Have you taken a whiff outside lately? The fragrant, sweet aroma of apple season has arrived. It’s the time of year that makes a person think of bushels and baking. While noshing on a fresh apple is always a great choice, it’s worth taking a look at other ways of kicking up the nutrient profile of the apple—and apple preservation is the way to do it.
Earlier this month I talked about how easy it is to ferment veggies in your own kitchen. Well, it’s just as easy to approach apples with the same techniques. The Fermented Food Lab offers a diverse list of probiotic apple recipes that you may have never thought about before. (I know I hadn’t.) But with my commitment to bring more fermented foods into our daily menu, and with apples being such a family staple, I’m going to give a few of these recipes a try.
A favorite for my kids is sure to be the Probiotic Paleo Apple Butter. They can slather some on a slice of toasted sourdough or scoop it into their beloved bowl of oatmeal. The Probiotic Sparkling Apple Juice looks like another good trick for getting them interested in fermented foods. If you’re like me, ideas for introducing healthy new habits to your kids are always welcome.
Since the hubby and I are already such fans of sauerkraut, I’m also looking forward to making a batch of the Apple Spice Sauerkraut for us (and hopefully our kids). A seasonal twist to this household staple will add some diversity to the menu, and I bet it would be scrumptious with pretty much any pork dish we make.
Haven’t made the leap to fermentation yet? That’s okay. You can still reap the rewards of apple season and add variety to your menu with Maria Atwood’s recipe for Apple-a-Day Casserole. You can find it in her post “Vitamin Rich Casserole Recipe Bonanza!” I’ve never seen anything quite like it.
A modest batch of homemade applesauce is sure to easily satisfy any comfort food cravings you might be having. By choosing a sweeter variety of apples, such as Gala or Honeycrisp, you can throw together a batch of applesauce with nothing more than apples and a bit of water—though cinnamon is a great addition any time.
I just put washed, cored, and quartered apples (about four pounds) in a stockpot, and I make sure to leave the peels on. Add a couple tablespoons of water to keep them from burning. Bring it to a boil over medium heat, and then simmer on medium-low (uncovered) until they’re soft. It takes about an hour, but you could speed up the process by cutting the apples into smaller chunks. You can add the cinnamon, if desired, during the cooking process or after. Once the apples have cooked down, I use our food processor to blend the peels in so we don’t miss out on the fiber they offer. Simple and delicious.
If you happen to have a fermented applesauce recipe, I’d love for you to share it.
Photo from iStock/ bhofack2
Paula Widish, author of Trophia: Simple Steps to Everyday Self-Health, is a freelance writer and self-healther. She loves nothing more than sharing tidbits of information she discovers with others. (Actually, she loves her family more than that—and probably bacon too.) Paula has a bachelor’s degree in Psychology and Public Relations and is a Certified Professional Life Coach through International Coach Academy.
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