5 Healthy Apple Meals
Time Out! Pumpkin may be fashionable, but there is another very special fruit that deserves to be the focus of attention. Apple! Apples are nostalgic, delicious in both sweet and savory cooking, and are also delicious breakfasts and snacks, healthy apple meals. Let’s take a moment to commemorate the first omen of autumn-Target’s lovely autumn decorations. Just kidding (somewhat). It’s time to summarize the best healthy apple recipes!
Stop staring at your newly discovered bunch of produce and ask, “What can I do with a lot of apples?” With this list of the best apple recipes, I might even need to return to the orchard! Before we delve into the recipes, let us first understand some background information about the apples themselves and how to cook them.
Is apple good for you?
- Absolutely! Apples are an excellent source of fiber, which is essential for a healthy diet. Fiber can help lower cholesterol levels, control blood sugar levels, and help maintain a healthy weight. Apples also contain vitamin C; a super healthy antioxidant.
- You know what they say, “An apple a day keeps the doctor away!” Like many clichés and idioms, it has a core truth <——Did you see what I did there?
Can Apples Help Weight Loss?
Although I always recommend consulting a doctor or dietitian (does not mean that the following is medical advice), for those who want to know, here are two points that are helpful:
- The fiber in apples helps maintain or lose weight. Fiber helps keep us full for longer, which is important for consuming fewer calories every day.
- When trying to follow a healthy diet, a sweet and healthy apple recipe can serve as a delicacy without the calories and refined sugars found in some traditional desserts.
Which Apples Are Best For Baking?
- When baking, you want apples with crisp skin that won’t be come mushy when exposed to high temperatures. These varieties are also tart with a mild sweetness, which helps to naturally sweeten your dish.
- Among the best apples to use for baking: Granny Smith, Honeycrisp, Gala, Jonathons and Jonagolds, Melrose, Cortland, Winesap, Rome Beauty, and Braeburn.
What Apples are in season?
- July-September. You’ll find mainly Gala, Red Delicious, McIntosh, Ginger Gold, Honeycrisp, Jonathon, Golden Delicious, and other unique varieties that your local orchard grows. At the end of September, Cortland apples come into season; they’re one of my favorites for baking.
- October-November. Seek out the Granny Smith, Pink Lady, Fuji, Evercrisp (this one is SO GOOD; a recent favorite of mine!), and other unique varieties great for making healthy apple meals.
Best Tools for preparing Apples?
Thankfully, apples are super easy to prepare! You only need a few simple tools (most of which you probably already own) to get your apples ready for any of these delicious recipes.
- Sharp Knife. A sharp, easy to use paring knife makes a big difference when you’re slicing a handful of apples all at once.
- Peeler. While many of these are no peel apple recipes, you may find a peeler like this one comes in handy when you do need to take the skin off.
- Corer. You certainly don’t need an apple corer to properly prepare your apples, but this tool can come in handy if you want to speed up your chopping process.
- Countertop Peeler. If you regularly peel apples or are looking to peel a large number of apples (say for that aforementioned apple pie), a countertop spiral peeler like this one could be a good purchase.
Now, let’s dive into the recipes! Below, you’ll find the recipes broken in to helpful categories. You also can find a full list of all of healthy apple recipes in my recipe index.
Healthy Apple Recipes for Breakfast
Apples for breakfast? Count me in! Not only are they delicious, but they’re healthy too. These recipes are a wonderful way to add fruit to your family’s breakfast routine.
- Bread with Apple
- Apple Cinnamon Oats
- Coffee Cake with Apple
Healthy Apple Snacks
For those times when having a plain apple just won’t cut it. These healthy snacks make wonderful treats for busy families!
- Apple Chips
- Oatmeal Cookies using Apples
- Apple Carrot Muffins
- Applesauce Muffins
Healthy Apple Smoothies
Adding apples to a smoothie is one of the BEST ways to sneak them in your diet! Both of these smoothies feature apples and other ingredients that can help keep you fuller longer, which may aid in weight loss. You’ll love how creamy, flavorful, and healthy they are!
Savory Apple Recipes
While sweet apple recipes get most of the attention, we can’t forget about these savory apple recipes that are also great as healthy apple meals! Once you try healthy apple recipes for dinner, you’ll wonder why you’ve never tried it before.
- Apple Grilled Cheese With Turkey, Cheddar, and Apple Butter
- Stuffing Muffins With Sausage and Apples
- Harvest Chicken Skillet
- Apple Cider Chicken
- Rosemary Chicken Thighs with Apples and Brussels Sprouts
Healthy Apple Drinks
Don’t let food have all the fun. Apples can be tasty when mixing up cocktails too!
- Apple Cider Champagne Cocktail
- Sparkling Rhubarb Apple Sangria