This beloved, unpretentious fruit was an early focus of the organic movement, and it’s at the top of the Environmental Working Group’s latest “must eat organic” list. One reason: Apples’ standout nutrients, especially cancer- and heart-protective quercetin and fiber, exist mostly in the skin, so it’s well worth eating instead of peeling.
Choose apples according to use; Honeycrisp, Fuji, and new SweeTango make excellent raw snacks, and tart apples, like Pippin, Granny Smith, and Northern Spy, work great when cooked.
Sliced
Layer any kind of unpeeled, sliced apples in pancake batter while cooking; or layer thin slices on pizza crust and top with mozzarella, blue cheese, and oregano before baking.
Baked
Core whole, sweet apples (such as Red Delicious or McIntosh), leaving bottom 1/2 inch intact. Toss together chopped pecans or walnuts, chopped raisins or dates, a little turbinado sugar, and cinnamon. Fill apple cavities with nut mixture. Place in a baking dish and pour 3/4 cup boiling water around apples. Bake at 350 degrees for 30–40 minutes, until tender.
Savory
Fold chopped apples into chicken or crab salad with grapes, celery, and fresh tarragon or parsley. Slip apple slices into your next grilled-cheddar-cheese sandwich for a sweet twist.
Apple and Root Vegetable Slaw
Serves 6/ An invigorating take on a traditional Norwegian recipe. View recipe.
