The Season of Apples!
As we say goodbye to the berries and melons of summer, we can look forward to the delicious season of apples.
One of my very favorite childhood memories includes apple picking in the mountains of California with my family. On a bright September morning, we would head for the crisp air and blue skies of the mountains to pick bags of apples from the orchard and enjoy a warm piece of apple pie baked fresh by the local bakery. I still enjoy apple picking with my children at one of the many Minnesota orchards on a cool fall day.
Not only are apples so tasty, they are so good for your body. Apples are extremely high in fiber, which helps lower cholesterol and prevent heart disease. Other health benefits of apples include:
Bone protection
Asthma help
Lung, breast, colon, liver cancer prevention
Alzheimer’s prevention
Diabetes management
Weight loss
There are so many varieties of apples we can enjoy, as we eat them plain, dip with them, bake with them, and cook with them. When eating apples straight from the fridge, some of my favorite varieties include SweeTango, Honeycrisp, Fuji and Gala. Apples are such a convenient snack, and all the fiber in an apple keeps you full until your next meal. Some other simple ideas and recipes for your fresh picked apples are:
Apple Water - Add apple slices and cinnamon to a pitcher of water. Sip on it all day long to stay hydrated and boost your metabolism.
Apple Dippers - Dip apple slices in peanut butter, almond butter or cottage cheese for an easy post-workout protein boost.
Apple Cookies – Slice apples horizontally. Spread with peanut butter, unsweetened coconut shavings and mini chocolate chips. The kids will love this as an after-school snack!
Apple Oatmeal – Top your whole-grain oats (no pre-sweetened oatmeal packets!) with chopped apple pieces, cinnamon, a bit of brown sugar and a splash of milk.
Apple Pie Smoothies – My favorite!! 5 raw almonds, one red apple, one banana, ¾ c. nonfat Greek yogurt, ½ c. skim or almond milk, ¼ tsp. cinnamon. Blend for breakfast or a post-workout snack and enjoy!
Microwave Cinnamon Apples – a super easy dessert! Microwave three Granny Smith apples and 2 Tbsp. butter (cubed) for two minutes. Remove and stir. Add 2 Tbsp. Stevia and 2 tsp. cinnamon and stir into apples. Microwave two more minutes. That’s it…yum!
So, whether you pick apples from an orchard or your grocery store, there are so many ways to enjoy them and so many reasons your body will thank you for eating them! Say hello to fall and savor the season of apples!
