MAKES: 4 SERVINGS • DIFFICULTY: easy
These baked apples have all the flavor (and wonderful fragrance) of apple pie, but are much better for you.
¼ cup finely chopped raw walnuts
¼ cup old-fashioned rolled oats
1 tablespoon raisins
1 tablespoon almond butter
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
4 large firm baking apples, washed and cored
1 teaspoon blended peeled lemon (see here)
1 tablespoon Date Syrup
Preheat the oven to 350ºF. In a food processor, combine the walnuts, oats, raisins, almond butter, and cinnamon. Pulse until well mixed. Set the crumbled mixture aside.
Peel the apples about one-fourth down from the top. Rub the exposed part of the apples with the lemon to prevent discoloration. Stuff the crumble mixture into the center of the cored apples. Spoon the Date Syrup on top of the crumble mixture, dividing evenly. Arrange the apples upright in a shallow baking dish and pour ½ cup of water around them. Cover and bake until tender, about 1 hour. Serve warm.
VARIATION: If you want to save time, you can “bake” the apples in a microwave oven. Proceed as above; then arrange the apples in a microwave-safe baking dish. Microwave, uncovered, on high power until the apples are tender, 5 to 8 minutes, or longer, depending on the power of your microwave. Set aside to cool for 5 minutes before serving as the apples will be very hot inside.
“An apple a day keeps the oncologist away.” This was the title of a study published in the Annals of Oncology that set out to determine whether eating an apple (or more) a day was associated with lower cancer risk. The results: Compared with people who average less than one apple a day, daily apple eaters had 24 percent lower odds of breast cancer, as well as significantly lower risks for ovarian cancer, laryngeal cancer, and colorectal cancer.135