Apples!

Fuji

Granny Smith

Honeycrisp 

Pink Lady

Apples are by and far my favorite part of fall. Although I hate to see the end of tomato and watermelon season, the apple stands that take their places are well worth it! My favorite apple is Honeycrisp. Tart, sweet, and crisp, this juicy apple is perfect for everything- eating, salads, pies, juice, sauce, and baking. Another one of my favorites is the Pink Lady apple. While not as juicy as the Honeycrisp, it has an immaculate balance of tart and sweet. My go-to apple for baking is the Granny Smith because of its firm flesh and tart flavor. Baking an apple makes it even sweeter, so using a tart apple balances out the sweetness. However, I find that when making crisps and pies, mixing Granny Smiths and a very sweet apple like a Fuji is the way to go. A while back, I made my diabetic grandparents an apple crisp. They loved the healthy alternative to pies! Whatever you choose, apples are a delicious nutritious part of fall. Happy eating!

Healthy Apple Crisp
Filling:
-6 apples (I used 4 Granny Smith and 2 Fuji) peeled and sliced thin
-1 tbsp Cinnamon (or pumpkin pie spice if you want it spicier)
-1 tsp Vanilla Extract
-2 tbsp honey
-1/4 c Splenda or other sweetener
-1 tbsp flour
- 1 tbsp orange or lemon juice
- 1/4 raisins (opt)
-pinch of salt
Topping:
- 1c Old Fashioned oats
-1/4 c brown sugar substitute or regular
-1/2 whole wheat flour
-3 tbsp applesauce or apple butter
-1 egg white
- 2 tbsp melted butter
-1 tsp salt
- 1 tbsp cinnamon

- Preheat oven to 350. Grease a baking dish (8x8 or a casserole dish)
- Mix the apples with all the filling ingredients. Pour into baking dish.
- Mix the dry ingredients together for the topping (oats, flour, sugar, salt, and cinnamon)
-Mix the melted (cooled) butter, egg white, and applesauce. Pour the dry into the wet and mix well. It should be a little crumbly.
- Put the topping on the apples and bake for 30-40 minutes until the apples are soft and the topping is crunchy a little.