
Dinner with friends
Food • Photography • Life

Dinner with friends
These personal sized apple tarts were a big hit this past Thanksgiving. They’re light, just enough for one person, and the combination of spices lends a little mystery.
Vegetarian

Mini Low Sugar Apple Tarts
1 granny smith apple
6 roughly 4 inch x 4 inch squares phylo dough or puff pastry
No added sugar or sugar free apricot preserves
A few Tablespoons melted butter
1 packet stevia
2 tsp. ground cinnamon
1 tsp. ground cardamom
1/2 tsp. ground nutmeg
Honey
Juice of 1 lemon
Himalayan pink salt
First, thaw your phylo dough for at least 10 minutes or until soft. If you have squares like I did, cool – if not, cut them while the dough is still semi-frozen.
Then, prep your apples by thinly slicing into wedges. I went really thin here – preferring a kind of wafer thin thing going on. Toss your apples in half the lemon juice so they don’t oxidize before they hit the oven.
Next, prep your cinnamon sugar by dumping the “sugar” and spices into a small dish and stirring.
Spread a thin layer of preserves over each dough square, going almost to the edges of each.
Arrange your apples however you like – I went for a pinwheel.
Drizzle with melted butter.
Sprinkle the cinnamon sugar over top.
Sprinkle lightly with salt.
Pop into the oven for 20 – 25 minutes on whatever temp your package says (I think mine was 200C). Watch after 15 minutes – you’re looking for the dough to rise and brown and the apples to be soft. Mine were really thin, so my apples got a bit caramelized but noone seemed to mind.
While your tarts are baking, take the leftover spices (I think I used about half on the tarts and half in the topper), and add to a small saucepan with a couple Tablespoons apricot preserves, about a teaspoon of honey, and a large squirt of lemon juice. Heat over low to combine.
Drizzle over the tarts when they get out of the oven.
Serves 6

Turkish saffron tea lunch

Quick visa hop that was less exciting than planned.
I was gifted a plant, and these guys show up.

Don’t mess with my baby trees, dudes.

I was feeling my red lip & Star Wars combo today.

(A modicum of perceived) freeeedom – DH got his license and wheels back today.

Sooooooooo … I forgot to take a picture yesterday.
👻
This low-carb pasta is rich, velvety and delicious – so good, you won’t miss the meat.
gluten-free, vegetarian, primal, keto

Brown Butter Zoodles with Walnut Crumb
1 zucchini
1-1/2 Tbsp. salted butter
Juice 1/2 lemon
1/4 c. walnut halves
2 handfulls rocket (arugula)
6 – 8 sprigs thyme
2 cloves garlic
Salt & pepper
1 ounce spreadable cheese (like Laughing Cow) or goat cheese (optional)
Whiz your walnuts until they’re dust. Zoodle your zucchini. Set both aside.
In a large pan, heat the butter over medium-high. Slice and add the garlic when it’s ready. Add the thyme sprigs and cook until browned.
When the butter is browned, pull the thyme and add the zoodles, lemon juice and walnut dust. Toss well to combine. Add a hit of salt and pepper.
When the zucchini is cooked through and the mixture is less wet, add the arugula. Toss to combine. Cook until the arugula is wilted.
Plate and top with crumbles of cheese if desired.
Serves 1 for dinner