Over half of all apples eaten in America come from Washington. This is the time of year to take advantage of our state’s great local produce!
An apple a day really helps keep the doctor away. Apples are good sources of natural fibers that can lower cholesterol and keep you regular. They are also low in sodium and low in calories, which makes them great for the kidneys, heart and waistline.
There are over 200 common apple varieties – plenty to choose from! Some are great for eating fresh, while others are best for pies or baking. Others cook into the most wonderful applesauce. (If you want to test this theory, try baking a pie with Delicious varieties and you will have tasteless mush.)
For apples to eat fresh, try Fuji, Honey Crisp or Pink Lady. For pies, try Bramleys or Granny Smiths. The best baked apples are Rome Beauties. The shape is wonderful, and they are large enough to stuff. Galas are another good choice for baking. The best applesauce comes from the 300-year-old apple variety called Gravensteins. Akanes, Jonagolds, McIntosh and Honey Crisps are good as well.
With all these choices, there’s plenty of room to experiment. Mix and match varieties to personalize your apple recipes. Try these!
Harvest Apple Pie filling
Double pie crust or Pillsbury’s Piecrust
6-8 apples (Granny Smiths, Bramelys, Gravensteins or other cooking apples).
½ cup sugar
2 tablespoons thickener (tapioca, flour or cornstarch)
1 teaspoon cinnamon
¼ teaspoon nutmeg
¼ teaspoon ginger
½ teaspoon vanilla
Heat oven to 400 degrees (if baking in a glass pan) or 425 degrees (if baking in a metal pan). Peel apples if they have a tough skin, such as Granny Smiths. Leave the skins on if they are tender (you’ll get more fiber). Core and slice. Mix with sugar, thickener and spices. Put one crust in pie pan, add filling, top with second crust. Cut slits in the top. Cover edges of pie crust with a crimp of aluminum foil. Bake for about 40 minutes or until toothpick inserted into apples goes in smoothly. Cool, and enjoy! Makes 8 servings.
Nutrition information: (just filling) calories: 142, carbohydrates: 37 g, protein: 0 g, sodium: 2mg
(Filling plus crust) calories: 361, carbohydrates: 58 g, protein: 2 g, sodium: 4 mg
Quick Apple & Cherry Chutney
This is great served with pork chops or grilled chicken.
1-2 tart apples
1 cup dried cherries
1 small red onion, peeled and thinly sliced
1 cup apple cider vinegar
1 ½ cups sugar
Leaving the skin on, quarter apples, and cut into thin slices. Put the apple and cherries in a heavy saucepan with onion, sugar and vinegar. Stir until sugar is dissolved and beginning to boil. Reduce heat, cover and cook until onion is tender, about 8-10 minutes. Increase heat to high, uncover, and boil until syrup is reduced to a shiny glaze, about 5 minutes more. May be served at once or kept covered and refrigerated for several days. 1 serving = 2 tablespoons.
Nutrition information: calories: 50, carbohydrates: 12 g, protein: 0g, sodium: 1 mg
Katy G. Wilkens is a registered dietitian and department head at Northwest Kidney Centers. She has a Master of Science degree in nutritional sciences from the University of Washington.
