Apples Roasted with Brown Rice Kasha, Raisins, and Walnuts

Ever feel like dessert for breakfast? Here you go: Serve heart-healthy brown rice kasha or porridge or hot cereal or whatever else you might call it in a roasted apple. Mixed in with raisins and walnuts, it’s nutrient dense. You’ll stay satiated for hours, I promise.

You can make the kasha up to a day in advance and store it in the refrigerator. That way you can quickly prep and fill your apples before breakfast and let them finish cooking while you go back to bed for another 25-30 minutes or while whatever your morning rut might consist of. They shouldn’t take longer than that if you made sure you used the baking apples that were medium to small in size.

Great way to get your kids eating breakfast, a healthy one at that.

No time to core, stuff, and roast apples in the morn? Just chop them up and throw a handful on top of your kasha.

A hot kasha is a beautiful thing on its own. Rich and creamy, it’s extremely satisfying physically and in a sense of nutrition since whole grains—the main ingredient of kasha—offer dietary fiber and a wide range of vitamins and minerals.

I enjoy mine cooked with a mixture of water and milk and garnished with a curl of butter. Rather plain. Maybe with a slice of apple on the side.

Good comfort food . . .

Similarly, if you plan to serve roasted apple kasha as dessert after dinner, cook your apples while you eat and pack up the leftovers for breakfast the next morning. If there are any, of course.

Any other dried fruits and nuts can stand in for the raisins and walnuts. Just remember to chop them up. Feel free to swap cow milk for unsweetened almond, rice, or soy milk. If you are dairy sensitive, also omit the butter. And those who are watching sugar should skip the fluffy meringue and the gooey honey on top of it.

Although it might not be the same, I am afraid . . .

Recipe for Olga’s Roasted Apples *

Ingredients:

1. ½ cup sweet brown rice or short grain brown rice

2. 2 cups water

3. 1 cup 2% milk

4. 1 tablespoon natural cane sugar

5. ¼ teaspoon kosher salt

6. 1 tablespoon butter

7. ½ teaspoon vanilla extract

8. ¼ cup chopped raisins

9. ¼ cup chopped walnuts

10. pinch of cinnamon

11. 8 medium-size baking apples, such as McIntosh, Cortland, or Sweet Tango 

12. 1 recipe meringue topping (optional), follows

13. honey (optional)

Directions:

1. To make the brown rice kasha filling, rinse rice in a strainer under cold running water for 30 seconds. Meanwhile, bring water to a boil in a medium-size pot over high heat. When it is boiling, add rice and stir it once. Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer, uncovered, for 30 minutes or until liquid is absorbed; stir occasionally.

2. About 2-3 minutes before the time is up, combine milk, sugar, salt, butter, and vanilla in a small pot. Scald the milk mixture over medium-low heat and add it to the rice. Stir once.

3. Continue simmering, uncovered, another 10 minutes, stirring occasionally and skimming off foam.

4. Remove from heat. Cover with a tight-fitting lid and let stand 10 more minutes.

5. Meanwhile, prepare the apples. Slice off the top quarter of each apple; discard. Using a small spoon or a melon baler, scoop out the core of each apple, leaving a ½-inch shell. Prick apples several times with a fork and place in a baking pan.

6. In a medium bowl, combine brown rice kasha, raisins, walnuts, and cinnamon. Divide mixture among 8 apples. Add enough water to create a shallow bath.

7. Roast apples, uncovered, at 350 degrees Fahrenheit for 25-30 minutes or until tender.

8. To make the meringue topping, in the bowl of a stand mixer, combine 2 large egg whites at room temperature and 1/8 cream of tartar. Beat on medium speed until soft peaks form. Gradually add 6 tablespoons sugar, a tablespoon at a time, beating on high speed until mixture forms stiff, glossy peaks.

9. Spoon the meringue onto piping hot apples and swirl decoratively. Return the apples to the oven and bake an additional 4-5 minutes or until the meringue is slightly browned.

12. Cool slightly. Drizzle with honey.

Makes 8 medium-size apples

Notes:

1. If you choose to top your apples with the meringue, have it ready 10 minutes before the apples are supposed to be done as it takes about 5-6 minutes to make the meringue and another 4-5 minutes to cook it. Also, bear in mind that to ensure a meringue with great volume, egg whites need to stand at room temperature for 30 minutes. However, separating eggs is easier when they are cold.

2. To soften up raisins, soak them in hot water for 15 minutes before chopping them up.

3. * developed at an altitude of 4500 feet above sea level