Simple Ways to Enjoy Apples This Fall

Did you know? There are more than 100 varieties of apples grown in the U.S.! Autumn is apple season in most states – so it should be easy to find some in your hometown.

Enjoy apples in some of these simple ways:

Enhance chopped salads: Add crunch to your salad by including sliced apples along with spinach, pecans and feta cheese.

Enjoy a sweet-apple dessert: Sauté sliced apples and sprinkle them with cinnamon.

Add apples to sandwiches: Enjoy apple slices in a turkey and cheese sandwich or in a grilled cheese.

Make apple chips: Preheat your oven to 200 F and add thinly sliced apples sprinkled with cinnamon and sugar to a baking sheet, and bake them for one hour. Flip the apple slices, sprinkle them with more cinnamon and sugar, and bake them for another hour or until desired crispness.

Grill apples: Brush apple slices with melted butter and grill them for about five minutes on each side. Drizzle them with cinnamon and honey and enjoy!

Make overnight apple oats: In a container, combine ½ cup oats, ½ cup skim milk, ½ cup chopped apples, 1/8 teaspoon cinnamon and 1 teaspoon honey. Place the container in the refrigerator while you slumber and simply eat them out of the jar in the morning.

Enjoy nut butter with apple slices: Slice apples and top them with your favorite nut butter and raisins.

Try roasting vegetables with apples: Evenly chop carrots, potatoes, onions and apples and drizzle the mixture with balsamic vinegar and olive oil. Sprinkle in your favorite spices, such a thyme and basil, and bake the mixture in a baking pan for 30 minutes at 425 F.

Dip apples: Enjoy sliced apples dipped in yogurt or melted cheese.

Make an apple smoothie: Blend together one apple, half a chopped banana, ½ cup of orange juice and a few ice cubes.

Simple Apple Crisp

Serves: 6

Prep Time: 5 minutes

Cook Time: 40 minutes

Total Time: 45 minutes

Ingredients

4 tart apples, medium size

½ cup brown sugar

½ cup whole-wheat flour

½ cup old-fashioned oats

⅓ cup butter, melted

1 teaspoon cinnamon

Directions

Preheat your oven to 375 F and coat an 8 x 8-inch baking pan with nonstick cooking spray.

Slice apples into equal-size parts and place them in a baking pan.

In a large bowl, combine the remaining ingredients until well-mixed. Sprinkle the mixture over the apples.

Bake for approximately 40 minutes or until the apples are tender when pierced with a fork.

Serve warm and top with whipped cream, if desired.