Roasted Seed and Apple Salad

I loved the way this salad came out so much that I made it three times in three days!  The best part is, it only takes 15 minutes to make!

- roasted seed and apple salad -

- 4 apples, assorted variety (I used Fuji and Granny Smith)
- 1/2 cup whole raw almonds
- 1/4 cup raw tan sesame seeds
- 1/2 tsp. cinnamon
- 2 tsp. maple syrup

Chop apples.  My favorite technique is to slice them into quarters, seeds, stem and all.  Just a big + right over the top.  I then slide a paring knife down the middle of each quarter to remove the seeds.  After that, I cut those quarters in half.  We now have eighth wedges.  Cut those in 3-4 pieces, resulting in the bite-sized chunks you see above.

To keep your apples from turning brown, place cut pieces in a bowl of cold water until the final step in the recipe.

Roast almonds at 400 for approximately 5-10 minutes, keeping a wary eye on them.  They should smell sweet, not burned.

Dry-roast your sesame seeds in a hot skillet.  Stir constantly with a spoon until they release a sweet aroma and begin popping.  Remove promptly from skillet to prevent further cooking.

When almonds and seeds have cooled, crush seeds in a suribachi or blender, and rough-chop almonds until they're about the size of pencil erasers.

Drain apples and combine with seeds, nuts, and all remaining ingredients.  Serve immediately!