To be honest, I wasn’t sure if I should even do apples. I mean does anyone struggle to eat apples? While I feel like I have never met a person that hates apples. Sometimes eating just a sliced apple can get a little boring, so I am showing some fun ways to enjoy apples in the recipes below. ⁠

Besides being easy, very accessible, and delicious apples are also nutrient dense. You won’t be surprised to hear that they have vitamins and minerals like vitamin C and potassium. They also have phytonutrients that research suggests are important for disease prevention such as flavonoids that act as antioxidants and anti-inflammatory compounds. They are also a great source of various fibers. Some of these fibers are found in the skin, so if you and your kids don’t mind the skin, keep it on for the most nutrition. ⁠

One point that I want to point out in particular though with apples is they’re a good soluble fiber source, which is good news for your GI and heart. They contain a fiber called pectin (yes, like in canning) that is considered a prebiotic, meaning it feeds the good bacteria in your GI system. These bacteria do a variety of important jobs, such as creating neurotransmitters like serotonin, making B vitamins and short-chain fatty acids, and helping our immune system. More and more research is suggesting that when our GI bacteria are thriving, we are thriving. So apples (along with a variety of other plant foods) are a great option for us and them. ⁠

This fiber also helps to lower cholestrol. It creates a gel in our system that cholesterol gets bound up with and then is excreted, so if you are looking to lower or maintain a healthy cholesterol level, apples are a great fruit option to include in your diet.

Bored of plain apples? Try a few of the recipes below!

Caramel Apple Nachos

A fun dessert with crisp apples, sweet caramel and crunchy nuts.
Prep Time5 minutes
Cook Time0 minutes
Total Time5 minutes
Servings: 4

Ingredients

  • 2 apples tart are best
  • 1/4 cup caramel sauce
  • 2 tablespoons mini chocolate chips
  • 2 tablespoons chopped pistachios

Instructions

  • Slices apples thin and arrange on a large plate or platter.
  • Drizzle with caramel sauce.
  • Sprinkle on chocolate chips and pistachios and enjoy!

BBQ Apple Bacon Salad

A 5 minute salad that is full of flavor, texture, and super easy!
Prep Time5 minutes
Total Time5 minutes
Servings: 1

Ingredients

  • 2 cups arugula
  • 1/2 apple, diced
  • 1 slice bacon, cooked and crumbled
  • 3-5 slices red onion, more or less to taste
  • 1/4 teaspoon avocado oil or any other oil of choice
  • 1 teaspoon bbq sauce

Instructions

  • Toss all the ingredients together and enjoy!

Notes

This salad was inspired by a favorite pizza of mine. I often don’t use normal dressings because anything can be a salad dressing such as BBQ sauce. This is crazy good and really fast to throw together .

Applesauce Oat Muffins

Prep Time5 minutes
Cook Time15 minutes
Total Time20 minutes
Servings: 12 Muffins

Ingredients

  • 1 cup applesauce
  • ½ cup milk
  • 1 egg
  • ¼ cup olive oil
  • ½ tsp vanilla
  • ½ tsp almond extract
  • ½ tsp cinnamon
  • 1 cup whole wheat flour
  • 1 cup oats
  • sprinkle salt
  • 2 tsp baking powder
  • ½ cup craisins

Instructions

  • Mix all the ingredient together until just combined. Divide into 12 greased or lined muffins tins. Bake at 375 for 15 minutes. Cool and enjoy! ⁠

Notes

I love to have muffins on hand for breakfasts or snacks. This is a pretty basic recipe and a great nutrient dense base. You could switch up the crasins to something else if you wanted, but the simple apple flavor with almond extract is delicious! I didn’t add any additional sweeteners, so if this isn’t sweet enough, you could enjoy warm with butter and honey. ⁠

Roasted Apples and Sweet Potatoes

Switch up your side dish to include a little fruit with this yummy sheet pan roast. This also makes a great breakfast hash. Just throw an egg on top and some bacon if you like. Be sure to choose a tart apple like golden delicious
Prep Time5 minutes
Cook Time20 minutes
Total Time25 minutes
Servings: 4

Ingredients

  • 1 sweet potato
  • 1 shallot
  • or
  • ½ purple onion
  • 2 Tbsp olive oil
  • 2 golden delicious apples
  • tsp nutmeg
  • ¼ tsp garlic salt
  • sprinkle cinnamon

Instructions

  • In a large bowl, toss all the ingredients together until the seasoning and oil is well dispersed.
  • Roast at 400°F for 20-25 minutes until tender.

Notes

Switch up your side dish to include a little fruit with this yummy sheet pan roast. This also makes a great breakfast hash. Just throw an egg on top and some bacon if you like. Be sure to choose a tart apple like golden delicious. If you like brown marks like I do, I finished it off with a few minutes under the broiler, but that isn’t necessary. 
 
My girls were skeptical and the youngest only ate the sweet potatoes which she was used to, but the others tried it and liked it. I loved it! I learned from a german friend about the magic that is nutmeg and potatoes. She did it is mashed potatoes (which was divine), but it is also amazing with sweet potatoes and apples.

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