apple

Fennel and Pomegranate Salad

January 17, 2020 by Marisa 30 Comments

A crispy Fennel and Pomegranate Salad with thinly sliced granny smith apples and tossed with a white wine vinaigrette.

Fennel is one of my favourite vegetables. I love it’s sweet liquorice taste and it really makes a lovely crunchy snack all on its’ own.

When paired with thin slices of tart granny smith apples and a generous sprinkle of ruby red pomegranate arils, it becomes almost too pretty to eat.

You can serve this easy to make salad as a first course to an elegant dinner. It also compliments a poultry or even a fish dish quite wonderfully.

You’ll find it crisp, light and refreshing.

A perfectly delicious salad and always garners huge compliments!

How to Slice Fennel

Cut the stalks and fronds of the fennel bulb. Don’t throw the stalks away but rather reserve them for later use as they’re quite tasty in soups and sauces.

The fronds can also be kept aside and used as a garnish.

Slice the fennel bulb in half and remove the core.

Place the fennel bulb cut side down on a cutting board and slice as thinly as you can with a sharp knife.

Granny Smith Apples

With its availability all year round, tart green apples make a nice contrast to the sweet fennel and a perfect addition in this fennel and pomegranate salad.

They’re firm, juicy and hold up well paired with the crispy fennel.

You’ll want to slice the apple as thinly as you can or roughly the same thinness as the fennel. You can use a mandolin if you have one.

But really, all you’ll need is a very sharp knife and a steady hand.

White Wine Vinaigrette for Fennel Salad

The one part vinegar to two part oil is a basic ratio for a salad dressing and with a few other additions, it makes a perfect compliment to this winter salad.

Adding some aromatic fennel seeds compliments the liquorice taste of fennel and the sugar balances the tartness of the apples.

And of course the zest of a lime with its juice simply rounds up all the flavours and makes them pop!

But really for me, what I find so eye pleasing is the generous splash of ruby red, pomegranate arils throughout this salad.

The pomegranate arils are simply striking and I love that burst of sweetness you get in every bite.

How To Freeze Pomegranate Arils

Pomegranates are among one of the healthiest fruits with powerful antioxidants, anti-inflammatory properties and extremely rich in fibre, vitamins and minerals.

All the more reason to include them in our diet.

Pomegranate arils freeze extremely well and will last many months in the freezer.

To freeze the arils simply spread them in a single layer on a parchment lined baking sheet. Place in the freezer for a couple of hours until they are frozen and then transfer to resealable freezer bags.

This Fennel and Pomegranate Salad recipe was originally published January 3, 2016 and republished January 17, 2020 with updated photos and content.

It’s a recipe adapted from Canada’s very own celebrity chef Ricardo, from Ricardo Magazine, in its 2006 edition and I’ve been making it ever since.

Looking for more healthy and nutrient packed salads? You may also want to try this Apple Walnut Kale Salad.

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Fennel and Pomegranate Salad

A crisp, bright fennel and pomegranate salad with sliced green apples.

Prep Time15 mins

Total Time15 mins

Course: Salad

Keyword: salad, fennel, apple, pomegranate

Servings: to 6 people

Calories: 130kcal

Author: Marisa

Ingredients

DRESSING
1 tablespoon white wine vinegar
Zest and the juice of one lime
1 1/2 teaspoon sugar
1 teaspoon fennel seeds
2 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil
Salt and pepper to taste
SALAD
2 fennel bulbs trimmed, cored and thinly sliced
1 green apple. cored and thinly sliced
Seeds of 1 pomegranate
Salt and pepper to taste

Instructions

FOR THE DRESSING:
In a small bowl, combine all dressing ingredients and whisk well.
FOR THE SALAD
In a salad bowl, toss together the sliced fennel, sliced apple with the dressing. Taste and adjust the seasoning if needed. Sprinkle with the pomegranate seeds.

Notes

This recipe was adapted from the wonderful Ricardo Magazine, the holiday edition from 2006.

Nutrition

Pumpkin Apple Streusel Muffins

October 10, 2019 by Marisa 32 Comments

Your mornings have just gotten better with these moist and delectable Pumpkin Apple Streusel muffins. They’re made with coconut oil and partially sweetened with honey and crowned with a lovely cinnamon streusel topping.

This recipe came about after having extra pumpkin purée from a previous baking adventure. Usually I find myself freezing any of the leftover pumpkin purée for a later use.

However, with a fridge drawer bursting at the seams with juicy and crispy Lobo apples, these pumpkin apple streusel muffins were screaming to be baked.

I generally find that tart or tangy apples work best in baking as they balance off the sweetness of baked goods. But feel free to use any baking apple of your choice in this recipe.

Some rather excellent choices to consider are Cortland, Empire, McIntosh, and the Lobo apples just to name a few.

You’ll find these muffins pretty easy to make and a prefect recipe for beginners. Also, no special equipment is required!

All you’ll need are two mixing bowls. One for dry ingredients, the other for the wet ingredients and a light hand when stirring.

Oh! And one other small bowl for the streusel topping!

Steps for making Pumpkin Apple Muffins with streusel topping

Use a pastry blender to combine the streusel ingredients together or simply use your hands and work the ingredients together till they resemble coarse crumbs. Can be made ahead and refrigerated till ready to use.
Wash, peel and core the apples then chop into small pieces.
In a large bowl, stir together the dry ingredients
In a separate bowl, whisk together the wet ingredients with the pumpkin purée
Stir the wet ingredients into the flour mixture just until moistened
Stir in the diced apples
Spoon the muffin batter into the prepared muffin cups, filling up to 3/4 full
Sprinkle the streusel topping evenly over each muffin
For standard sized muffins bake for 20 to 25 minutes
For larger sized muffins, you’ll need an extra few minutes

Standard Baking Cups VS Parchment Lotus Cups

You can use your choice of preferred muffin liners.

Do note that if using the standard sized muffin liners then this recipe will yield 18 standard sized muffins.

However if you choose the pretty lotus shaped parchment liners, as seen in the photo above, then this recipe will yield 12 larger sized muffins.

The parchment lotus cups fit a standard cup muffin tin. And because of its deeper cup size you’ll be able to fill the cups a little higher with the pumpkin and apple batter and still have enough room for the streusel topping.

They’ll bake up beautifully just like large bakery style muffins!

Your kitchen will fill with the warm aromas of Fall spices and will have you cozying up next to a warm fireplace with a cup of tea in one hand and a pumpkin apple streusel muffin in the other.

So simple, easy and yet packed full of delicious flavours.

I dare you to eat just one!

Other Yummy Muffins You’ll Love:

Happy Baking!

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Pumpkin Apple Streusel Muffins

These moist and delectable Pumpkin Apple Streusel muffins are made with coconut oil, partially sweetened with honey and topped with a lovely cinnamon streusel.

Course: Dessert

Cuisine: American

Servings:

Author: Marisa

Ingredients

2 1/2 cups all purpose flour
1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 large eggs
1/2 cup honey
5 tablespoons melted coconut oil (cooled)
1 1/4 cup canned pumpkin purée
2 cups peeled and diced apples about 2 medium apples
Streusel Topping
1/4 cup all purpose flour
1/4 cup granulated sugar
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
2 tablespoons cold butter

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
FOR THE STREUSEL TOPPING
Combine the flour, sugar, cinnamon and butter together in a small bowl. Using your hands, work the ingredients together till they resemble coarse crumbs. Refrigerate till ready to use.
Grease 18 muffin cups or line with paper cups.
In a large bowl stir together the flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, cloves and salt.
In a separate bowl combine the 2 large eggs, honey, coconut oil, pumpkin purée and whisk well.
Stir the wet ingredients into the flour mixture just until all the ingredients are moistened.
Stir the apples into the batter mixture.
Spoon the muffin batter into the prepared muffin cups, filling up to 3/4 full.
Divide the streusal topping evenly over the muffins.
Bake on the middle rack of preheated oven for about 20 to 25 minutes or until the muffins are a golden brown and the tops spring back lightly to the touch.
You can also insert a wooden skewer in the middle to test if the muffins are done. If the skewer comes out clean then the muffins are ready.

Notes

Note that if using the standard sized muffin liners then this recipe will yield 18 standard sized muffins.

However if you choose the pretty lotus shaped parchment liners, as seen in photo above, then this recipe will yield 12 larger sized muffins.

The parchment lotus cups fit a standard cup muffin tin. And because of its deeper cup size you'll be able to fill the cups a little higher with the pumpkin and apple batter and still have enough room for the streusel topping.

This post was originally published Oct 18, 2016 and republished October 10, 2019 with updated content and photos.

Apple Walnut Kale Salad

January 8, 2019 by Marisa 18 Comments

A wonderful and colourful Apple Walnut Kale Salad that is packed with nutrients and makes a striking side dish to fish, poultry or any other meat dish.

Have you made any New Year’s resolutions yet?

I haven’t! Mostly because…well…they simply never seem to stick! My resolutions had always revolved around food. Eating healthier, exercising more or at the very least trying to be more active.

And I know I’m not alone here especially if your own resolutions revolve around healthier eating habits as well. If so then you’ll appreciate this easy to make Apple Walnut Kale Salad!

It’s utterly delicious and a welcome reprieve from all the holiday baking!

The main ingredient in this nutrient packed salad is kale, the king of all greens.

I’ve combined thinly sliced crispy red apples for a little sweetness and some toasted walnuts and pumpkin seeds for a delightful crunch.

For a slight contrast in colour, I’ve added slivers of radicchio and red onion slices.

Tossed with a simple vinaigrette of extra virgin olive oil, apple cider vinegar, a little salt and pepper for one glorious delicious salad.

TOASTING WALNUTS

I can’t sing the praises high enough for toasted walnuts or any other nut for that matter! That wonderful aroma from freshly toasted walnuts to their crunchy nutty bite gets me every single time!

Often enough I find myself secretly hiding stashes of roasted nuts simply so they’re on hand when needed in a recipe.

There’s really no recipe required here. You can toast them in the oven for about 10 minutes at 350 degrees F., until fragrant and they take on the appearance of a slightly darker shade.

Or, you can pan toast them on the stove top which is a little quicker but requires more attention. No distractions allowed here!

HOW TO TRIM AND PREP KALE FOR APPLE WALNUT SALAD

Trimming kale is really quite simple.

You’ll need a cutting board a pairing knife and a flat surface to work on of course.

Simply lay the leaf flat on the cutting board and with the pairing knife carve away the rib with the hard fibrous stem and discard.

Chop the kale leaves and rinse in a colander under cool running water.

Spin the leaves dry in a salad spinner and use in your favourite salad, soup or any other yummy dishes. So simple, right?

Cheers to a wonderful, blessed year to all dear readers!

If you make this recipe remember to tag @marisasitaliankitchen on Instagram so I can see your creation!

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Apple Walnut Kale Salad

A wonderful and colourful Apple Walnut Kale Salad that is packed with nutrients and makes a striking side dish to fish, poultry or any meat dish.

Prep Time30 mins

Course: Side Dish

Cuisine: Vegetarian

Keyword: Apple Walnut Kale Salad

Servings:

Calories: 307kcal

Author: Marisa

Ingredients

10 cups chopped kale
1 cup sliced radicchio
2 red crispy apples thinly sliced
1/3 cup red onion thinly sliced
1 cup walnuts toasted and coarsely chopped
1/2 cup pumpkin seeds toasted

Apple Cider Vinaigrette

1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
1/4 cup apple cider vinegar
salt and pepper to your taste

Instructions

Remove the rib with the hard fibrous stem from the kale leaves and discard both the stem and rib.
Chop the kale leaves into small pieces.
Rinse the kale leaves, spin them dry in a salad spinner and transfer the kale to a large salad bowl.
Drizzle just a little bit of extra virgin olive oil over the chopped kale and massage in with clean hands.
Rinse the radicchio leaves, pat dry and slice into thin strips then set aside with the kale.
Wash the apples under cold water then dry and cut into thin slices. Transfer to the salad bowl.
Add the sliced red onions, both the toasted walnuts and pumpkin seeds to the salad bowl.

Apple Cider Vinaigrette

In a small bowl whisk together the oil, vinegar with salt and pepper to your taste.
Toss with the kale mixture, plate, serve and enjoy to your hearts content!

Nutrition

Apple Rose Cake

November 3, 2018 by Marisa 30 Comments

Wow your guests with this simple and impressive Apple Rose Cake made with SweeTango apples. It’s far easier to make then it actually looks and so eye popping gorgeous that you’ll almost wish you didn’t have to slice into it. Well…almost!

This is not a sponsored post but rather a product we love and enjoy.

My husband just recently introduced me to the most incredibly sweet and crisp apple ever…the SweeTango apple! He came home one evening and diligently pulled out one single apple from his briefcase. A friend had given him the apple with very clear instructions that I was to be the taste tester of this remarkably delicious fruit.

After one bite it was quite evident that the SweetTango apple was indeed the best apple we’ve ever tasted.

I can truly say that we’ve been having our fair share of sweet tangos since!

A little About The SweeTango Apple

There is much to love about this tangy apple with its citrusy and honey taste.

The star child of the Honeycrisp and Zestar apple, this SweeTango inherited its crimson red hue with yellowish tinge from both parents. And… among other delicious attributes!

It’s crisp and snappy to the bite and also has the creamiest white flesh I’ve yet to see in any apple.

Can You Bake With SweeTango Apples?

Coincidently, I was making my way to redoing an older recipe in my archives, this Rustic Italian Apple Cake.

It totally needed a redo since the photos were not so flattering to the actual cake. And so, inspired by the creamy white flesh of the SweeTango apple I thought it would be wonderful to showcase the thin slices of apples by crowning them in a rosette fashion over the cake.

This would also test the theory if they actually held up well to baking.

So after a few miner tweaks to my original recipe, I must say it far surpassed my expectations. Except now it no longer looked rustic but rather quite elegant.

Deliciously elegant!

And oh so pretty!

With a little maple syrup gently brushed over the warm cake to give it a little sheen.

Then a light dusting of powdered sugar just before serving and you’ve got one very eye popping gorgeous Apple Rose Cake.

How To Shape And Form The Apple Slices Into A Rose

We start with thinly sliced apples, tossed in a large bowl with freshly squeezed lemon juice, melted butter and some brown sugar.

The apple mixture is then heated in the microwave to render them soft and pliable. The lemon juice will keep the apples from browning and the slices will absorb the melted butter with sugar. This helps to keep the apples hydrated during the baking time.

Start at the outer edge of the cake and place the apple slices upright while overlapping them and pressing them slightly into the batter.

Finish one full round circle then on the second round start placing the apples in front of two joined slices. Continue overlapping the apple slices till you’ve reached the center.

For one big centre rose, you’ll want to line up 6 apple slices, one overlapping the other. Take one end and gently roll to the opposite end while keeping them tightly together.

Place in the centre of the cake and your done!

Bake it for a special occasion or simply an anytime treat and enjoy with your favourite cup of coffee or tea!

Happy baking dear friends!

Another impressive Apple Cake to enjoy:

Olive Oil Apple Cake

If you make this recipe remember to tag @marisasitaliankitchen on Instagram so I can see your creation!

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5 from 1 vote

Apple Rose Cake

Wow your guest with this simple and impressive Apple Rose Cake made with SweeTango apples and topped with a mound of sliced apples shaped to form a rose.

Prep Time40 mins

Cook Time40 mins

Total Time1 hr 20 mins

Course: Dessert

Cuisine: Italian

Keyword: Apple Rose Cake

Servings:

Ingredients

FOR THE APPLE ROSETTE TOPPING

4 apples, halved, cored and thinly sliced about 1/8 inch thin I used SweeTango apples
freshly squeezed lemon juice from 1 medium lemon
1/4 cup unsalted butter melted
4 tablespoons brown sugar

FOR THE CAKE BATTER

1/2 cup unsalted butter softened
2/3 cup granulated sugar
2 large eggs
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
lemon zest from 1 medium lemon
1 3/4 cup all purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
pinch of salt I used fine sea salt
1/2 cup almond milk or whole milk
1 medium apple grated, I used Sweetango apple
1/4 cup maple syrup, warmed for brushing over the cake
powdered sugar for dusting

Instructions

FOR THE APPLE ROSETTE TOPPING

Slice the apples in half, remove the core and slice each half into very thin slices. About 1/8 inch thin.
Toss together the sliced apples, lemon juice, melted butter and brown sugar in a medium sized microwave safe bowl.
Zap in the microwave for 2 minutes, turning to toss again half way through and set aside while you prepare the cake.

FOR THE CAKE BATTER

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
Grease a 9 inch springform pan and set aside.
In a large bowl, beat together the softened butter and sugar until creamy for about 1 minute.
Beat in the eggs one at a time until well combined.
Stir in the vanilla extract and the lemon zest.
In a separate medium sized bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder and salt.
With the mixer on low, add the flour mixture to the butter mixture, alternating with the almond milk while making 3 additions of dry and two of wet.
Fold in the grated apple pieces
Spoon the batter into the prepared pan and level the top with an offset spatula or the back of a spoon.
Starting at the outer edges of the cake, place the apples slices upright while pressing down a little into the batter. Do this for 1 whole circle and on the next round place the slices in front of two joined slices. Continue overlapping the slices till you reach the center
If you want to add an apple rosette in the middle leave a little space and do this...line 6 slices of apples lengthwise while overlapping them slightly and start rolling from one end to the opposite end while shaping a rose then place in the center top of the cake.
Bake in a preheated oven for 40 minutes or until a cake inserted in the center comes out clean.
While still warm gently brush the top of the cake with the warm maple syrup and allow to cool. This will give the apples a pretty sheen.
Dust the cake with the powdered sugar just before serving

Notes

Sweetango apples are available in Canada from about mid September to December.

In Quebec they are exclusive to Metro and IGA grocery stores.

If you can't find any in your area, try substituting them with Honeycrisp or Zestar apples

Olive Oil Apple Cake

September 30, 2017 by Marisa 25 Comments

An impressively moist and delicious Olive Oil Apple Cake that is chock full of granny smith apples with the lovely warm scent of cinnamon and drizzled with a luscious caramel sauce just before serving.

With the arrival of Fall and apple season well underway, I just could not help but revisit an old family recipe from my hubby’s side of the family. It was given to us by one of his Zia’s.

Each and every family member has their own twist and spin on this ever popular cake recipe. And all equally delicious.

I haven’t tweaked mine overmuch throughout the years except to reduce the amount of sugar. I usually add a light dusting of icing sugar and of course a drizzle of caramel sauce for some extra indulgence. The caramel sauce, of course, is totally optional!

Which Type of Apples are Good for Baking Apple Cakes

The star ingredient in this beautifully formed dessert are the crisp and tart granny smith apples. They’re definitely my favourite baking apple and one I turn to quite often in baked goods.

I love them for their hard and crisp bite with their juicy flesh when eaten fresh. However, when used in baked goods such as cakes or pies their tartness offers a perfect balance to sweet treats.

Having said that, there are really many other types of apples to choose from.

Look for apples who’s flesh does not break down to mush when baking, such as Granny Smith or Braeburn apples.

Other very familiar and wonderful baking apples are the Honeycrisp or Gala. These are actually sweeter and don’t require as much sugar when used for baking.

You can use any type of bundt pan. I used a heavy cast aluminum Bundt pan with beautifully detailed Autumn leaves which also has a nonstick surface to bake my olive oil apple cake in.

However, to be on the safe side I went ahead and brushed the inside of the Bundt pan with a cake release product. With the pan’s intricate leaf pattern I really wanted to make sure it would unmold effortlessly. And it did…wonderfully so…and its gorgeous!

Gorgeous in its simplicity with a deep brown honey colour and bursting with a copious amount of diced apples.

Its super moist in texture and stays so for quite a few days.

You’ll find t’s a great make ahead dessert!

Other Olive Oil Cakes You Might Enjoy:

Happy Baking!

If you make this recipe do take a picture and tag @marisasitaliankitchen on Instagram so I can see your creation!

Print Recipe

Olive Oil Apple Cake

An impressively moist and delicious Olive Oil Apple Cake, chock full of granny smith apples with the warm scent of cinnamon and drizzled with a luscious caramel sauce.

Course: Dessert

Servings:

Author: Marisa

Ingredients

FOR THE CAKE
5 cups of diced apples approximately 7 small apples
2 teaspoons cinnamon to toss with diced apples apples
2 tablespoons granulated sugar to toss with diced apples
1 cup olive oil
1 3/4 cups granulated sugar
1/2 cup apple juice
2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
4 large eggs
3 cups all purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
CARAMEL SAUCE
1/4 cup butter
1 cup packed brown sugar
1/2 cup 35% cream
2 tablespoons golden corn syrup

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
Grease a bundt pan with a cake release product or use your favorite non stick baking spray.
In a large bowl, toss together the diced apples with the 2 teaspoons of cinnamon, 2 tablespoons of sugar and set aside.
Beat together the olive oil, sugar, apple juice and vanilla extract in the bowl of a stand mixer or use a hand held mixer, beating just until combined.
Add the eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition.
Whisk together the flour with the baking powder and add this to the egg mixture.
Beat on low speed till the batter is smooth.
Fold in the diced apples.
Pour the cake batter into the prepared bundt pan.
Bake for 1 hour to 1 hour and 15 minutes, or just until a toothpick inserted in the middle comes out clean.
Allow the cake to cool in the bundt pan for 1 hour before releasing it from the pan.
When ready to serve slice and plate with a generous drizzle of caramel sauce.
CARAMEL SAUCE
In a small sauce pan over low heat, melt the butter then stir in the brown sugar, cream and the corn syrup.
Cook and stir over low heat just until the mixture comes to a boil then remove from the heat and let the caramel sauce cool.
Makes approximately 1 1/2 cups.

Notes

Caramel Sauce Recipe is adapted from Dairy Farmers of Canada Website!