An Apple a Day...
In winter time, I tend to eat a lot of apples: they are one of the only fruits still available at the farmer's market and are so versatile. Today, I'm giving you three ideas of how to get your apple a day. All are simple, fast, healthy, and delicious.
Sliced apple with nut butter: one of my go-tos, this has been made even easier to prepare thanks to single serving packets of nut butters like these from Justin's.
Mix it up by trying different types like almond or cashew butter. (Try to limit butters with added sugar.) Make it simpler by using an apple slicer/corer like this. If prepping the apples at home, dump slices into a tupperware or ziploc bag, and then toss in a teaspoon of lemon juice to keep apples from turning brown. This is a great energy snack: carbs plus protein.
Sliced apples with lemon and black pepper: I know, it sounds odd, but it is 100% delicious. A friend's mom served this as a snack before Thanksgiving dinner and it was perfectly refreshing.
Prep apples same as above, put into the bag/container with lemon juice and then add freshly ground black pepper. Try it first; judge second.
Homemade applesauce: Don't worry if you've never made this before, it couldn't be easier.
Chop apples into chunks — I like to leave the skin on because it gives the sauce a nice color. I also use different types of apples to increase the flavor.
Toss all apples into a pot.
Add 2 inches of water.
Add ground cinnamon and cloves.
Cover with lid and turn heat to medium-low.
Cook for between 20 and 45 minutes, checking apples every 10 minutes or so; give them a good stir to rotate the cooked ones to the top.
Depending on how mushy or chunky you like your applesauce, you can start smushing it with your spoon or let it stay chunky.
Taste and add cinnamon and clove until it's the way you like it.
No, you do not need to add sugar! (Or butter.) Really, apples are very sweet, especially when cooked down. I have served this to a lot of different people and all of them have remarked on how sweet it is. They never believe me when I tell them there's no added sugar. This is a great dessert — try having it after dinner to satisfy your sweet tooth.