Monday, December 29, 2014

Snack Attack Series--Sauteed apples

Seasonal Snacks--Winter



Sauteed apples are one of my all-time favorite healthy snacks.  Just the delicious warm apple-y fragrance wafting through the house as they saute on the stove is one of the best possible cooking aromas ever--just like mom's apple pie!

Ummmmm.. heavenly smell!!!

Sauteed apples are great warm and right out of the pot.  However, there are so many other delicious ways to serve them.  I love crunch, so I like to top them with chopped walnuts or pecans.

They are also great as a topper for yogurt.  Here at Eat Thrive Heal, we're always avoiding inflammation causing ingredients, so we don't recommend cow's milk yogurt or ice cream, unless you make your own from raw milk (see here for our instructions for making home-made raw milk yogurt.)  However, if you don't have dairy allergies or intolerances, you can grab a little carton of organic goat's milk yogurt (anti-inflammation) for a quickie snack with your apples.  We also love the coconut milk yogurt by So Delicious, and their brand new introduction, almond milk yogurt.  And just today I discovered a new coconut yogurt by the brand Coconut Grove which is sweetened with coconut crystals--delicious!  All these yogurt choices disappear faster than I can buy them in my fridge! (For a complete explanation of what dairy you might eat and why, see here.)

If you love your ice cream, sauteed apples would also be a delicious topping for sugar-free coconut ice cream by Coconut Secret or home-made frozen yogurt (made from raw cow's milk, goats milk, coconut milk or almond milk, of course!)

Another wonderful way to enjoy sauteed apples is as a spread over gluten-free pancakes, waffles, french toast or bread.  The next time you make any of these, make of a few extra and keep them in the fridge where you can pull them out as needed for easy snacking.  As for bread, sauteed apples would be delicious as a topping with our seed bread.


Sauteed Apples  

7 apples, peeled cored and sliced
3 T butter from grass-fed cows  (only grass-fed cows are high in inflammation-fighting omega-3's)
1 T coconut oil
A pinch or two of cinnamon
A generous few turns of the nutmeg grinder
1-2 T Coconut Nectar as needed, depending on how tart the apples are
1-2 T fresh squeezed lemon juice to taste

Melt the butter and coconut oil in a sauce pan over medium high heat and add the apples.  Saute and stir regularly until apples are tender and slightly caramelized.  When you are not stirring, cover the pan so that the juices do not escape.  Season with cinnamon, nutmeg, Coconut Nectar and lemon juice to taste.  How much Coconut Nectar and lemon juice you use will depend on the natural tartness of the apples.


Seasonal Snack Attack Series--  One of the biggest challenges in sticking to a healing anti-inflammation diet is figuring out what to eat during those times when you feel hungry between meals.  Having a plan in place before hunger strikes is essential.  That's what this snack attack series is all about.  Over time, we hope the snack ideas will grow to become a rich full file and a useful tool that you can use to stock your kitchen with delicious healing snacks that keep your tummy feeling full, your waistline trim and your body humming!  We're just getting started, but to see the snacks we've included so far, click here. 



No comments:

Post a Comment