Hello Fall! Apple season is here and this delicious easy recipe is great for brunch or dessert. Now for the burning nutrition question - does an apple a day really keep the doctor away?
Answer - (coupled with a nutrient rich diet) yes! Apples are packed with antioxidants, that have been shown to inhibit cancer cell proliferation, decrease lipid oxidation, and lower cholesterol in lab studies.1 Apple consumption has also been associated with reduced risk of cardiovascular disease, cancer, Alzheimer's disease, asthma, and diabetes.2 Interestingly, while studies have not shown that apple consumption actually reduces the number of doctor visits, they have demonstrated that apple consumption is linked to the use of significantly fewer prescription medications.3
I used Granny Smith apples but any firm variety should do.
Ingredients
3 Apples
1/2 cup Gluten Free Rolled Oats
1/4 cup Gluten Free All Purpose Flour
1/4 cup Coconut Sugar
1/2 teaspoon Cinnamon
4 tablespoons Coconut Oil (melted)
Directions
Preheat oven to 375F
Half apples and remove core and stem using a spoon or small knife, and place in a baking dish
In a medium bowl add the rolled oats, flour, coconut sugar, cinnamon, and coconut oil and mix well
Spoon the mix into the apples pressing down lightly
Cover the baking dish with foil and bake for 20-22 minutes
Remove foil and bake for an additional 5-7 minutes
Serve warm as is or with your favorite non-dairy ice cream
Enjoy!
1. Boyer J, Liu RH. Apple phytochemicals and their health benefits. Nutr J. 2004;3(5) doi:10.1186/1475-2891-3-5
2. Hyson DA. A Comprehensive Review of Apples and Apple Components and Their Relationship to Human Health, Adv Nutr. 2011;2(5), 408–420, doi.org/10.3945/an.111.000513
3. J Davis MA, Bynum JP, Sirovich BE. Association between apple consumption and physician visits: appealing the conventional wisdom that an apple a day keeps the doctor away. JAMA Intern Med. 2015 May;175(5):777-783. doi: 10.1001/jamainternmed.2014.5466.