An apple a day keeps the doctor away, as the old adage goes. If you have always thought apples were boring, here are some ideas on how to give them a makeover easily with sixteen creative recipes.
1. Caramel Apple Slices
Make your lunchtime apples more interesting by dipping apple slices in caramel. Slice apples and then soak them in salt water for a few minutes to prevent them from going brown. Make the caramel by mixing two tablespoons of water with two caramel candies and placing the mixture in a microwave for 30 seconds. Make sure you stir it well so that it’s smooth, then drizzle it over the apple slices before sprinkling them with chopped nuts.
2. Easy Baked Apple Dessert
Hollow out the inside of an apple and stuff it with a healthy and delicious dessert! You’ll need:
- 4 large apples
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- 1/4 cup brown sugar
- 1/4 cup of currants or cranberries
- 1 tablespoon butter
- 1/4 cup chopped nuts
- 3/4 cup boiling water
Then:
- Preheat your oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit. During this time remove the apple cores – you can do this with an apple corer or paring knife. If you’re using a knife, a spoon can help to remove all of the seeds.
- Place the cranberries/currants, nuts, cinnamon and sugar into a bowl and mix it well.
- Place the apples into a baking dish. Scoop the sweet mixture you’ve made into them before adding a bit of the butter on top.
- Pour boiling water into the dish before baking the apples for 45 minutes. You want them to be tender and cooked.
3. Apple Ring Pancakes
Imagine turning apple rings into instant pancakes: this is a great twist on traditional pancakes, and it’s easy to do. Core your apple, then slice it horizontally so that you have 1/4 inch circular pieces. Prepare your pancake batter, then dip the apple slices into it. Cook them in a pan until gently brown. Serve with honey or cream.
4. Hot Cereal Apples
Make your morning oatmeal more exciting by serving it in a hollowed-out apple. Bonus: you’ll get great fiber from both the oatmeal and apple to sustain you all day. You can add yogurt, nuts and seeds for extra bursts of flavor.
5. Apple Turnovers
Video courtesy of Kevin MecLoud, licensed under Creative Commons: by Attribution 3.0
This is great if you have some overripe apples that you don’t want to go to waste. Fill ready-made puff pastry sheets with diced apples, cinnamon, and any tasty extra ingredients you want, then wrap them up before popping them into the oven. Bake them for half an hour at 400 degrees Fahrenheit.
6. Delicious Apple Salsa
Apples will revitalize your tired salsa dish by bringing some sweetness to its spice. Follow this link for the recipe. You can also spread apple salsa on bread or bagels, or enjoy it with tortillas.
7. Crunchy Apple Chips
This is so much healthier than store-bought chips because apple chips are baked. You don’t even need a dehydrator.
Core and slice the apples, then add cinnamon before placing them on baking sheets. The oven should be set to 225 degrees Fahrenheit. After an hour, turn the slices over. When they are dry and brown all over, take them out and place them on a cooling rack. You can store them in an airtight container so that you have a handy snack when you’re on the go.
8. Alcoholic Apple Popsicles
This is a fun recipe on hot days or for when you’re entertaining. Pit three cups of cherries and set them aside while you peel one large green apple and lime. Cut the fruit into pieces and pop them into a blender with the cherries. Add in one cup of whiskey and 1/2 a cup of the below sweet and sour recipe.
Sweet and sour recipe: Put 1/2 a cup of sugar and 1/2 a cup of water on the stove so that the sugar dissolves, then add in one cup of lemon juice. Let it cool then add it to the recipe.
Blend the ingredients together. Place the liquid into popsicle molds. Freeze them until solid (usually two hours) then insert the popsicle sticks and let them freeze overnight.
9. Impress with Apple Sauce
You can make your own apple sauce from leftover apples and wow your guests when you serve it on roasted pork or potatoes. You’ll need 1 cup of apples that have been peeled, cored and then chopped, 1/2 of a lemon’s zest, 1 teaspoon of caster sugar, 2 tablespoons of water, and 1 tablespoon of butter. Place apples, water and lemon zest in a saucepan and heat them on low heat so that the apples soften. Remove them from the heat and beat in the sugar and butter.
Got some of that apple sauce leftover from your delicious meal? Use it to exfoliate your skin so you can get rid of dead skin and bacteria that contribute to breakouts.
You’ll need two tablespoons of applesauce, one tablespoon of ground oats, two tablespoons of honey, and one tablespoon of lemon juice. Mix all the ingredients together and carefully apply it to your face. Sit with it for 10 minutes before washing it off gently.
Apples help to treat acne because they contain quercetin, a plant compound that prevents the release of histamine – this not only causes allergies but also acne. Tip: Red Delicious apples contain the most quercetin, so try to use these when making apple sauce.
10. Grilled Cheese With Apple
Grilled cheese sandwiches get a new lease on life with crunchy apples. Slice an apple and add it to your sandwich before you place it in a panini press, griddle, or frying pan. Delicious, plus you get a daily fruit serving right there in your cheesy snack.
11. Apple Frittata
Apples add a tang to this frittata recipe. The finished product resembles quiche, so it’s a great lunch or dinner idea. Cooking tip: make sure you use tart apples for an extra burst of flavor.
12. Apple Cinnamon Bread
Give your regular bread a twist by making a cinnamon and apple loaf. You can store it for days after baking it, and it’s a great sandwich idea for work because you can slather on sour cream, cheese or butter. Apple is great in breads because it gives it moisture and keeps it soft, even after refrigeration. Here’s the recipe.
13. Refreshing Apple Granita
Now that summer’s on its way, you want a refreshing drink. Apple granita is just that. Before you start this apple recipe, you want to make your own juice from apples, so read this easy guide. Then, take four cups of your homemade apple juice and add it to a saucepan. Add in two cloves, one strip of orange zest, and one cinnamon stick. Let it simmer for 10 minutes then strain it and allow it to cool. Freeze it in a pan and serve it chunky! You can embellish it with nut shavings on top.
14. Crunchy Apple Granola
Granola is great as a stand-alone snack or you can enjoy it with yogurt, in milk or in salads for a nice crunch. Make your own delicious and easy apple-cinnamon granola. All the kitchen items you need are your trusty blender, a roasting pan and your oven to bake it.
15. Green with Envy Apple Smoothie
Smoothies are a great way to start your day by bringing nutrients into your body. When making a green smoothie, add lots of green veggies to pack a punch with antioxidant content. Apples break the vegetable bitterness with their natural sweet flavour. They’re also low glycaemic fruits, which means they maintain your sugar levels. A must for smoothies that keep you going!
16. Peanut Butter Apple Stack
Peanut butter contains large amounts of protein, and will make your apple slices taste even more delicious. Core an apple and add peanut butter inside, or smear peanut butter between your apple slices to create a tower. An easy and yummy snack for when hunger pangs arise.
The next time you have some apples lying around in the kitchen, use them in one of the above recipes for a creative snack sensation.
