Place on wire rack on top of baking sheet.
- Repeat with remaining apple slices.
- Bake for 5-7 minutes then carefully flip each slice and bake for another 5-7 minutes.
- Turn oven to hi-broil and finish baking for an additional 3-5 minutes with the door slightly ajar.
- Stack on a plate and enjoy warm topped with vanilla ice cream and maple syrup if desired.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Gina Matsoukas is an AP syndicated writer. She is the founder, photographer and recipe developer of Running to the Kitchen — a food website focused on providing healthy, wholesome recipes using fresh and seasonal ingredients. Her work has been featured in numerous media outlets both digital and print, including MSN, Huffington post, Buzzfeed, Women’s Health and Food Network.
Ugh, I know. I love it in my little bubble, lol! And I’m thankful my bubble includes these, because this is such a cool idea! Yum!
Ok. For the goofy question or two….which variety of apple seems to hold up well and are almond meal and almond flour the same thing? Guessing not, but I haven’t used meal our floor yet. Thanks! Looking forward to making these.
This recipe is perfect for fall! Can’t wait to try them soon.
The apple rings look delicious to me, and just as you can choose to make them, or not, you have a decision by your vote in the upcoming election. National politics are not the only races that are being decided, and from my experience, significant change happens at the local level. The wrong thing to do would be to think that it all doesn’t matter because the results may not affect you. Think in broader terms, of what your country will do on the world stage. There’s time for apple rings, but now is the time to turn our attention to the quality of the next leader of our beloved country.
Well said Susan. Frustration that may lead to apathy or non participation in the upcoming vote is dangerous. Politics has always been a spectacle of half truths and exaggerations. Conventions are the pep rallys to excite and frenzy the hard core dems or republicans. Social media has justintensified and made this more available to all to witness/hear. I hope the youth vote isn’t turned off by all this to the point of not participation. This is an important election, that will determine the degree of influence of big government in our lives. Almost all news media is slanted one way or the other. Yes Gina I mostly listen to Fox because almost all other sources are liberally slanted (but I do also read and listen to other sources). Being conservative ( I wasn’t always) , I naturally agree more with conservative view points.
As for the apple rings, need to make these before the Italy trip!. :)
Susan, I understand and agree with your point. I was not saying that I wouldn’t be voting, just that I cannot stand the spectacle that it’s become and refuse to acknowledge the mainstream media’s reporting of it all. I do believe change can be much more felt/seen at the local level. I wish I could say that I actually think my vote matters in the national races, but I don’t. Doesn’t mean I won’t be voting, just that I have no confidence in it mattering. Personally, my national vote will never matter as long as I live in the heavily democratic leaning state of NY but I’ll continue to throw it out there :). Thanks for your comment.
i want to be in that bubble with you! cause these apple crisp rings look AMAZING!! such a great/unique recipe :)
OH MY LORD, THANK YOU. That is LITERALLY how I feel about this entire effing election. I missed the chance to vote in the last election by a few a year, and I could not be less excited to be voting for the first time in November. I am actually outraged that what it comes down is either “wasting a vote” (as my father says) by voting for someone who actually sounds awesome (Jill Stein<3) who would never win the election or picking the lesser of two evils…Demobrats or Republicrazies. Everyone lies, everyone leaves out details, everyone avoids facts….It's a disaster. Both Conventions had me changing the channel within the first ten minutes. They're just rallying cries with absolutely no substance.
You know what really matters though? Those delicious looking apple rings.
Amen. I’ve been eligible to vote for 4 national elections (including this upcoming one) and I’ve felt that it’s ALWAYS the lesser of two evils. There’s never a time I have felt good about a vote and that’s sad.
yum- these look tasty!!
Gina, I live in South FLA, and I hear people say (sometimes complain) about missing the seasons. I can definitly say I do not miss the seasons. I see movies set in cold, damp winter and I cringe. I do love the idea of seasons, and love to make seasonal foods, so I love your Baked Apple Crisp Rings to kick off the beginning of “Fall”.
I wish I had you to convince me it was a bad decision back then! haha
I could care less about football. Politics gets me pretty riled up, but I live in Europe so I get to ignore it as much as possible (and football too!).
These baked apple rings are a great idea! I love that you’ve used almond meal to make them crispy. I’ll definitely be trying this out.
Such a great idea for a quick apple dessert fix!