APPLE SEASON!

                                         

I love the start of apple season. The first apples are always so juicy, crisp, and tart.
They also have many health benefits.
-One medium apple has 4 grams of soluble fiber  and only 95 calories.
-They are a good source of vitamin C
-The antioxidants and pectin are responsible for lowering cholesterol AND helping with weight loss.
-In Several studies including the Iowa Women's Health Study, following 34,000 women for 20 years, and a Finnish study following 9,208 men and women found that frequent apple eaters had the lowest risk of suffering a stroke, or dying from cardiovascular diseases.
-Apples help to protect us from metabolic syndrome and inflammation
-Apples have  an antioxidant called quercetin that boosts exercise endurance by making oxygen more available to the lungs. Quercetin also is a natural antihistamine which helps us with those pesky fall allergies!

To get you started on an apple eating habit here is a recipe that is as healthful as it is delicious.

APPLE CRISP

4 apples peeled and cored (I sometimes leave the skin on!)
3 tablespoons of lemon juice
1 tablespoon sugar
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1 1/2 c oats
1/3 c maple syrup
2 tablespoons of melted coconut oil or organic butter
3/4 c finely chopped walnuts
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/4 teaspoon salt

Preheat oven to 350
Slice apples thinly and toss with the lemon juice, sugar, and cinnamon. Spread in a 9"x9" baking dish.
Combine oats, walnuts, maple syrup, oil or butter,vanilla, and salt in a bowl. Stir to mix then spread evenly over apples.
Bake in the preheated oven for 35-45 minutes, until top is  crisp and brown, and apples are tender.


photo credit: Freedigitalphotos.net  kornphoto