Orchard-fresh in October: Start baking!

Written by Robin Glowa
Thursday, 11 October 2012 10:46

Nature is indeed hinting at us as it sheds its robe of green and garbs itself in the rich colors of fall. Burnt orange, russet, gold, umber and burgundy, our landscape has turned into a tapestry saturated with the splendor of autumn in New England.

Invigorating walks in the crisply scented air bring a fresh glow to the cheeks. What better way to celebrate fall than picking apples in a local orchard on a sunny autumn afternoon? Connecticut-grown apple varieties include Red Delicious, Fuji, Granny Smith, Gala, Rome, McIntosh, Macoun, Empire, Ida Red, Cortland, Newtown Pippin, Mutsu and my personal favorite, Honeycrisp.

For me, there is no better eating apple than the Honeycrisp. Perfectly described by its name, this apple is delightfully crunchy and sweet. Macouns also have a spectacular, snappy crispness, while Mutsus have an interesting dusky, drier sweetness and a lovely pale yellow color.

For pie making my family always uses Cortlands. What a wonderful day it would be whenever apple pie was in the oven, spicy cinnamon mingling with flaky pastry and meltingly tender apple slices. Apples are so wonderfully versatile, suitable for both sweet and savory dishes alike. From salads, sauces, syrups, cakes and breads, to tarts, pies, chutneys, soups and stews, apples are the perfect autumn ingredient.

 I love a fall salad of arugula and baby kale tossed with a fruity vinaigrette and embellished with apple chunks, a creamy blue cheese and toasted walnuts. For a quick autumn breakfast sandwich, lay thinly cut apple slices onto raisin or whole grain bread and add a bit of natural peanut butter or goat cheese to the other slice and enjoy!

  With their satisfying crunch and natural sweetness, apples are a uniquely healthy treat. A luscious source of dietary fiber, apples may help aid in weight loss and improved digestion. The fiber and phytonutrients found in apples may help lower blood cholesterol, improve bowel function, reduce heart disease, stroke, prostate cancer, Type II diabetes and asthma.

Prepare a delicious life with fantastic autumn apples and remember “an apple a day” can definitely keep the doctor away!

Autumn Baked Apples

Serves 6.

6 large apples (any variety)

grated zest of 1 orange

8 tablespoons dried cranberries or cherries

1/4 cup chopped dried apricots

1/2 cup chopped walnuts, hazelnuts or pecans

1/4 cup firmly packed brown sugar

1/4 cup unsalted butter

1 1/2 teaspoons cinnamon

1/2 cup honey

1/2 cup freshly squeezed orange juice or apple cider

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. 

Cut out the core of the apple to create a cavity. Peel apples halfway down from the top.

Mix together orange zest, dried fruits, nuts, brown sugar, butter and cinnamon until well blended.

Divide this mixture evenly among the apples and push down into the cavities.

In a saucepan over low heat, mix honey, orange juice or cider, and heat until honey dissolves. Pour this mixture over apples. Bake apples until tender, about 45 minutes, basting often with the juice mixture.

Let apples cool a bit, then serve. 

Robin Glowa, HHC, AADP is certified in Holistic Health Counseling by the Institute for Integrative Nutrition and Columbia University Teacher’s College.

Robin specializes in teaching healthy cooking classes for students of all ages, emphasizing the use of natural, local ingredients and easy to prepare recipes.

For more information go to www.theconsciouscook.net.