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Apples: The Original Superfood

Before we go running off into the sunset with our new best friend the Goji berry, let us not forget our edible pal from wayyyyy back.  The constant companion of many of my childhood school lunches. My kids eat tons of apples and used to put almond butter on them until almonds made my hand joints swell.  One of the original SUPER foods, the fabulous apple!!!

You might have forgotten but apples are truly amazing.  “An apple a day keeps the doctor away” couldn’t be truer. Apples are high in dietary fiber, which in turns lowers your cholesterol.  They are also loaded with antioxidants and vitamins.

Even their skin is special.  You MUST  eat the skin to get all the fiber.  A peeled apple doesn’t come close to qualifying for the high fiber award.  Apple skin is accredited for packing all the vitamins as well as containing Ursolic acid (weight loss) and Quercetin (fights off tissue damage in the brain like Alzheimer’s).

This is definitely one of the fruits you want in the house!! ORGANIC apples I shall say as they are part of teh dirty dozen to watch for. Don’t be afraid of going old school with your apple loving. Core it, then slice it in half to spread a dollop of peanut or almond butter on it. For an added layer of health, sprinkle some flax seeds on top of the nut butter goodness, boosting your snack to a SUPER duper food status. It’s perfect for breakfast when you are in a rush, or a snack anytime of day.

The Dirty Dozen and the Clean 15

Sadly, as previously mentioned, apples are at the top of the EWG’s dirty dozen. What does this mean?? It is a list of conventionally grown fruits and veggies that are considered to be higher in pesticides. As I previously said, you SHOULD really TRY to go ORGANIC on this particular “SUPERFOOD”.

But it is NOT all doom and gloom over at EWG. They also listed the 15 cleanest fruit and veggie fellows that are safe to eat.  What I was even more impressed with was their Good Food on a Tight Budget Guide, because we all know how hard it is to feed your family, especially trying to feed your family healthy. However, I found once we ditch the junk, the grocery might not be as full but it is now packed with rich nutritious food. At the end, we don’t spend that much more and eat less because we no longer eat the non-filling, empty calories snack.

If organic is not an option, (or you just feel like having some of our magic in a bottle) then mix up a batch of this DIY veggie spray:

DIY Fruit & Veggie Spray
 
Ingredients
  • 1 cups water
  • ½ cup vinegar (apple or white)
  • ½ tbsp. baking soda
  • juice of ½ lemon
Instructions
  1. Put all ingredients into a spray bottle.  Shake gently to mix.  Spray on your apple and let sit for 2 to 5 minutes. Use a veggie scrub brush like this or this and then rinse thoroughly with water. But remember, pesticides are not just on the surface, trace of pesticides are also found in the fruit or vegetable.

 But remember, pesticides are not just on the surface, trace of pesticides are also found in the fruit or vegetable.

Because we got the memo about the outsides of the apple being so good for you, here is one of the easiest recipe in the world for apple skins. I never tried to make baked apple skins but based on my research, people swear on  this contraption.  Don’t worry, it’s budget friendly, too!

According to reviews, it’s soooo simple to use and it’s an impressive tool for any culinary collection! It can work some serious magic on potatoes as well.

 

Quick Tip:  Save the apple peel when making pies!!  The skin is where a lot of the fiber and nutrition live.

For the apple peel treat, the skin is tossed in a bit of coconut simple syrup (get below) and sprinkling with ground clove. Place coated apple skin on a parchment lined cookie sheet and cook in oven at 275 degrees for approximately 25 minutes.

Coconut Palm Sugar Simple Syrup

Ingredients:

  • 2 cups Coconut Palm sugar
  • 1 cup Water

Directions:

  • Combine palm sugar and water in a saucepan.
  • Heat on medium, and slowly simmer, stirring occasionally to ensure sugar is fully dissolved.
  • Reduce heat to low, and continue to simmer until the liquid has reduced to thick syrup.
  • Be patient and don’t heat too high or quickly or sugar will burn.
  • Let cool then transfer to a pour friendly container.

 What makes this recipe more perfect is even that you are using coconut sugar, which is only HALF the glycemic index compared to regular cane sugar.

For the apple slices, just sprinkle them with cinnamon and do the same business with the parchment lined cookie sheet and same oven temperature of 275 degrees, but kept them baking for about 50 minutes.  Your may require less/more time depending on your oven and how crunchy you like your apple chips.

Fall is already here, and it’s making me think about the warm and cozy ways you can get your apple fix.  Baked apples are pretty foolproof and if you look around the Web, there are thousands of recipes.

What’s your favorite way to eat apples?  Please tell me EVERYTHING!!  If you have any great recipes please share!   What are some great ways to send your little ones apples in their lunch boxes?

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