Apple Squares

We have been getting things together for our trip the the Grand Canyon, and I realized I had a ton of apples that I needed to use up soon, so I made a double batch of these and they are AMAZING!  A perfect way to use apples and make a road-trip snack!  Enjoy!

Apple Squares
2 cups whole wheat flour
2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp sea salt
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/2 cup olive oil
1 cup packed brown sugar
1 cup sucanat sugar*
2 eggs
2 tsp vanilla
1 cup apples, chopped
1 cup walnuts, chopped
Optional Topping
2 tbsp sugar
2 tsp cinnamon
* If unable to find this natural sugar, you can substitute white sugar instead.

1) Preheat oven to 350 and grease a 9x13 inch pan.
2) In a small bowl combine the first 4 ingredients and set aside.
3) In a large bowl combine brown sugar, sucanat sugar and oil.   Add the eggs and vanilla and mix thoroughly with a wooden spoon.
4) Slowly add the flour mixture to the wet mixture and mix until just combined, then stir in the apples and walnuts.
5) If using topping: in the bowl used for the flour, combine the 2 tbsp sugar with the 2 tsp of cinnamon and set aside.
6) Spread mixture evenly over greased pan.  Sprinkle topping over entire pan.
7) Bake at 350 degrees for 45-60 minutes or until toothpick comes out clean.  Cool on wire rack and then cut into squares.

I made the bars with the topping, but next time I might try it without for a less sweet breakfast option.  But really, you can't go wrong either way.  It's like an apple brownie!

Back to the Garden and Out Again

I am finally back, and finally blogging after my 10 day backcountry trip on the Raquette River.  Although it was rainy the entire time on my trip, I guess it was beautiful here, and most of the plants in the garden are still thriving!  And all this sun has given the peppers and eggplant a second wind.  While I was gone, Marc managed to freeze 4 gallons of tomatoes, roast eggplants, and consume an INSANE amount of summer squash, what a guy!

But, even though the summer is going strong, Marc, Pepsi and I are headed on a road trip to the grand canyon next week.  So things have been a little crazy here getting things ready.

Question: How do you go on an eco-friendly road trip to the grand canyon?

Answer: In a Waste Veggie Truck and a used camper loaded with supplies from our garden! 

We have over 250 gallons of grease to get our little mobile home out the the North Rim of the Grand Canyon (and hopefully back again).  And, in order to make sure we don't produce a ton of waste along the way, we are bringing bulk food supplies to maintain our low-impact life style while on the road.  What that means is that in the midst of my unpacking from the Adirondack trip, we are making tofu, beer, bread, hummus etc like crazy people.  Our house is a little scary at the moment.
More posts about our trip plans and preps are soon to come.

 

Beer making and tofu being pressed.

And news from the garden:  Japanese turnips are ready and delicious.  Tomatoes are still going strong and we have started sun-drying some and freezing the rest.  Planted spinach in some of the empty beds which should be ready when we get back in the beginning of November.  I actually attacked the compost madness, so we will have a ton of it ready to spread when we get back.  Another mad dash to preserve whatever we can because it will be done by the time we get home from AZ.

Sun Dried Tomatoes in oil and tomatoes freezing.

Brussel Sprouts

And another fun thing: Village Veggies is participating in the 350 Challenge, aka 350 pounds of carbon emissions have been offset thanks to our blog (the equivalent of turning off 100 light bulbs for a day or not driving for 2 days).  For more info check out the widget in the side bar.

Some much needed comfort food.  When things get a little out of hand, a smoothie with some fresh greens makes everything better!

A Much Needed Update

I have been really slacking in the blogging department lately.  And since it's getting to be the end of the summer (well, today is Labor Day) and I actually start my real job this Tuesday; I thought it would be a good time to blog.  I leave for a 10 day wilderness canoe trip on Thursday for work, so it's been a little crazy around here getting things harvested and preserved.  And, I will admit, I haven't planted any fall greens in the garden, so the garden itself is looking a little haggard.  Enough of my excuses, here's what's been going on here lately.

We harvested our first watermelon!  And although the outside is suppose to be a dark green color instead of this lighter green, the taste was amazing!  It was around the 5 lb size.  And we have 5 more that are a little smaller but almost ready.  Along with the last cantaloupe that was hiding amongst the leaves.

Breakfast this week has been the best.

We are still harvesting a ton of tomatoes, so this was a pizza that featured some of the heirloom varieties we are growing.  Also, some fresh pesto from our basil.  I wanted to make sure to make this stuff before I left for my trip (love pesto), so I froze 3 half pints.

In the past couple days we canned more Curried Beets (7 quarts), Hot Garden Salsa (8 pints), and a Spicy Pineapple Salsa (12 half pints) ...and no, we aren't growing our own pineapples.  Along with other preserving projects our Harvest Keeper Tally is getting up there!  I will be canning some apple butter today.

Marc has been brewing away these past couple weekends.  Right now he has 2 brews going (hard to tell but that is what that picture is of: carboys wrapped in jackets to keep warm).  He's got an Oktoberfest Ale, and a Belgian Strong Ale bubbling away in our dining room.

Harvesting our Cranberry Pole Beans, dried nicely.

Our heirloom Blue Potatoes.  I just started digging some of these up.

Miraculously the summer squashes have come back after their Powdery Mildew attack...but now I don't mind the squash bugs all over them.

Thai Chili Peppers enjoying the past heat wave.

Newly planted peas getting bigger.

Brussle Sprouts, looking kind of sad, but I think we will be able to harvest them soon.  Unfortunately because it is still warm, there is a serious aphid infestation that may prove deadly to these guys.

Nasturtium that is flourishing now that the winter squash is out.

And because I wasn't on top of my game, the broccoli bolted.  Which is no big deal because the blossoms have attracted some bees that are happy for the pollen.  It is crazy how many bees are in these couple plants, you can hear the buzzing from the sidewalk!

I'm glad I left these plants in.  Who knew how pretty broccoli flowers are!

And, we have made the fall transition to Mums.