Apples were first introduced to Britain by the Romans and Egyptians, and finally made their way to America. These days, the average American consumes close to 120 apples over the course of a year. At least half of the domestic harvest is put to use producing goods that are consumed on a regular basis, such as apple sauce, apple juice, apple jelly, pies, and other popular treats. (1992 edition of the Wellness Encyclopedia of Food and Nutrition).
According to a number of studies, eating apples may help lower the chance of developing lung cancer, colon cancer, and prostate cancer. Apples include fiber and phytonutrients, both of which limit reabsorption, which in turn helps regulate cholesterol, improves bowel function, aids in weight loss, and lowers the chance of having a stroke, Type II diabetes, and asthma. Apples contain a variety of phenolic compounds, the most prominent of which are quercetin, epicatechin, and procyanidin B2. Apples, in particular, have a higher concentration of vitamin G than virtually any other fruit, which is a nutrient that helps digestion and development and is also known as the “appetite vitamin.”
When selecting apples for their variety, look for ones that do not have any mushy patches and do not have any discoloration. Be careful to give them a thorough washing with soap and then rinsing with water. Dishes including apples should be prepared just before they are served to prevent browning (oxidation). The apples may be kept from deteriorating due to oxidation if they are submerged in a solution that consists of one part citrus juice and three parts water.
The following websites were used as sources: www.fruitsandveggiesmatter.gov, www.wikipedia.org, and
Image courtesy of Patrick Nickan and made accessible via the Creative Commons license for Attribution 2.5 Generic.
Caramel Apple Salad
Ingredients:
- 1 (20 ounce) can crushed pineapple (do not drain)
- 4 unpeeled red delicious apples, cut up
- 1 (1 ounce) box sugar-free fat-free butterscotch pudding (or regular)
- 1 (8 ounce) container fat-free cool whip
Prep Time: 5 mins
Total Time: 5 mins
Directions:
Mix all together and let sit overnight.
Servings: 4
Apple Pear Cucumber Salad
Ingredients:
For the Dressing
- 2 tablespoons whole grain mustard
- 2 tablespoons fresh dill, chopped (or 2 tsp dried)
- 2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
- 1/2 teaspoon brown sugar
- 4 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
For the Salad:
- 2 tart apples, crunchy (Gala, Pink Lady, Braeburn)
- 1 pear (Anjou, Bartlett, etc.)
- 1 seedless cucumber (or seeded)
- 1 small sweet onion
Prep Time: 15 mins
Total Time: 15 mins
Directions:
For the Dressing:
Mix together the mustard, dill, vinegar, sugar and olive oil. Set aside.
For the Salad:
- Core and slice apples and pears into thin slices, leaving skin on for color and flavor.
- Slice cucumber into rounds (if using cucumber with seeds, cut in half lengthwise, scrape out seeds, and cut into half moon slices).
- If cucumber is waxed, peel it; otherwise leave skin on.
- Slice onion any way you like.
- Add all to bowl with dressing and toss to coat.
Servings: 4-6
Caramelized Apple and Chicken Saute
Ingredients:
- 4 (3 ounce) boneless skinless chicken breasts
- 1/4 cup flour
- 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme leaves, crushed
- 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
- 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
- 1 tablespoon butter, divided
- 1 medium onion, thinly sliced
- 1 lb baking apple, cored and thinly sliced
- 1/4 cup apple juice or 1/4 cup apple cider
- 1/4 cup apple jelly
Prep Time: 5 mins
Total Time: 18 mins
Directions:
- In a shallow dish, combine flour, cinnamon, thyme and pepper.
- Coat both sides of chicken with flour mixture; shake off excess flour.
- Spray a non-stick skillet with no-stick cooking spray.
- Melt 1-1/2 teaspoons of butter in skillet over medium heat.
- Add chicken; brown 5 to 6 minutes on each side or until chicken is tender.
- Remove from skillet and keep warm.
- Melt remaining 1-1/2 teaspoons butter in skillet.
- Add onions; saute 3 to 4 minutes or until golden brown.
- Stir in apples and juice; bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer 4 to 5 minutes or until apples are tender.
- Add apple jelly; stir until melted.
- Add chicken back to skillet and heat through.
Servings: 4
Butternut Apple Casserole
Ingredients:
- 1 butternut squash, peeled, seeded and cut into chunks
- 3 medium apples, cored, peeled and sliced (preferably Granny Smiths)
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
- 3/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1 tablespoon brown sugar
- 1/2 cup apple juice (preferably no sugar added)
Prep Time: 20 mins
Total Time: 1 ½ hours
Directions:
- Preheat oven to 350°F.
- Coat the inside of a 1-quart casserole dish with cooking spray.
- Combine squash and apples with lemon juice and cinnamon in a large bowl. Toss to coat well. Place in casserole.
- Sprinkle with brown sugar. Pour apple juice over mixture.
- Cover casserole with lid or foil and bake 1 hour, or until squash is tender.
Servings: 4
Apple Coleslaw
Ingredients:
- 4 cups shredded cabbage
- 1 cup shredded carrot
- 1 Granny Smith apple – peeled, cored and coarsely shredded
- 2 tablespoons honey
- 1 tablespoon brown sugar
- 2 teaspoons white vinegar
- 1 tablespoon pineapple juice (optional)
- 2 tablespoons mayonnaise
- 1 dash salt
- 1 teaspoon ground black pepper
Prep Time: 15 mins
Total Time: 8 hours 15 mins
Directions:
- Place the shredded cabbage and carrot together in a bowl with the sliced apple, and toss to combine.
In a separate bowl, stir together the honey, brown sugar, vinegar, pineapple juice, and mayonnaise until the honey and sugar have dissolved completely. - Pour over the salad, and toss to coat.
- Season with salt and pepper, and toss again.
- Cover and chill until ready to serve.
Servings: 6
Apple Peanut Spinach Salad
Ingredients:
- 2 (6 ounce) packages fresh baby spinach
- 1 medium apple, chopped
- 1/4 cup raisins
- 2 tablespoons chopped peanuts
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 tablespoon sugar
- 1 tablespoon cider vinegar
- 1 tablespoon chutney
- 3/4 teaspoon curry powder
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
Prep Time: 15 mins
Total Time: 15 mins
Directions:
In a large bowl, combine the spinach, apple, raisins and peanuts. In a jar with a tight-fitting lid, combine the remaining ingredients; shake well. Drizzle over salad and toss to coat.
Servings: 6
Hot Baked Cinnamon Apples
Ingredients:
- 10 apples, cored, peeled and sliced thin
- 2 teaspoons cinnamon
- 1 cup brown sugar
- 2 teaspoons lemon juice (optional)
- 1 dash salt
- 1 dash nutmeg
- freshwhipped cream (optional) or ice cream (optional)
Prep Time: 5 mins
Total Time: 50 mins
Directions:
- Place cut and peeled apples in a mixing bowl and gently mix all the ingredients together.
- Put apples in a non-stick pan, and cook covered for 45 minutes at 375°F.
- Stir at least once every 15 minutes.
- Once they are soft, cook for another few minutes to thicken the cinnamon sauce.
- You can put everything into a baking dish and then mix it so there is less to clean up.
Servings: 8
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