Kids love apples, and why wouldn’t they? Apples have a low calorie count (80 calories for a medium-sized apple) and phytonutrients that help regulate blood sugar. Not too surprisingly, the most popular apples are the sweetest – Red and Golden Delicious are the best-selling apples in this country. It’s lucky that the skin is edible, because scientists now say that’s where some of this fruit’s most important nutrients lie. An apple is a good source of fiber, including the soluble fiber pectin, and of vitamin C. Eat them raw, with almond butter, for a nutritionally packed snack. Apple crisp is one of the simplest desserts to make. This recipe is made more nutritious by keeping the skin on the apples, using natural sugar, and adding nuts.

INGREDIENTS

10 cups apples, cored and sliced (leaving the skin on adds nutrition and fiber)

1/2 cup raw honey

1/2 cup hot water

1 Tbs. whole wheat flour

1 tsp. ground cinnamon

1 cup oats

1 cup whole wheat flour

1/2 cup Sucanat (or packed brown sugar)

1/4 teaspoon baking powder

1/4 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 cup butter, melted

1/4 cup chopped pecans or walnuts

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Place the sliced apples in a 9x13 inch pan. In a separate bowl, mix together the honey, hot water, 1 Tbs. flour and cinnamon. Pour honey mixture evenly over the apples.

In a bowl, combine the oats, 1 cup flour, brown sugar, baking powder, baking soda, melted butter, and nuts. Crumble evenly over the apple mixture and place in the pre-heated oven. Bake at 350 degrees for 45 minutes.