Apple of My Eye

My favorite food is an apple. Ask anyone who knows me well, and they will undoubtedly know this. Therefore, this post has been a longtime coming and I'm sure my friends are not surprised to see it. But, I think that apples are a miracle food--they're delicious, sweet, juicy, fibrous, filling, AND good for you--and I want to spread the word to those who may not be using apples to their full potential. Instead of waxing on and on about how much I love apples, I thought I'd make a few apple lists to break things down. Keep in mind that I'm an expert, so you should probably take me at my word on this :)

Top 5 Apple Varieties (in order):
1. Fuji: best year-round apple. They are always tasty, crisp, and juicy. Hard decision to make, but someone had to make it.
2. Pink Ladies: a little sour, a little sweet, very crisp and juicy--delish! Only in season at certain times of the year, so a bit harder to find at your local grocery store.
3. Honey Crisp: again, hard to find, but when you do find them, it's worth it. A bit sweeter than pink ladies, but still has that crunch when you bite into it. Yum!
4. Granny Smith: fun apple to get along with other brands, in order to mix things up in the apple bowl :) Crunchy and sour, but a GREAT apple for with something else (see below). Also, bright green color makes them a great way to add a colorful centerpiece to the table.
5. McIntosh: very seasonal apples, great in the fall. A bit softer texture, and can be grainy if you don't get a good batch (yuck!), so choose wisely. But, when you get them in season and ripe, they're delish.

Top 5 Ways to Eat an Apple:
1. Au Natural. Cut up into medium-sized slices and enjoy.
2. With peanut butter. Spread a fair amount on each piece and savor (can also use almond butter, though I don't think it's as good).
3. With slices of cheddar cheese. Place cheese on top of apple so that you can enjoy both together. Somehow the tastes really balance each other out!
4. With oatmeal. Chop an apple up into small pieces and put into hot oatmeal. Then sprinkle cinnamon on top and you have a fun apple/cinnamon breakfast!
5. Candied or Caramel Apple. Not healthy by any means, but a really fun fall treat. TOTALLY messy and impossible to eat, but takes you right back to childhood.

Honorable mention (not included in list because apples are cooked/consistency changed) : apple crisp, apple pie (obviously), apple cider/juice, dried apples, apple chips, etc.

Fun Things to Do With Apples:
1. Bobbing for apples
2. The game Apples to Apples
3. Apple picking at an orchard

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Health Benefits of Apples (read more and find out WHY & studies behind these grand statements at www.lifemojo.com):
1. Reduce cholesterol
2. Reduces risk of Cancer
3. Reduce the risk of heart disease
4. Diabetes Management
5. Dental health (another one of my favorite things!)
6. Stronger Bones
7. Aids Digestion (I love me some roughage!).
8. Aids weight loss
9. Reduces Alzheimer's risk
10. PLUS, an apple a day could keep the doctor away :)

So go eat an apple!

Share: What's your favorite way to enjoy apples? What's your favorite variety?

Namaste!
Mary Catherine

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