As we are transitioning from Fall to Winter, the temperature starts to drop. However, there is still some time we can enjoy the beautiful fall color in the month of November. Picking apples might no longer be available, but you can still buy apples from the market and play around with some great recipes.
Apples:
There are so many varieties of apples, ranging from tart, mildly sweet like Granny Smith and Honeycrisp to juicy and sweet like Gala and Fuji. Like most fruits, apples are a good source of fiber and vitamin C. Fresh, whole apples with skins are most nutritious. Including apples in your diet is beneficial for weight control as well as reducing the risk of cardiovascular disease and type 2 diabetes.
Here is a fun salad recipe to enjoy apples:
Waldorf Salad
Adapted from Elise Bauer
Ingredients:
- 2 large apples
- ½ cup walnuts
- 1 sliced celery stalk
- ¼ cup raisins
- ½ fresh lemon
- ½ cup nonfat plain yogurt
- ½ tbsp mayonnaise
- Lemon zest
- Pepper
Directions:
- Chop 2 large apples into small chunks and place into a large bowl.
- Add ½ cup walnuts, 1 sliced celery stalk, and ¼ cup raisins to the bowl. Sprinkle the lemon juice on top.
- Prepare the dressing by combining ½ cup nonfat plain yogurt, 1-2 tbsp mayonnaise, lemon zest and pepper.
- Fold the dressing into apple mixture and stir well.
If you want to learn more about apple recipes, check out It’s Apple Season!
Grapes:
Fall is also the harvesting season for grapes when ripening grapes begin to soften. Plump grapes that are firmly attached to green stems are ideal for purchase. To ensure freshness, keep grapes in plastic bags and store in the refrigerator.
There are several health benefits of grapes. Grapes can help slow the breakdown of cells and prevent plaque formation in the brain, which slows down aging of the brain. Purple grapes contain the most phenols, which can protect against Alzheimer’s disease.
Fruit Salad Sundae
Here is a tasty snack recipe with no added sugar: Adapted from eatfresh.org
Ingredients:
- ¼ cup sliced strawberries
- ¼ cup sliced kiwi
- ¼ cup cantaloupe cut in chunks
- 8 grapes
- 2 tbsp low-fat vanilla yogurt
- 1 tbsp cereal oats
*Any combination of fruits of your choice with grapes could work for this recipe. You can also choose fruits that are frozen or canned.
Directions:
1.Put all fruits together in a large cup
2.Add yogurt and cereal oats on the top
If you are looking for variant fruit snacks you can make at home, check out Healthy Snacks: Go for the fruits!
If there is any additional seasonal fruit you want to learn about, please leave a comment below!
