Core blimey, here’s good news
When it comes to the crunch, apples really are fantastic for your health
ACCORDING to a CSIRO summary, an apple a day really can keep the doctor away.
Evidence shows regularly eating apples can help keep your heart healthy, control appetite and is also linked with healthier gut bacteria.
Leading health and lifestyle expert Dr Joanna McMillan says we are still discovering just how important a daily apple can be to our overall health.
“We know crunching on an apple makes us feel great. What we are now learning is how the compounds in apples, especially polyphenols and apple fibre, actually help our bodies,” says Dr McMillan.
“This new evidence makes it even more important to eat the whole apple, skin and all, to ensure you’re getting all the goodness, because a lot of the antioxidants, fibre and polyphenols are found close to or in the skin.”
Try whipping up these delish apple dishes today.
Apple and fig tart with wholemeal crust
Ingredients
4 granny smith apples
1 tsp ground cinnamon
½ tsp freshly grated nutmeg
4 fresh figs
Juice of an orange
2 tsp milk
1 cup stoneground wholemeal flour
1 tsp + 1tb maple syrup
60g butter
½ tsp iodised salt ½ tsp apple cider vinegar
Method
Sift the flour and salt into a mixing bowl, adding back to the bowl any fibre-rich pieces left in the sieve. Using butter straight from the fridge, cut it into small cubes and add to the flour. Using your fingers, rub the butter and flour together until it resembles fine breadcrumbs.
Add the milk, 1 teaspoon of maple syrup, the apple cider vinegar and 1 tablespoon of ice cold water and, using your hands, mix into the flour/butter crumb until the mixture comes together into a dough. Compress into a ball and then flatten slightly into a disc. Wrap in cling film and pop it into the fridge to chill for at least 30 minutes.
Meanwhile core the apples, leaving the skin on (this is where many of the nutrients are), and chop. Place them in a pan with the cinnamon, nutmeg and 4 tablespoons of water. Bring to a simmer and allow to cook, stirring occasionally, for about 10 minutes until soft. Slice the figs. Preheat the oven to 180C. Lay out a piece of baking paper. Place the pastry dough on top and layer over a sheet of cling film – this will stop the pastry sticking to your rolling pin. Roll out the pastry to a thin disc and remove cling film. Lift pastry using the baking paper and place on to a baking sheet.
Spoon the apple mixture on to the pastry and spread out evenly. Layer over the sliced figs. Mix the orange juice with a tablespoon of maple syrup and pour over the figs, making sure you cover completely. Fold the edges of the pastry slightly over the pie filling.
Place in the oven and bake for 60 minutes or until golden brown.
Bircher muesli with apple and blueberries
Ingredients ½ tsp cinnamon Juice of an orange 125g (1 punnet) blueberries 1 green apple, grated
1 cup milk
1 cup low-fat natural yogurt, plus extra to serve
1 cup raw oats
30g hazelnuts
30g almonds
15g sunflower seeds
30g pepitas (pumpkin seeds) 30g chia seeds Method The night before: Roughly crush the hazelnuts and almonds in a mortar and pestle (or chop roughly with a large knife). In a bowl mix together the crushed nuts, oats, cinnamon, orange juice, yogurt and milk. Cover and store in the fridge until the morning.
Serve your bircher muesli in a serving bowl topped with sunflower seeds, pepitas, chia seeds, blueberries, grated green apple and an extra dollop of yoghurt.