Nothing reminds me of autumn more than fresh picked apples. From homemade apple pies to ciders and chutneys; apples can be used to create diverse menu items. Last week two of the Food Shuttle’s OFL classes utilized apples to create simple yet delightfully tasty treats. In Cary, at the Fellowship Center, students created a fresh Apple Salad by mixing apples, nuts, raisins and yogurt. In Durham, at the Reality Center, students created a fresh Apple Crumble. The students not only learned how to core and peal apples but they also learned the health benefits of eating fruits and incorporating more fiber into their diets. Apples taste great no matter how you prepare them, we suggest you head out to your local farm stand or farmers market, pick up some fresh local apples and try out these recipes below. Please feel free so send up feedback, suggestions and ideas, we always welcome your comments.
Apple Salad
Serves 4, ¾ cup per serving
Ingredients:
- 2 medium Granny Smith apples
- 2 Tablespoons dried currants
- 3 Tablespoons plain low-fat yogurt
- 1 Tablespoon whole, shelled walnuts
- Rinse and remove cores from apples, do not peel. Cut into 1 inch pieces and place in medium mixing bowl.
- Add currants and yogurt to bowl. Mix well.
- Put nuts into a small sauté pan and toast over medium heat on the stovetop until golden brown and fragrant. Watch carefully, so they don't burn.
- Remove nuts from hot pan and let cool.
- Put cooled nuts into a plastic bag and use a rolling pin or an unopened can to crush into small pieces.
- Add crushed nuts and optional dried cranberries and honey to the salad, toss, and serve.
Optional Ingredients
-
2 Tablespoons dried cranberries
-
1 Tablespoon honey
Tips and Tricks:
- Use any kind of apple in this recipe.
- You can substitute raisins for currants.
- Substitute any kind of nuts for the walnuts, if desired.
- Instead of toasting nuts on stovetop, you can place nuts on a baking sheet and into a preheated 350°F oven for 10-15 minutes or until golden brown.
- Nuts can burn quickly, so watch them closely.
Fresh Apple Crisp
Serves 6
Ingredients:
- 4 cups apples (can also use pears, peaches, or berries canned, drained and rinsed, or frozen fruits)
- 3 tablespoons sugar or honey
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- ½ cup whole grain flour
- 1/3 cup oats
- ¼ cup butter
- ¼ cup brown sugar
- ½ teaspoon salt
- Peel, core, and slice fruit if fresh.
- Lightly grease a small baking dish.
- In a mixing bowl, combine the fruit, honey and cinnamon.
- Loosely pack the fruit mixture into baking dish.
- Combine the flour, oats, butter, and sugar in a mixing bowl to make a fine meal or crumble.
- Crumble the mixture over the fruit.
- Bake at 350 for 20-25 minutes until the top is golden brown and fruit is soft. Cooking time might change based on how ripe the fruit is.
Tips and Tricks:
- Use any kind of apple in this recipe
- Leave the skin of the apple for extra nutrients and fiber