1 |   Main Dish

Meat-free Moroccan Meatballs

This is my favorite sweet and sour meatball recipe, modified from one I grew up on. Besides making them meat free, I've also given them a Moroccan pizzazz by adding a few extra spices. A liberal coating of my special Pineapple Apricot BBQ Sauce finishes the dish to perfection. You'll be surprised by my secret ingredient, which you might not think belongs in savory food.

3 |   Side

Exotic Couscous Delight

Couscous is a staple food in Morocco. Since I had golden raisins left over from last week's meal plan, I combined them with a few nuts and a light base of couscous for this delightful side. Cashews and pistachios, coated in a blend of cumin, coriander, and cayenne, make this dish hard to stop eating. Once again, watch for this week's secret ingredient in the spice mix!

2 |   Salad

Sautéed Vegetable Medley

Whatever veggies you have on hand can be the beginning of a great meal. In my neck of the woods, zucchini and yellow squash are still plentiful, and this week I also had some cauliflower and carrots. Sautéed together with onion and spices, these veggies really round out the whole meal plan. They're a perfect compliment to my Exotic Couscous Delight. 

4 |   Dessert

Mini Apple Spice Cakes

Fall is in the air, and the markets are full of rosy-cheeked apples. This weekend I couldn't resist getting some and making these mini apple spice cakes for a family get-together. Infused with cinnamon, cloves, and nutmeg, then topped with a light caramel apple sauce, who could resist this spicy, yummy dessert? They vanished quickly with oohs, ahhs, and “more please!”

1 |   Main Dish

Meat-free Moroccan Meatballs

The Meatballs:
1 1/4 cups bread crumbs

1/2 cup pecan meal or finely chopped pecans

1/4 cup pistachios, finely chopped

1/4 cup almonds, finely chopped

1 teaspoon salt

1/2 medium onion, finely chopped (about 3/4 cup)

1 1/2 teaspoons dried oregano

1/2 teaspoon ground cumin

1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon

3/4 cup grated cheddar cheese

2 garlic cloves, minced

3 tablespoons fresh parsley, finely chopped

4 eggs

Pineapple Apricot BBQ Sauce:
1/4 cup vegetable oil

1/2 cup apricot preserves

2 tablespoons brown sugar

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon cayenne

1/4 cup white vinegar

1/2 cup ketchup

1/2 cup crushed pineapple

Want to make this dairy or gluten-free? Make your own gluten-free bread crumbs! The great thing about making your own is that you can use spelt bread, rye bread, multi-grain seeded bread, or of course your favorite gluten-free bread! For a dairy-free option, replace the eggs with 4 tablespoons ground flaxseed or 4 tablespoons chickpea flour mixed with 3/4 cup water in a small bowl. Let this sit for two minutes then add it to the meatball mixture and continue with the recipe.

Make ahead option– If you have a family of four or more, make the whole batch now. Store any leftover meatballs and sauce in a sealed container in the refrigerator for up to four days. The meatballs in the freezer will last for 3 months in a sealed freezer proof container. From frozen, bake meatballs at 350˚ for 15 minutes then top with sauce and bake another 20 minutes. 

The Simple Steps...

1. Preheat oven to 350˚.

2. In a large mixing bowl, stir all the meatball ingredients together. One of the secrets this week is adding cinnamon to savory foods. It adds a lovely warmth to the meatballs.

3. Use an ice cream scoop to make 22 balls that are about one and a half inches big. The scoop helps to make each “meatball” the same size, and you won’t get your hands all messy! If you don’t have an scoop, use about 2 tablespoons of the mixture per meatball. Place half the meatballs into a 9x9 baking dish and the other half onto a small baking tray with sides.

4. Bake the meatballs in the 9x9 dish for 12 minutes. Then pour half the barbecue sauce over them and cover the dish with aluminum foil. Bake them for an additional 15 minutes.

5. Place the small baking tray with meatballs into your freezer. After you’ve eaten your dinner tonight, you’ll be glad to have some more in the freezer for another time. Don’t forget to put the frozen meatballs into a freezer safe container. 

For Sweet 'n' Spicy BBQ Sauce:

1. Pour all the ingredients into a pot and bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Then pour it over meatballs and bake. Save half of this sauce for the meatballs you’ve frozen.

2. Strain some of the pineapple juice out of the crushed pineapples. You can use the juice for the Mini Apple Spice Cakes.

2 |  Salad

Sautéed Vegetable Medley

1 small zucchini

1 small yellow squash

1 medium carrot

1 cup cauliflower

1/2 medium onion

1 tablespoon olive oil

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon cumin

1/8 teaspoon cayenne

1/2 teaspoon oregano

Want to make this dairy or gluten-free? This is already a gluten-free and dairy-free dish.

Make ahead option– Store extra sautéed vegetables in a sealed container in the refrigerator for to to 4 days. Simply reheat the vegetables and enjoy! 

The Simple Steps...

1. Wash and slice the vegetables. The zucchini, yellow squash, and carrot can all be cut about the same size rounds. Slice the onion into thin strips and cut the cauliflower into small bite-sized pieces.

2. Heat a large pan over medium to medium-high heat. Add the olive oil to the hot pan. Sauté the onion for 1 minute, add the carrot and sauté for 2 more minutes.

3. Add the cauliflower and saute for one minute. Pour two tablespoons water into the pan, cover, and cook for 3 minutes.

4. Uncover the pan, add the sliced zucchini, squash, spices, and salt. Sauté everything for 2-4 minutes or until the zucchini is light brown and cooked through. 

3 |  Side

Exotic Coucous Delight

cup water

1 cup couscous

1 teaspoon salt

1 bay leaf

1/4 cup golden raisins

1/4 cup dried apricots, chopped

2 tablespoons olive oil

1 cloves garlic, finely chopped

1/4 cup pistachios

1/4 cup cashews

1/4 teaspoon cayenne

1/8 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/8 teaspoon ground coriander

1/2 teaspoon ground cumin

2 tablespoons chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley leaves

Want to make this dairy or gluten-free? This is already deliciously dairy-free. To make this gluten-free, make quinoa in place of the couscous or for a fun twist, make cauliflower couscous. Simply place 1/2 a head of cauliflower florets into a food processor and pulse it until it’s broken up into couscous sized pieces. Then, steam the cauliflower in a very small amount of water. It will only take about five minutes to make, and it’s a simple, tasty substitute.

Make ahead option– This dish can be stored in a sealed container in the refrigerator for up to five days. It can also be frozen and will keep for up to a month.

The Simple Steps..

1. In a medium saucepan, bring 1 cup of water, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and the bay leaf to a boil. Stir in the couscous, chopped apricots, and raisins. Cover the pan, remove from the heat, and let it stand for 5 to 10 minutes.

2. Meanwhile, mince the garlic and heat a medium pan over medium heat. Add the olive oil, garlic, and nuts to the pan. Toast the nuts and garlic for 2 minutes. Stir in the cayenne, cinnamon, coriander, cumin, and 1/2 teaspoon salt. Cook for another one minute.

3. Uncover the couscous and fluff it with a fork. Fold in the toasted, spiced nut.

4. Add the chopped parsley and top with the vegetable sauté to serve.

4 |   Dessert

Mini Apple Spice Cakes

For Apple Spice Cake:
6 tablespoons vegetable oil

1/2 cup brown sugar, firmly packed

1 egg

1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/8 teaspoon ground cloves

1/8 teaspoon ground nutmeg

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/4 cup applesauce

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

3/4 cup flour

1/4 cup shredded coconut

1/4 cup pecans, chopped

For Apple Caramel Drizzle:
1/4 cup pineapple juice

2 tablespoons butter

1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/2 cup maple syrup

1 large apple, peeled and cubed

Want to make this dairy or gluten-free? For a simple dairy-free option, use coconut oil instead of the butter in the drizzle. To replace the egg, increase the applesauce to 1/3 cup and add 2 tablespoon pineapple juice. Also, add 1/2 teaspoon of baking powder to ensure the cakes rise. For a gluten-free option, replace the flour with your favorite blend of gluten-free flour like Pillsbury Best Multi-Purpose Gluten Free Flour Blend. You will need to bake the gluten-free cakes for about 2 more minutes also.

Make ahead option– These are great to make ahead and store in the refrigerator for 5 days or in the freezer for two months. When you’re ready to enjoy an Apple Spice Cake, set them on the counter to allow them to come to room temperature. 

The Simple Steps...

1. Preheat the oven to 350˚. Grease and flour a 12 cup muffin tin. Be sure to grease the bottom and all the way up the edges. This will ensure that the cakes are easier to remove.

2. Add the oil, brown sugar, egg, vanilla, spices, and salt to a medium mixing bowl. Beat this mixture for two minutes at medium speed to fluff the egg.

3. Add the applesauce, baking soda, flour, coconut, and pecans. Stir everything together just until combined.

4. Spoon a tablespoon of the caramel drizzle into each muffin cup. Be sure to get a few apple pieces into each cup. Then, scoop the cake batter on top of the apple, caramel drizzle dividing the batter equally between the 12 cups. Do not fill the cups more than 3/4 full with batter or they will overflow while baking.

5. Bake this is the oven for 16 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center of the cake comes out clean.

6. Once baked, remove them from the oven and allow them to cool for 5 minutes on a wire rack. Then, run a thin spatula or knife around the edges of each cup. Place a baking tray on top of the tin then turn it upside down so the mini cakes will gently slide out while they cool. Leave this to finish cooling for about 10 minutes.

7. To serve, place one mini cake on a small plate and top with a tablespoon of warm apple caramel drizzle.

For the Apple Caramel Drizzle:
1. Wash, peel, and core the apple. Chop the apple into 1/4-inch pieces.

2. In a small pot, stir together the maple syrup, butter, cinnamon, pineapple juice, and apple pieces. Cook at medium heat for 5 minutes and stir occasionally.

3. Spoon one tablespoon of this sauce into the bottom of each greased and floured muffin cup. Set the rest aside to top the mini cakes when you are ready to serve.