Monday, October 22, 2012

{VeganMoFo} Apple Chowder with Maple Cashew Butter

JD and CH are currently on vacation in the Finger Lakes region of New York - sampling lovely vegan food, visiting adorable animals at Farm Sanctuary, and enjoying the wine trails at Seneca Lake (with limited internet access).  As a result, this Monday's VeganMoFo breakfast post will revisit an oldie, but goodie:  Apple Chowder with Maple Cashew Butter (now including the recipe!).

Dear reader, let me introduce you to the most fabulous breakfast that you'll ever meet. His name is Apple Chowder, and I have no doubt that once you see him in person, it'll be love at first sight.

Now, I know what you're thinking:
"I worked so hard to snag Mr. Popularity (aka: "Johnny Cereal"), and now that our "routine" is down to just 5 mins, why in God's name would I wanna leave him?"
or
"But Old Reliable (aka: "Oatie Oatmeal") and I have been kickin' it since the days of middle school, and he's always been so good to my heart - I'm not taking a chance on someone who might break it!"
Don't worry, I completely understand. You and your breakfast already have a great relationship going, right? I mean, it's not like you get hungry before noon is it? And you're certainly not getting tired of having the same thing over and over again, are you?


Heh.

Just to be clear, I would never implore you to completely abandon your breakfast of choice. I understand that there's something inherently comforting about having a breakfast routine, no matter how simple it might be.

My go-to "breakfast" is typically a Kashi granola bar, a piece of fruit, and a travel-mug of hot tea (Earl Grey or Darjeeling). So, believe me, I'm all for breakfast routines...

However, I also know that you shouldn't underestimate the power of adding something new - and delicious - to the start of your day. So go ahead, see if you can resist this bowl of crisp, juicy fruit topped with a decadent, maple-nut butter drizzle. It might make your regular breakfast jealous, but Mr. Chowder is totally worth it.

Recipe: Apple Chowder with Maple Cashew Butter
Serves: 2-3

Chowder Ingredients:
2-3 medium apples (two varieties) of your choice, diced
1/2 c. chopped pecans, roughly hopped
1/2 c. chopped walnuts, roughly chopped

Maple Cashew Butter Ingredients:
1/2 c. cashew butter
2 Tbsp. maple syrup
a dash of vanilla extract
a dash of salt
water for thinning

Toppings:
1/4 c. raisins
1/4 tsp. cinnamon
1/4 tsp. mace

1) In a medium-sized bowl, combine diced apples, pecans, & walnuts.  Set aside.
2) In a small food processor, process cashew butter ingredients until smooth & creamy, adding water to thin to desired consistency.
3) Divide apple chowder into 2 bowls, top with raisins, sprinkle with cinnamon & mace, & drizzle with maple cashew butter.  Serve immediately, storing any remaining cashew butter in an air-tight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.

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6 comments:

  1. This recipe looks amazing and I can't wait to try it. While you are in the finger lakes region, if you want to drive in to Syracuse there are a couple places you should check out. My favorite is Om Boys. www.omboysjuice.com They have an amazing selection of vegan food, raw food, fresh pressed juices and smoothies. Everything is made with fresh local organic produce. The other place is strong hearts cafe. www.strongheartscafe.com They have all vegan food. Enjoy your vacation. I live in the area and always get excited for people to explore and see central NYS and the finger lakes because it's a beautiful area with so much to see and do.

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    1. Thanks so much for your comment! I absolutely adored the Finger Lakes - it's such a gorgeous area, especially with all of the trees changing!

      Since this post was auto-scheduled (and I didn't bring my computer), I wasn't able to view your comment until I got back to NYC today. So, although I'm disappointed that I didn't know about the fantastic-sounding restaurants you mentioned before my trip, I'm grateful that the next time I'm in the area I'll have some delicious new places to check out! I can't wait to visit Syracuse; thanks again for the tips! :)

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  2. What a creative breakfast idea! It looks great.

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    1. Thanks a million! It's a fun change in the morning, that's for sure :)

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  3. This is a breakfast worth giving up the routine for! It looks and sounds incredible!

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    1. I promise, it is worth giving up your breakfast routine for! ;) Thanks, Kristy!

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