Nothing says fall like apples, apple cider, and apple pie. In fact, many of the best fall recipes include apples. Apple Day is an annual event that was first held on Oct. 21, 1990, and now there are apple celebrations at orchards throughout October.
Various orchards are having different activities throughout the month, including apple cider tasting, apple picking, apple info sessions, and vendors selling apple-related baked goods.
Apples are one of the healthiest fruits you can eat. They are packed full of nutrients like fiber, vitamin C, and B vitamins. Apples are also a very important source of flavonoids and phenolic antioxidants. Antioxidants found in apples include catechin, quercetin, chlorogenic acid, and phloridzin. Eating apples can help lower the risk of colon and lung cancer, and promote heart, lung and digestive health.
Most people love apple pie; however, this fall staple is often full of sugar and a high-calorie crust. Luckily, there are healthier apple-related alternative recipes to apple pie. The following are apple fall recipes that include your haul from the orchard.
Apple Pumpkin Bread Recipe
Why not combine apples with fall’s other staple: pumpkin. Pumpkins are loaded with carotenoids like lutein and beta-carotene, which help protect against cancer, heart disease, age-related vision loss. Try the following apple pumpkin bread recipe:
Ingredients:
1/4 cup of olive oil, 1 3/4 cups of coconut sugar, 2 large eggs, 3/4 cup of pumpkin, 1/2 cup of almond milk, 1 Tbsp of pure vanilla extract, 1 1/2 cups of all-purpose gluten-free flour, 1 1/2 cups of brown rice flour, 2 tsp of baking powder, 1/2 tsp of baking soda, 1/8 tsp of Celtic sea salt, 1 Tbsp of ground cinnamon, 1/2 tsp of ground nutmeg, 1/2 tsp of ground ginger, 2 1/2 cups of unpeeled, diced apples, 2/3 cups of chopped walnuts.
Directions:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit, and spray two eight-by-four loaf pans with baking spray, and set aside. In a large bowl, mix oil and coconut sugar with a mixer on medium speed. Add eggs, almond milk, vanilla, and pumpkin, and beat well.
In another bowl, combine gluten-free flour, brown rice flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, salt, ginger, and nutmeg. Combine the sugar and flour mixtures, and mix until it is just moistened. Gently place in diced apples and walnuts.
Pour the batter into the pans and bake for 40 to 50 minutes or until a toothpick can come out clean. Cool the bread on a wire rack for 20 minutes, and then remove the bread from the pans and cool completely on the wire rack.
Apple Crumble
Apples can also be combined with various healthy ingredients like almond meal and coconut. Check out the following apple crumble recipe:
Ingredients:
4 large apples, peeled, cored, and cut into small pieces, 1 Tbsp of coconut oil, 1 1/2 cups of almond meal, 1/3 cup of dried and shredded coconut, 2 Tbsp of cinnamon powder, 5 Tbsp of maple syrup.
Directions:
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit. Bring a pot of water to a boil, and then add the apple pieces and cook until semi soft. In a small skillet, heat the coconut oil over low heat, and add the almond meal, cinnamon, shredded coconut, and two tablespoons of maple syrup. Toast and set aside mixture.
Drain the water from the apple pieces, and add the rest of the maple syrup to the pot. Stir while the apples continue to cook over medium-low heat. In a baking dish, combine the apples with toasted nut mixture, and bake for 10 minutes.
Apple Spice Bake
Here is another apple recipe that you can eat at any time throughout the day.
Ingredients:
6 medium-sized apples, 3 Tbsp of olive oil, 1 cup of oat flakes, 1/4 to 1/2 cup of sucanat or evaporated coconut sap, 1 tsp. of ground cinnamon, 1/2 tsp of ground cloves, 2 pinches of nutmeg, 1/3 cup of chopped pecans (optional).
Directions:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Quarter and core unpeeled apples, and cut in slices or chunks in a large mixing bowl. Mix in the oat flakes and oil, and add cinnamon, cloves, sucanat, nutmeg, and pecans, and combine well. Bake in a medium casserole dish, covered, for 40 minutes.
Sources:
Zimmerman, D., “Healthy Table: Apple Pumpkin Bread packs some powerful nutrients,” Detroit Free Press website, Oct. 16, 2016; http://www.freep.com/story/life/food/recipes/2016/10/15/apple-pumpkin-bread-recipe/92005488/.
