Is your home overflowing with apples? Ours is. If you read about our recent adventures at the U-Pick apple orchard you understand why.
Fall is prime apple picking season and even if you don’t venture out to a farm and pluck the ripe red fruit yourself, you should seriously consider infusing your diet with the healthy fruit. Not only do apples offer a host of essential vitamins and minerals, studies show eating fresh apples before a meal aids weight loss by filling you up and reducing the absorption of calories and excess cholesterol.
With that in mind I’ve compiled a list of some of my favorite apple recipes. Those of you who have read my previous entries in the FOOD category know that I am by no means a gourmet cook. My recipes are extremely easy and affordable.
One more note, if you plan to buy apples in bulk this season you might find it helpful to consult this guide. Also, if you plan to consume several apples a day over a prolonged amount of time it’s best to buy organic or wash the fruit well to reduce exposure to pesticide residues. Doctors warn the more pesticides you are exposed to, the greater your risk of cancer.
EASY APPLE RECIPES:
Apple and Goat Cheese Bruschetta. Mix goat cheese and thyme and spread on toasted French bread, top with apple slices and drizzle with honey.
Apple Cider Braised Chicken. Cut up chicken in bite-sized pieces. Marinate chicken pieces in apple cider, onion, lemon, thyme, salt and pepper in a plastic bag overnight. Pour contents of bag into baking dish with four sliced apples and bake for one hour.
Pork Fajitas with Apple Salsa. Sauté strips of pork (I use a package of pre-cut stir-fry pork strips from the meat section of the grocery store) with onions and green, yellow and red peppers. Season mixture with cumin, garlic, chili and oregano. Make apple salsa by combining three chopped apples, one scallion, one pepper, one jalapeno and lime juice. Fill tortillas with pork mixture and top with apple salsa.
Crock Pot Apples. Core apples and fill with granola or chopped nuts and apricots. Place in crock pot with one inch of water and drizzle with maple syrup. Cook on low 3-4 hours.
Stuffed Apples
Ingredients:
6 medium baking apples (Rome, Spartan, Empire, or McIntosh)
1/3 cup raisins
1/4 cup brown sugar
1 tablespoon tub-style light margarine
1 teaspoon cinnamon
2 tablespoons chopped walnuts or other nuts
Slice off tops of apple and reserve as “caps.” Core the apples. Mix raisins, sugar, margarine, cinnamon, and nuts. Fill center of apples. Replace caps.
Place apples upright in a baking dish. Pour 1 cup water around apples. Bake uncovered, at 375 degrees for 45 to 60 minutes. Makes 6 servings.
Other Apple Recipes:
Apples, Apples and More Apples for your Crock Pot