Apples

Apples are by far my favorite go-to healthy snack. They are packed with fiber so they keep you full for a long time (while only weighing in at about 80 calories), make a great match for peanut butter (another favorite of mine) and cheese (and who doesn’t love to sneak in cheese anytime you can?!). They’re also durable enough to throw in my purse so l have a perfectly crisp treat waiting for me when I’m hungry. In my eyes, there is little that can go wrong if I have an apple on hand, which is why I’m so happy that they are currently overflowing out my CSA box. While Pink Lady and Braeburns are my favorites, there are more than 2,500 varieties of apples grown in the U.S. and 7,500 varieties are grown throughout the world…so you have a lot to choose from!

• How to pick: Choose firm, bruise-free apples. The color can range from dark green to pink to yellow depending on the variety so don’t count on the color to determine ripeness. A farmer’s market is a great way to pick apples as you can sample your heart out to determine your favorite varieties. And depending on the variety, they are harvested fresh August through November.
• How to store: Apples are hardy and will last at least a few weeks in the refrigerator.  Don’t store them next to broccoli, cabbage, cucumbers, greens or cauliflower as apples give off ethylene gas that will cause these vegetables to spoil faster.
• How to prepare: While I love them straight from the market, they can be baked into desserts, shredded into breads or muffins, or chopped into salads. Apples are a very versatile friend to a cook!
• Recipe ideas: For a great almost-guilt-free dessert try baked apples. Core them (don’t go all the way to the bottom) and stuff the center with a bit of brown sugar, cinnamon, chopped walnuts and butter. Then bake at 350 degrees until tender, about 20 minutes but timing will really depend on how many you are cooking. And a scoop of non-fat frozen yogurt is essential;  try Simply Recipe’s homemade applesauce; sub apples for pluots in for Jillian’s Pluot Tart recipe; and tune in on Friday when I share my Apple-Cranberry Chutney recipe.
• Fun Fact: Two-thirds of the fiber and many of the antioxidants are found in the apple peel, so don’t peel before eating!

Tagged as: apple, apple tart, applesauce, baked, fruit, Pick of the Week