DESSERT: Apple Tarts/Galettes

I love, love, love apple pie, apple crisps, etc, but I don't like the associated fat.  Most of the fat in apple treats comes from the dough itself - this recipe results in a very fulfilling apple tart without all of the gunk.  This is one of my favorite recipes because it makes the house smell amazing (great for Fall), I can get use apples on the cusp of going bad, and the galettes are just plain yummy.  Credit goes to The Purple Foodie (http://purplefoodie.com/easy-peasy-apple-galettes/) for her great inspiration. 

Serving Size: 8-10 galettes

Ingredients:

• Filling
• 4 apples, chopped into small pieces (use any kind of apples you have around)
• 1.5 tbsp cinnamon
• 2-3 tbsp agave syrup
• 1 tbsp vanilla
• Dough
• 1.5 cups whole wheat flour
• 1/4 cup apple sauce (in place of butter)
• 1 tbsp brown sugar
• 1 egg yolk, beaten (or you can replace the egg yolk with 1/2 tbsp ground flax seed (or 1.25 ground flax-seed meal) mixed with 2 tbsp water - let mixture set for a few minutes before mixing in)

Instructions:

• Filling - mix all ingredients in a bowl
• Dough
• Mix the sugar and flour together, blend in apple sauce and egg yolk - I prefer using my hands, but a whisk is fine
• Add in ice cold water if the mixture is too dry - if it's too moist, add in flour until the mixture is to your liking
• Lightly oil a baking sheet (try putting a bit of olive oil on a paper towel and moistening the sheet)
• Work with individual pieces of dough - dust each piece with flour and stretch out into a small circle; lay it out onto the baking sheet; continue to do this until you have made all of your galette bases
• Spoon filling onto each base and then quickly turn up the outside edges of the dough over the mixture
• Bake @350 degrees for 50-60 minutes

DESSERT: Lean, Mean Apple Cobbler

Servings:9-12

Ingredients:

• 4 apples, peeled and diced 
• 2 tbsp all purpose flour (whole wheat works just fine)
• 4 tbsp agave sweetener (substitute: 1/2 cup brown sugar)
• 1 tbsp vanilla extract
• 4 tbsp lemon juice 
• 1/2 tsp cinnamon powder
• 1/4 tsp grated nutmeg (substitute: use the powder or allspice powder)
•  Two sheets of rolled out all purpose dough

 Instructions:

• Preheat oven to 400 degrees 
• Put the apples in a large mixing bowl 
• Mix one ingredient in at a time into the apples - be sure to mix in the flour last
• Lay out 1st sheet dough at the bottom of a baking pan - ensure that it is thin
• Layer apples over the first layer of dough - this layer should be about 1/2" thick
• Layer second sheet of dough over the apples
• Bake @400 degrees for 25 minutes
• Remove from oven, cool, and serve alone, with low-fat whipped cream, or low-fat ice cream