Because They are Awesome for You!

by Sharon Quercioli

Wow! It is fall…my favorite time of year. When I think of fall, quite a few things come to mind: pumpkins, beautiful foliage and apples. Especially apples… I love apple cider and warm apple pie when the air is crisp outside. I wanted to share some of the many wonderful things about this beautiful and nutritious fruit. 

Are Apples Good for You?

YES! Apples aren’t only delicious, they’re a great source of fiber and Vitamin C. 

They can lower your (bad) cholesterol and blood sugar. 

The soluble fiber you find in apples helps lower your risk of cardiovascular disease and can lead to lowering high cholesterol. It helps prevent cholesterol buildup in the lining of your blood vessel walls. The fiber also aids with digestion.

Apples can help your immune system.

A diet that is filled with the soluble fiber found in apples helps with inflammation and a better, healthier immune system. How? The Vitamin C, which helps strengthen the epithelial barriers that help protect against pathogens and environmental oxidative stress.

Apples… As An Activity?

Apples aren’t only good for your health because of their nutrients, they can help your life in several different ways!

Going Out for a Walk

Apple picking is a wonderful activity you can do with a loved one or with your friends or family. These days, when we get together, we usually meet for lunch, coffee or dinner. Instead of meeting to eat, why not participate in an activity? Even better, why not an activity that will get you up and moving and get some fresh air?

Apple picking is a great way to spend an afternoon. Apple orchards are beautiful! Apples are both healthy and scrumptious! Not to mention, you can get a whole basket of them!

Baking as a Family

Baking is a fun activity that some people have picked up as a hobby. I love experimenting with basic recipes and making them my own. It is also a fun way to make something you can share with your loved ones. You can even bake apple pies with your family. If you don’t feel like baking a pie, you can chop up apples and put them in different pastries: tarts, scones, cupcakes, muffins, bread, pull-apart loaves, etc. 

Apples… As Décor?

I love having fresh fruit in a bowl on my dinner table. Not only does it remind me that we have fruit and that I should eat it, the apples remind me that nature is beautiful. Apples come in beautiful shades of red and green and can compliment any table at any time of the year. 

My Favorite Apple Recipes

When it’s cold out, I love to bake. That’s why one of my favorite apple recipes are apple muffins! 

Whole Wheat Apple Muffins

What You Need:

• 2  cups of white whole wheat flour 
• 2 teaspoons of baking powder
• 2 teaspoons of cinnamon
• 1 teaspoon of baking soda
• 1 teaspoon of salt
• 2 cups grated apple (I always use organic apples)
• 1 cup of diced apple (in a quarter inch cubes)
• ½  a cup of melted coconut oil or extra-virgin olive oil
• ½  a cup of honey (or maple syrup is a good option)
• 2 eggs, preferably at room temperature
• 1 cup of plain Greek yogurt (I used full fat but any variety should do)
• 1 cup of applesauce
• 2 teaspoons of vanilla extract
• 1 tablespoon of raw sugar to sprinkle on top (this is optional)

What You’re Going to Do with Those Things:

• Heat up your oven to 425 degrees. If you need to, grease a 12-cup muffin pan with butter or cooking spray. If you have a non-stick pan, this isn’t necessary. Silicone muffin liners are also a great option.
• In a large bowl, sift in the flour, cinnamon, baking soda, baking powder, and salt. Mix it all up with a whisk. Once it’s blended, add in the grated apple. Make sure the apple isn’t wet. If needed, put the grated apple in a cheese cloth and squeeze it over your kitchen sink to get out extra moisture. Mix the grated apple and the chopped apple in your dry mix.
• Now, in a medium-sized bowl, mix the coconut oil and honey (or maple syrup) together. After that, add in the eggs. Mix well. Then add in the rest of the wet ingredients (yogurt, applesauce, and the vanilla) and mix once more.
• Pour the contents of the medium bowl into the large bowl and gently mix until combined. Lumpy is okay as long as everything is wet. It will be a thick batter. 
• Divide it all in the 12 cups. Sprinkle the raw sugar on top.
• Bake for 15 minutes. This may be different depending on your oven and where you live. But the muffins should be golden on top and cooked all the way through. Check this by inserting a toothpick into the middle. It should come out clean.
• Lastly, place the muffin tin or the silicone muffin cups onto a cooling rack. Try not to eat any until they are fully cooled. This is the hardest part, haha!

Apple Crisp

Another great recipe you can try is my easy apple crisp recipe:

• Preheat an oven to 350 degrees. 
• Spray an 8×8 pan with nonstick spray.
• In a bowl, add six apples, chopped into cubes, a couple tablespoons of raw sugar, a teaspoon of cinnamon, and a couple teaspoons of lemon juice. Pour it into the pan.
• For the topping, mix up a cup of brown sugar, ¾ cup of oats (old fashioned), ¾ cup flour, a pinch of salt, and a half of a cup of unsalted butter. Mix it all up until it looks like small clumps the size of peas. I like to really get in there with my hands and squish it around. It makes it a bit easier, in my opinion. 
• Spread the topping over the apple mixture. Bake for about 45 minutes until it’s all golden brown and bubbly!