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Apple Cinnamon Roll Haystacks with Toasted Walnuts

in Breakfast, Desserts, Recipes, Snacks

These Apple Cinnamon Roll Haystacks with Toasted Walnuts are healthy comfort food at its finest.  They are perfect for breakfast, dessert, or as a snack!

Apple Cinnamon Roll Haystacks with @CAWalnuts Toasted Walnuts {Paleo, Gluten-Free, Grain-Free, Vegan, Vegetarian, Nightshade-Free, Soy-Free, Whole 30} | cleaneatingveggiegirl.com #ad #therecipereduxI received free samples of California walnuts mentioned in this post.  By posting this recipe I am entering a recipe contest sponsored by the California Walnut Commission and am eligible to win prizes associated with the contest.  I was not compensated for my time.

Apple Cinnamon Roll Haystacks with @CAWalnuts Toasted Walnuts {Paleo, Gluten-Free, Grain-Free, Vegan, Vegetarian, Nightshade-Free, Soy-Free, Whole 30} | cleaneatingveggiegirl.com #ad #therecipereduxI know, I know.  This looks very little like a cinnamon roll.  But I hope you don’t feel too deceived once you see what this recipe is all about.

Apple Cinnamon Roll Haystacks with @CAWalnuts Toasted Walnuts {Paleo, Gluten-Free, Grain-Free, Vegan, Vegetarian, Nightshade-Free, Soy-Free, Whole 30} | cleaneatingveggiegirl.com #ad #therecipereduxI solely blame the cinnamon roll statement on the fact that every last piece of apple, raisin, and walnut is dripping in delicious coconut butter.  To me, coconut butter tastes like cinnamon roll icing.  Either that, or it has just been way too long since I have eaten the real deal.  Regardless, it is delicious, and it pairs oh-so-perfectly with these two sweet fruits and healthy, protein-packed walnuts.  Four grams of protein per ounce, to be exact!

Apple Cinnamon Roll Haystacks with @CAWalnuts Toasted Walnuts {Paleo, Gluten-Free, Grain-Free, Vegan, Vegetarian, Nightshade-Free, Soy-Free, Whole 30} | cleaneatingveggiegirl.com #ad #therecipereduxI have been putting coconut butter on baked white sweet potatoes for about two months now and loving it.  But in an effort to make things even more cinnamon roll-esque, a bit more sweetness with a pinch of nuttiness had to happen.  Not to mention the fact that I wanted to amp up the nutrition-factor.  We are talking fiber, magnesium, phosphorus, and plenty of healthy fats!

Apple Cinnamon Roll Haystacks with @CAWalnuts Toasted Walnuts {Paleo, Gluten-Free, Grain-Free, Vegan, Vegetarian, Nightshade-Free, Soy-Free, Whole 30} | cleaneatingveggiegirl.com #ad #therecipereduxSo I whipped out my spiralizer and this gigantuan haystack happened.  In less than 20 minutes, I might add.

Apple Cinnamon Roll Haystacks with @CAWalnuts Toasted Walnuts {Paleo, Gluten-Free, Grain-Free, Vegan, Vegetarian, Nightshade-Free, Soy-Free, Whole 30} | cleaneatingveggiegirl.com #ad #therecipereduxSure, cinnamon rolls are completely delicious.  But something tells me that these Apple Cinnamon Roll Haystacks with Toasted Walnuts are a bit healthier and a lot more filling and satiating thanks to those fiber-filled walnuts.  Who knew upping the healthiness, flavor, and deliciousness of a recipe could be so easy?  Just toast and sprinkle them walnuts… on basically everything!

Apple Cinnamon Roll Haystacks with @CAWalnuts Toasted Walnuts {Paleo, Gluten-Free, Grain-Free, Vegan, Vegetarian, Nightshade-Free, Soy-Free, Whole 30} | cleaneatingveggiegirl.com #ad #therecipereduxOne reason I have been loving on walnuts lately is because I have been working hard to increase my omega-3 intake, and every ounce of walnuts provides 2.5 grams of goodness.  And while I love all nuts, walnuts are special since they easily beat out all other nuts in their omega-3 ALA content.  Like it’s not even a competition.

Did you know that the ratio between omega-3 and omega-6 healthy fats should be close to 1:1, and in actuality, most people have a much higher intake of omega-6 fats than omega-3 fats?  This imbalance between the two can lead to inflammation, which you know is something I have been trying to fight like crazy lately.  Enter: as many healthy omega-3 sources as possible, including walnuts!

Apple Cinnamon Roll Haystacks with @CAWalnuts Toasted Walnuts {Paleo, Gluten-Free, Grain-Free, Vegan, Vegetarian, Nightshade-Free, Soy-Free, Whole 30} | cleaneatingveggiegirl.com #ad #therecipereduxApple Cinnamon Roll Haystacks with Toasted Walnuts
Paleo, Gluten-Free, Grain-Free, Dairy-Free, Vegan, Vegetarian, Soy-Free, Egg-Free, Nightshade-Free, Whole 30

Serves 1 to 2

Ingredients

1/4 cup whole California walnuts
2 large organic apples (your favorite variety- I used Braeburn)
1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
1 tsp coconut sugar, optional
2 TB raisins (regular or golden)
2 TB organic raw coconut butter, melted

Directions

1. Begin by toasting the walnuts.  Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.  Place whole walnuts on a baking sheet in a single layer.  Bake for approximately 8 to 10 minutes, or until toasted.  Be sure to check them frequently, as they can burn easily.

2. While the walnuts are toasting, wash and dry the apples.  Remove the stems and spiralize using your favorite spiralizer.  Use a towel to squeeze out any excess liquid.

3. Place the spiralized apples in a large skillet over medium heat.  Cook for approximately five minutes, or until softened.  Remove from the heat and sprinkle with the cinnamon and coconut sugar, if desired.

4. Once the walnuts are toasted, remove them from the oven and use a knife to chop them.

5. Compile your haystacks in the following order: seasoned apples, walnuts, raisins, and coconut butter.

Apple Cinnamon Roll Haystacks with @CAWalnuts Toasted Walnuts {Paleo, Gluten-Free, Grain-Free, Vegan, Vegetarian, Nightshade-Free, Soy-Free, Whole 30} | cleaneatingveggiegirl.com #ad #therecipereduxAll four of the main ingredients in this dish are favorites of mine.  But who knew they could taste so darn good together?  They just complement one another, dontcha’ think?

Apple Cinnamon Roll Haystacks with @CAWalnuts Toasted Walnuts {Paleo, Gluten-Free, Grain-Free, Vegan, Vegetarian, Nightshade-Free, Soy-Free, Whole 30} | cleaneatingveggiegirl.com #ad #thereciperedux

These Apple Cinnamon Roll Haystacks with Toasted @CAWalnuts are heaven! #ad #thereciperedux Click To Tweet


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{ 28 comments… add one }
  • Courtney June 12, 2016, 5:12 pm
    What a good idea! This looks super delicious.
    • ClnEatingVegGrl June 12, 2016, 6:52 pm
      Thank you, Courtney! Sometimes the craziest ideas turn out to be super delicious!
  • Mary June 12, 2016, 7:18 pm
    I love cinnamon rolls but do my best to avoid them. This recipe is a great alternative and much healthier. Can't wait to try it!
    • ClnEatingVegGrl June 13, 2016, 8:10 am
      It is the perfect alternative that you can actually feel GOOD about eating!
  • Beth June 12, 2016, 7:21 pm
    I'm always looking for recipes with walnuts. This sounds delicious!
    • ClnEatingVegGrl June 13, 2016, 8:12 am
      This is definitely a great way to use them. And lucky for you, there are tons of walnut recipe ideas in the link-up above!
  • Nutrition a la Natalie June 13, 2016, 10:05 am
    Classic combination, and I love your unique spin on it! Nutrition a la Natalie recently posted...Vegan Tacos with California WalnutsMy Profile
    • ClnEatingVegGrl June 13, 2016, 10:29 am
      Thank you! Sometimes the crazy creativity results in a winner of a dish...sometimes not ;) Luckily, this was a win!
  • Amanda - RunToTheFinish June 13, 2016, 12:48 pm
    I love this idea!!! I am into crunchy things right now so this sounds awesome! Amanda - RunToTheFinish recently posted...15 Tips to Ignite a Veggie Revolution In Your HouseMy Profile
    • ClnEatingVegGrl June 13, 2016, 5:20 pm
      You and me both! The walnuts add the perfect amount of crunch, and I love their flavor even more when they're toasted!
  • Rebecca @ Strength and Sunshine June 13, 2016, 3:06 pm
    O, well, since I have the spiralizer out... ;) Rebecca @ Strength and Sunshine recently posted...Smoky Spiralized Purple Sweet Potato FriesMy Profile
    • ClnEatingVegGrl June 13, 2016, 5:20 pm
      Why not, right?! :)
  • Kelli June 13, 2016, 4:17 pm
    Oh my gosh, coconut butter and sweet potatoes sounds amazing! As does this cinnamon roll haystack - great use of the walnuts!
    • ClnEatingVegGrl June 13, 2016, 5:19 pm
      Thank you, Kelli! You definitely need to try both this AND the sweet potato/coconut butter combo!
  • Rachel @ Delicious Balance June 13, 2016, 5:43 pm
    This looks like a giant plate of yum! I see me topping my oatmeal with this in the near future!
    • ClnEatingVegGrl June 13, 2016, 6:16 pm
      That is a super fantastic idea! This would be AWESOME as an oatmeal topper!
  • Erin @ Her Heartland Soul June 13, 2016, 8:15 pm
    Ohh this looks yummy! Erin @ Her Heartland Soul recently posted...Weekend SnapshotsMy Profile
    • ClnEatingVegGrl June 14, 2016, 8:16 am
      Looks are definitely not deceiving in this case. I'm kind of in love with it ;)
  • Tara | Treble in the Kitchen June 14, 2016, 12:51 pm
    These haystacks sound so good! Such a clever idea! Tara | Treble in the Kitchen recently posted...Asian Lettuce Wrap SaladMy Profile
    • ClnEatingVegGrl June 14, 2016, 1:31 pm
      Thank you, Tara! I'm loving the apple/walnut combo lately. I think I need to make some walnut butter next to dip them in!
  • Dani @ Dani California Cooks June 14, 2016, 1:24 pm
    Delicious and creative!! I've been wanting to try spiralizing fruit recently. Dani @ Dani California Cooks recently posted...Weekly Meal Plan & Workouts IIMy Profile
    • ClnEatingVegGrl June 14, 2016, 1:32 pm
      You should most definitely try spiralizing apples. They turned out SO good!
  • Ruth July 5, 2016, 11:02 am
    This would be such a wonderful summer breakfast since you don't use the oven and it is fast and easy. It would also make a deeelish and heart warming breakfast in the winter! Your recipe caught my eye when I saw coconut butter mmmmm <3 Ruth recently posted...Mathews Farmer’s Market FunMy Profile
    • ClnEatingVegGrl July 5, 2016, 11:11 am
      Anything with coconut butter is pretty perfect :)
  • Courtney July 21, 2016, 10:18 am
    These look awesome! I have thought the same thing about coconut butter tasting like cinnamon roll icing - just another reason to love it!! I usually get my "cinnamon roll fix" from sweet potatoes with cinnamon and coconut butter. Lovely recipe!
    • ClnEatingVegGrl July 21, 2016, 2:05 pm
      I LOVE the coconut butter/cinnamon/sweet potato combo. It is truly the best... especially with Japanese or Hannah sweet potatoes!
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