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Apples Are Back On The Table
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Apple & Pork
Stir-Fry Spiced Apple Butter
More Recipes Click on the links below for more than two dozen ways to bring apples back to your autumn table:
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Apples are
ready to take over from the fruits of summer. And they will be welcome. The average U.S. consumer eats about 19 pounds of fresh apples a year – about one apple per week, according to the Washington State Apple Commission. That’s a health-wise habit, since that old saying – an apple a day keeps the doctor away – is pretty much on the mark. Apples provide about 7 to 8 percent of the recommended amount of vitamin C, but they offer much more than that. One study shows that apples are the most concentrated food source of flavonoids, a group of phytochemicals, natural substances found only in plant-based foods. Flavonoids are believed to protect against cancer, heart disease and other serious health problems. Current nutrition guidelines have increased the emphasis on eating a lot of fruits and vegetables each day for maximum health benefits. No fruit or vegetable has everything we need, but together they offer a wide range of health benefits. The American Institute for Cancer Research (AICR) has been campaigning for years to get Americans to adopt what AICR calls The New American Plate. They urge people to fill at least two-thirds of the plate with a variety of plant foods like fruits, vegetables, whole grains and beans, and leave the remaining one-third of the plate (or less) for animal protein. This approach remodels meals so they are higher in fiber and lower in saturated fat and calories than the traditional American meal. AICR
2 Tbsp. peach jam, preferably sweetened with
fruit juice In a small bowl, combine jam, soy sauce, water and cornstarch. Set aside. In a large non-stick skillet, heat sesame oil over medium high heat. Add pork and ginger and stir-fry until pork is browned and just cooked through, about 3 to 5 minutes. Transfer pork and ginger to a bowl with a slotted spoon. Add canola oil to skillet. Stir-fry peppers, water chestnuts, and apples until peppers are crisp tender, about 3 minutes. Add pork back to skillet along with scallions. Stir-fry 30 seconds. Stir jam mixture to recombine, then blend into stir-fry. Continue to stir-fry 30 seconds to one minute, or until sauce thickens. Season to taste with black pepper. Serve over brown rice or whole-wheat pasta. Makes 4 Servings. Per Serving: 351 Cal; 8 g Total Fat (2 g Sat Fat); 54 g Carb; 346 mg Sodium; 17 g Protein; 10 g Dietary Fiber. Exchanges: 1/2 Fruit; 1-1/2 Starch; 2 Veg; 2 Very Lean Meat; 2 Fat.
APPLE BUTTER 4 pounds cooking apples, washed, unpeeled,
cored, and cut into Slice the apples into a crockpot or large non-reactive roasting pan. Cook in the crockpot on LOW until the apples are very soft, 4 to 5 hours, or cook in the oven at 350°F for 2 hours until soft. Press the soft apples through a sieve. Stir in the Splenda® Granular, cinnamon, cloves, and allspice and cook together until reduced to 4 cups, 3 to 4 hours in a crockpot or another hour in the oven. Spoon into clean jars, leaving about an inch of headroom. Cover with a lid and freeze. Serve on toast, pancakes or use in recipes calling for apple butter. Makes 64 (1 Tbsp) Servings. Per (1 Tbsp) Serving: 14 Cal; 00 g Total Fat; 4 g Carb; 00 mg Cholesterol; 00 mg Sodium; 3 g Sugars. Exchanges: FREE FOOD (for 1 Tbsp).
APPLE-CRANBERRY
TURNOVERS 1 medium apple, peeled, cored, and diced Preheat oven to 400°F. Spray a baking sheet with nonstick spray coating and set aside. In a 2-cup measure or similar small microwave-safe bowl, combine the apple, cranberries, sugar, and cinnamon. Stir to mix. Stir in the water. Cover with wax paper and microwave on HIGH power for 3 minutes, stopping and stirring once during microwaving. Cool slightly. Working on a nonstick spray-coated surface, flatten each biscuit into a three-inch round. Spoon about 2 tsp of the mixture into the center of the biscuit. Fold the biscuit in half over the filling, making a turnover shape. Seal the edges by pressing closed with fingers, then with the tines of a fork. Lay the biscuits on the prepared baking sheet. Prick the top of each turnover with the fork tines. Bake for 8 to 10 minutes, or until the tops of the biscuits begin to brown. Serve hot. Leftovers will keep for 1 to 2 days, tightly covered, at room temperature. Makes 10 Turnovers. Per (1 Turnover) Serving: 68 Cal; 1 g Total Fat; 14 g Carb; 00 mg Cholesterol; 180 mg Sodium; 1 g Protein; 1 g Fiber; 5 g Sugars. Exchanges: 1 Carb.
SAVORY
FRUIT SAUSAGE SAUTÉ 1/3 cup apple juice *Note: Optional salt or "salt to taste" is NOT included in the sodium content of the nutritional analysis! In a small bowl, whisk apple juice, mustard, and vinegar; set aside. In a large skillet, heat oil over medium-high heat. Add sausage and onion; cook and stir 5 minutes. Add apples; cook and stir 5 more minutes. Add dried plums (prunes) and apple juice mixture; reduce heat to low. Cover and cook 10 minutes, stirring occasionally. Season to taste with salt and pepper, if desired. Serve immediately. Makes 6 Servings. Sodium Alert! This recipe is NOT suitable for those on salt-restricted meal plans. Per (1/6 recipe) Serving: 232 Cal; 9 g
Total Fat (2 g Sat Fat);
PEAR,
APPLE & RAISIN STRUDEL 2-2/3 cups chopped, peeled apples Preheat oven to 350°F. Spray baking sheet with nonstick vegetable spray and set aside. Combine apples, pears, raisins, pecans, sugar, lemon juice, honey and cinnamon in a large bowl; mix well and set aside. Lay out 2 sheets of phyllo; brush with some melted margarine. Place 2 more sheets over top; brush with margarine again. Top with remaining 2 sheets phyllo (do not brush with margarine at this stage). Spread filling over phyllo, leaving 1-inch border uncovered. Roll up like jelly roll and place seam down on prepared baking sheet. Brush with remaining margarine. Bake for 40 to 50 minutes in preheated oven or until golden and fruit is tender. Makes 12 Slices. Per (1 Slice) Serving: 142 Cal; 3 g Total Fat (00 g Sat Fat); 29 g Carb; 00 mg Cholesterol; 75 mg Sodium; 1 g Protein; 3 g Fiber. Exchanges: 1/2 Starch; 1 Fruit; 1/3 Other Carb; 1/2 Fat.
SPICED
APPLE BUTTER BRAN MUFFINS 1/2 cup raisins Preheat oven to 375°F. Coat 12 standard (2-1/2-inch) muffin cups with cooking spray. Put raisins in a small bowl and cover with hot water; set aside. Whisk whole wheat flour, all purpose flour, baking powder, salt and cinnamon in a large bowl. Stir in bran. Whisk egg, milk, apple butter, brown sugar (or Splenda®), oil and molasses in a large bowl until blended. Make a well in the dry ingredients and pour in the wet ingredients. Drain the raisins; add them and the diced apple to the bowl. Stir with as few, deft strokes as possible, just until the batter is evenly moistened. Scoop the batter into the prepared pan (the cups will be very full). Bake the muffins until the tops spring back when touched lightly, 18 to 22 minutes. Let cool in the pan for 5 minutes. Loosen the edges and turn the muffins out onto a wire rack to cool slightly before serving. Makes 12 Muffins. Per (1 Muffin) Serving: 197 Cal; 6 g Total Fat (1 g Sat Fat); 35 g Carb; 18 mg Cholesterol; 144 mg Sodium; 4 g Protein; 4 g Fiber. Exchanges: 2 Starch; 1 Fat. Per (1 Muffin) Serving with Splenda®: 187 Cal; 31 g Carb. Exchanges: 2 Carb Servings.
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