Honey Crisp Apple Crostini with Whipped Goat Cheese and Candied Pecans

Hi Guys!  I’m so excited about our Vitamix Giveaway this week that I decided to do a second recipe with my fabulous new blender because you know I love my appetizers, especially crostinis!   And when you mix the local apples with goat cheese, candied pecans, honey and pomegranate seeds, well, let’s just say the deliciousness factor is magnified by ten!

This Thursday the 22nd, I will be throwing a FriendsGiving party with some of my favorite Canadian bloggers.  Have you heard of FriendsGiving?  It’s a growing trend, especially among millenials, to celebrate Thanksgiving with their friends.  It’s often a couple days before or after the actual Thanksgiving date (reserved for family) and a place where everyone brings pot luck or leftovers, kicks back and enjoys the day with close friends.

This is such a great idea especially for those who can’t travel to be with family and would otherwise be spending the holiday alone.  Plus, you get to make and eat whatever you want!

Once I heard it was a free for all, my mind went to a yummy appetizer and since the local apples are still in good supply, this seemed like a natural.

Lots of texture, sweetness and colour make up this crostini.  The little jewels of the pomegranate always add something special, don’t you think?  If you’re confused about how to open a pomegranate, check out YouTube but I must confess, I’m too impatient to do it with the water methods or cutting it into six chambers.

I simply score it around the middle, twist and open it up.  Flip each side upside down in a bowl and tap with a wooden spoon and your seeds will pop out.

Wash your apples very well and if they’re not organic, you’ll want to peel them.  I love Honey Crisp apples for this snack because of their sweetness but you can change it up if you want – just be sure to pick a sweet one.

I used my new Vitamix to blend heavy cream, cream cheese, goat cheese and honey.   That sounds like a lot of calories and it is but if you’re concerned you can use a lighter cream and low fat cream cheese.  Given that it’s a holiday and you’re not planning on eating a dozen of these, I don’t see the harm in a little bit if indulgence!

I love that this powerful machine whips this up in no time.  I’m still learning about my new toy and every time I watch the video I’m kind of amazed at what this machine can do!  I can’t wait to make dough.  All these years I’ve been avoiding it and now I find out that I don’t have to do all the work – perfect!

Topping this tasty little bite with thyme and a drizzle of honey will have you smacking your lips and reaching for a second..and a third!  Another way to keep this low on calories is to use whole wheat bread and regular pecans or your nut of choice.

I’m excited for Thanksgiving this year because my American cousins are coming to celebrate and they are both family and friends so it looks like I’ll be celebrating both holidays on the same day!

What are you making for your holiday celebrations?  I’d love to hear about your traditional and not-so-traditional recipes.  Share with me on Instagram using #simplyfreshdinners so I can share with my followers.  Cheers!

Note:  This is a sponsored post by Vitamix but my opinions are all my own.

Honey Crisp Apples with Whipped Goat Cheese and Candied Pecans from Simply Fresh Dinners