Apples!

We love them, we eat them, heck we even go out into nature and pick them. We dedicate a whole season to them because they’re crisp, lovable, and nutritious.

My whole family likes apples - the only issue is preventing them from browning. I did some research for you and I have some fun tips and tricks to share.

TIPS to prevent browning

Plain Water

The most important thing you can do to avoid browning is to keep the apple out of air. And the simplest way to do that is to put your apple slices in water. The slices will float to the top of the water so just place some paper towel on top. Once the paper towel is wet, it will push the apples under the water. Another trick is to put the apple slices in zip-lock bags with the air pressed out. Neither of these call for additional ingredients, and both work great for keeping the apples from browning.

Water and Salt

Dissolve a pinch of salt into one cup of water—always be careful not to add too much salt. Then add in the apple slices, let them soak for a few minutes, then drain them. Give the slices a quick rinse in fresh water after you drain them that way the apples won’t taste salty.

Water and Honey

Stir two tablespoons of honey into one cup of water and soak your apple slices for 30 seconds. There is a whole science behind this that I can’t explain but I know it works:) This is one of the best ways too because it will not mess with the apple’s taste.

Citrus or Pineapple Juice

If you want to take the soak idea up a notch, you can add a little bit of citrus or pineapple juice to the water. The acid slows the browning. There are actually a few ways to use juice in order prevent browning: 1) you can add two tablespoons of juice to water and add the apple slices, 2) you can put the apples into juice, or 3) you can simply squeeze lemon, lime, or orange directly onto the cut apple. The only downside of doing this is that the juice will impart a little bit of flavor onto the apple—so pick your favorite. Mine is lemon!

APPLE RECIPES

FLATBREAD PIZZA

For the flat bread pizza I didn’t follow any rules, I just rolled with it. Sometimes my favorite way to cook is to improvise with the leftover ingredients. Anything goes, especially with pizza!

We used…

Pulled roasted chicken, Sliced apples, Slivered red onion, Roasted butternut squash, Fresh thyme, Balsamic glaze & Caramelized onion dip

But honestly go crazy and come up with your own creations:)

APPLE CRISP

Ingredients

APPLE CRISP

16 small-medium apples (peeled, cored and chopped // a variety of both sweet and tart // 8 apples yield ~6 cups)
2 dash lemon juice
1 cup sugar
2 Tbsp cornstarch
1 heaping tsp cinnamon
2 pinch salt

TOPPING

1 cup heaping cup packed light brown sugar
1/2 cup gluten free flour
1 cup gluten-free old fashioned oats
1/2 cup almond meal
0.5 tsp cinnamon
2 pinch salt
1/3 cup non-dairy butter

Instructions

Preheat oven to 375 degrees and lightly grease a baking dish
Add apples to a large bowl or plastic bag and sprinkle with lemon juice. Toss to coat with granulated sugar, cornstarch, cinnamon, and salt.
Transfer to baking dish and set aside.
Rinse and dry bowl and add brown sugar, flour, almond meal, oats, cinnamon, and salt and stir. Add melted butter and mix until it resembles wet sand.
Sprinkle topping over the apples and bake until apples are soft and topping is golden brown (between 45 minutes to 1 hour).
Let rest 10-15 minutes before serving. Is great with vanilla ice cream - caramel sauce is also a lovely addition.

HARVEST SALAD

This Fall Harvest Salad is filled with some of the best seasonal flavors, including butternut squash, dried cranberries, apples, and kale. It’s so easy to throw together, colorful, filling, and delicious! Enjoy this for dinner and save the leftovers for lunch the next day!

INGREDIENTS

For the salad:

1 small butternut squash peeled, seeded, and diced
½ tablespoon olive oil
salt and freshly ground pepper
⅔ cup uncooked quinoa
1 cup water
2 cups chopped kale leaves
2 small apples cored and sliced or diced

Toppings:

¼ cup dried cranberries
¼ cup pecans roughly chopped
1 ½ tablespoon roasted pumpkin seeds

For the apple cider vinaigrette:

3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
2 ½ tablespoons apple cider vinegar
¾ tablespoon honey or maple syrup
1 ½ teaspoon Dijon mustard
1 garlic clove minced
salt and ground black pepper

INSTRUCTIONS

Roast the butternut

Preheat the oven to 400°F
On a baking sheet, toss together the butternut squash, olive oil, and a pinch each of salt and pepper. Transfer to the oven and roast for 16 minutes, flipping halfway through cooking, until the squash is tender.
Remove from the oven and let it cool completely.

Cook the quinoa

Rinse the quinoa and drain. In a small saucepan, combine the quinoa with water and bring to a boil uncovered.
When it starts to boil, reduce the heat to medium-low, cover, and simmer for 20 minutes or until the water is absorbed and the quinoa is light and fluffy.

Make the dressing

Whisk all the ingredients together in a bowl (or shake together in a mason jar) until combined.
Taste and adjust the salt and pepper.

Massage the kale

Place the kale in a large bowl and pour half of the vinaigrette over the top. Use your hands to gently massage the dressing into the kale for about 30 seconds, until it starts to soften.

Assemble the salad

Add the quinoa, roasted butternut, and apples into the bowl with the kale and toss to combine.
Divide the salad between 3 plates, then top with the chopped pecans, toasted pumpkin seeds, dried cranberries, and crumbled feta cheese. Drizzle the remaining vinaigrette over the top, and serve.

CHICKEN SALAD

This tasty chicken salad is filled with flavor. The crunchy apples, cranberries, and nuts make it extra special and offer great texture, and the lemon, mayonnaise, and dash of curry powder create a creamy consistency with a bit of zing. This recipe includes basic instructions for cooking chicken breasts on the stovetop, but it's also an excellent way to use leftover chicken, rotisserie chicken, or prepackaged fully cooked chicken breast strips.

Serve this well-seasoned chicken salad on sliced ciabatta or another type of bread as a sandwich, or spoon into lettuce leaves for a lighter luncheon. The salad can be served in tortillas or wraps as well.

Ingredients

3 to 4 cooked boneless chicken breasts(I used whole roasted chicken
Kosher salt & ground black pepper to taste
1/4 cup walnuts, chopped (or slivered almonds or toasted pecans), optional
1/4 cup dried cranberries
1/2 cup diced celery
2 to 3 tablespoons finely chopped onion
1/2 cup diced apple
4 to 6 tablespoons mayonnaise, or to taste
2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice
1/8 teaspoon curry powder, or to taste, optional
Lettuce leaves
1 avocado, sliced, optional
Good-quality bread or tortilla wraps

Kristi loves apples, too! Here's her take on the beloved apple:

What's not to love about the apple? They're sweet, versatile, portable, and packed with nutrients and fiber. And it's not just any fiber. Apples have pectin, a soluble fiber that helps keep you full for longer, feeds your friendly gut bacteria, and has been linked to lower cholesterol levels. Pectin levels become more pronounced when the apple is cooked, so enjoy your apple crisp! Your friendly gut bugs will, too.

When it comes to navigating the many types of apples, you can't go wrong when you're picking one fresh off the tree and they're a maximum freshness. However, there are slight differences between green and red apples. Green apples usually have less sugar, more micronutrients and more fiber, while reds are sweeter with more sugar and higher antioxidant content. But most importantly, follow your tastebuds and choose the one you'll enjoy the most!