An Apple a Day...

Apples and Autumn are two words that define a season. Whether you are picking your own apples in an orchard or buying them at a local farmstand or your grocery store, apples are always yummiest this time of year. I am a year round fan of apples and eat two a every day. They have the full spectrum of fiber and nutrition and I think they do contribute to overall good health. My personal favorites are Fuji Apples, they are sweet and juicy. For baking I like to use the orchard grown Macintosh, Braeburn and a variety of heirlooms.
There is nothing like a pot of peeled and cubed apples simmering on the stove, filling the air with a sweet aroma and steaming up the windows. I always throw in some cinnamon and a bit of grated nutmeg to give the apples a bit of spice, then I smash the heck out of them and am able to enjoy many days of homemade applesauce. It is the perfect side dish to a Pork Roast.

Apple Crisp is another favorite, easy to make and rarely are there any leftovers. Martha Stewart has a great recipe, I have modified it to make it dairy free.
Recipe…
Ingredients
Serves 8
* 3/4 cup all-purpose flour (spooned and leveled)
* 1/4 cup packed light-brown sugar
* 1/2 teaspoon salt
* 1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
* 8 tablespoons Margarine, cold, cut into small cubes
* 1 cup old-fashioned rolled oats (not quick-cooking)
* 3 pounds apples, such as Empire, Gala, or Braeburn, peeled, cored, and cut into 1/2-inch chunks
* 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
* 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

Directions
1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees. In a large bowl, mix together flour, brown sugar, salt, and 2 tablespoons granulated sugar. Cut margarine into flour, using a pastry blender or two knives, until mixture is the texture of coarse meal. Add oats, and use your hands to toss and squeeze mixture until large, moist clumps form. Transfer to freezer to chill while you prepare apples.
2. In another large bowl, toss apples with lemon juice, cinnamon, and remaining 1/2 cup granulated sugar. Transfer to a shallow 2-quart, well-oiled baking dish, and sprinkle with topping mixture. Place baking dish on a rimmed baking sheet, and bake until golden and bubbling, 55 to 65 minutes. Let cool 10 minutes before serving.
This is a perfect dish after a long and beautiful day spent in your local apple orchard.

If you are on the go, consider an Apple fast food. You can keep them almost anywhere for easy crunchy access! Storing them is even easier. They ripen less quickly if you leave them in the crisper of your refrigerator. I make sure I have several on the counter that are the perfect ripeness and ready to grab as I walk out the door. I always bring a few Apples with me while traveling. When I am on a plane, they help hydrate my skin and keep me from snacking on junk food.

Top Ten Apple Facts...
1.The apple tree originated in an area between the Caspian and the Black Sea.
2.Apples were the favorite fruit of ancient Greeks and Romans.
3.Apples are a member of the rose family.
4.A medium apples is about 80 calories.
5.Apples are a great source of the fiber pectin. One apple has five grams of fiber.
6.The pilgrims planted the first United States apple trees in the Massachusetts Bay Colony.
7.The science of apple growing is called pomology.
8.Newton Pippin apples were the first apples exported from America in 1768, some were sent to Benjamin Franklin in London.
9.The old saying, “ an apple a day, keeps the doctor away ”. This saying comes from am old English adage, “ To eat an apple before going to bed, will make the doctor beg his bread.”
10.In 2005 United States consumers ate an average of 46.1 pounds of fresh apples and processed apple products. That's a lot of applesauce!

If you have not added apples to your daily diet start today, you will be surprised at how different each variety tastes.