An Apple A Day…

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Fall is here and that means it’s apple season! I have already made my homemade apple sauce (great swirled in oatmeal), a French apple tart, and a Butternut squash soup with roasted apples. But a family favorite are my whole roasted apples with raisins and walnuts!

Apples are a miracle food and your grandmother’s old saying, “an apple a day keeps the doctor away,” is sage advice! They are loaded with phytonutrients, antioxidants, and fiber to promote optimal health. Studies have found that apples reduce inflammation in our bodies and cortisol levels in our brain. Apples are a great line of defense against Parkinson’s, MS, Alzheimer’s and dementia. Apples are also super for detoxing the liver, the skin, and killing unwanted bacteria in our digestive tracts (great for sufferers of IBS). Not only are apples a high-fiber, heart-healthy snack, but they also play a starring role in boosting our immune system during the cold and flu season. 

 

Recipe for Whole Roasted Apples

6-8 whole hearty apples ( I used Rome apples from an orchard near Chattanooga!)

1/2 cup raisins

1/2 cup split walnuts

2 tsp. ground cinnamon

1 T brown sugar

Honey

Salted butter

Oven-proof dish

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Wash and core the apples in an elegant fashion. Careful not to butcher the apples. The goal is they would be pleasing to the eye and the palette! Combine the cinnamon and sugar  mixture. Generously stuff the narrow opening of the cored apple with raisins, walnuts and the cinnamon sugar mixture. Top each apple with a pat of butter and a drizzle of local clover honey. Bake at 400 degrees for 45 minutes, basting the apples with their own juices half-way through.

I serve the apples as an accompaniment to my roasted chicken, cheese grits, and French green beans standard dinner. But they are also a winning dessert with a scoop of caramel or vanilla bean ice cream on top! And, I always make a couple extra apples for a yummy cold breakfast treat!

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Look who I caught sneaking an apple while watching the LSU football game by our first fire of the season!

Bon Appetit!

Farrell

 

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