No doubt growing up your mother said to you “An apple a day keeps the doctor away”.
The humble apple is one of the most consumed fruits on the planet. The best way to maximise an apple’s nutrients is to eat it whole including the skin (if organic). Eaten whole it is rich in fibre, antioxidants, minerals, Vitamin C and flavonoids.
Eating an apple a day may help a wide variety of conditions from diabetes to skincare. It’s also a handy size to pop in your bag as a nutritious and filling go-to snack any time of day.
Cooking apples may result in the loss of certain nutrients but they are easier to digest and are rich in soluble fibre. This fibre is the fuel to nourish your friendly bacteria and will help with intestinal mobility.
It’s apple and blackberry picking season and our trees and bushes are abundant with both. Blackberries are a rich source of antioxidants and can fight reactive oxygen species (ROS) thus reducing inflammation in your body.
Here are some of our favourite apple a day recipes.
When stewing fruit try to avoid using refined sugar and opt for healthier alternatives like coconut sugar, agave nectar or brown sugar.
Stewed Apples:
6 medium-sized apples
1″ fresh ginger, peeled
Pinch of ground nutmeg
2 tsp cinnamon
3 tsp vanilla extract
1 cup of water
Coconut butter
Peel and dice 6 apples and place in a pot. Add about 1″ of peeled ginger and a few pinches of ground nutmeg, cinnamon and vanilla. Add 1 cup water and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to medium and cook for 20 minutes. Stir gently to mix then let it cool. Serve each portion with a tablespoon of coconut butter.
Blackberry and Apple Compote:
3 medium sized apples, peeled, cored and cut into slices
1 tbsp sugar (brown is best)
2 tbsp water
2 cups of blackberries (you can use frozen ones)
Place the apples, sugar and water into a wide-bottomed pan. Mix to coat the apples with sugar. Bring to a boil over a medium-high flame. Cover and reduce the heat to low. Stir occasionally until the apples are just soft and have created a syrup which should take about 10 mins. Add the blackberries and gently stir to mix them in. Turn up the heat a little to bring the syrup to a boil. Cover and turn the heat to low. Cook for 5 mins. Turn off the heat and let it sit for 10 mins. Stir gently to mix then let it cool. Serve on top of Greek yoghurt (or a non-dairy alternative) with a scattering of seeds or toasted nuts.
Dried Apple Rings:
You need to invest a little time in this nutritious snack but we bought in an all-in-one apple corer/peeler/slicer machine and it’s been a game-changer.
12 medium-sized apples
1 lemon
Cinnamon, optional
Peel, core and slice the apples into max 5mm rings. Put sliced apples in a bowl of water with a juiced lemon to prevent them from browning.
Then spread the apple rings on a non-stick baking tray or baking paper in a low oven about 70°C. If you like you can sprinkle a very fine dusting of cinnamon over them. Set your timer and check on them every hour. You are drying them, not cooking them and will need to turn them over after about three hours. They are ready when they’re rubbery and not juicy. Allow to cool and store in an airtight container.
If you wish to find out how we can tailor a diet especially for your needs then please Contact Us to book a FREE Pre-Consultation.