An Apple A Day
It is true, an apple a day really can keep the doctor away! These little fruits are
abundant in health benefits, colorful and beautiful, come in many varieties,
are easy and cheap snacks, and most importantly, are tasty!
Nutrition Facts
Apples are a great fruit to incorporate into any meal because of all the nutritional benefits they have to offer. To start, apples contain vitamin C; a water soluble vitamin that you need to consume every day. Apples also contain both soluble and insoluble fiber (about 4.4 grams). You need both types of fiber to keep your digestive tract healthy.
Biting into a crisp, juicy apple stimulates saliva which helps protect against dental caries.
Apples have also been found to reduce the risk of diseases, such as diabetes, and to improve health in general. Watch our video to find out more!
Local Apples
Cache Valley has a rich history of agriculture. Apple orchards are abundant and produce many varieties such as Golden Delicious, Red Delicious, Gala, Fuji, Macintosh, Honeycrisp, Empire, Jonagold, Hawaii Gold, and more. Apple season is from August to October in Cache Valley. Some of the local orchards even let you pick your own apples.
Freezing Apples
Did you know you can freeze apples? Freezing apples is a great way to ensure you have fresh apples all year long. Frozen apples are best used for baked goods such as pies, muffins, cobblers, breads and more!
Steps for freezing apples:
1. Dissolve 2 tablespoons of salt into 8 cups of water.*
2. Soak apples slices in water for a few minutes.
3. Drain apples in a colander, but do not rinse.
4. Place apples into labeled and dated freezer bags.
*You can also use water and honey
Sweet Potato Lentil Soup
This is one of our favorite soups because it is so delicious and unique! We hope you enjoy it this week as much as we do. Sweet potato lentil soup features sweet potatoes, carrots, red lentils and apples. Yes, you read that right. There are apples in this soup! Apples are usually associated with desserts but they can be in savory dishes as well. Whether you like your apples crunchy, soft, tart, sweet, or savory, be sure to enjoy these nutritious fruits often!
If you need any more reasons to eat an apple a day,
click here to try this delicious apple breakfast cake!
Sweet Potato Lentil Soup
Makes 8 quarts
1 1/2 Tbsp olive oil
1500 grams sweet potatoes, chopped
1354 grams carrots, chopped
Blog post by: Linzy Peterson & Sandra Reynolds
1500 grams sweet potatoes, chopped
1354 grams carrots, chopped
738 grams apples, peeled, cored, diced
1315 grams onions, diced
2 cups red lentils
4 tsp ginger, fresh
1.5 tsp black pepper
2.5 tsp salt
1.5 tsp cumin
1.5 tsp chili powder
1.5 tsp paprika
15 cups broth
1/4 tsp ginger, ground
Water as needed
Directions:
1315 grams onions, diced
2 cups red lentils
4 tsp ginger, fresh
1.5 tsp black pepper
2.5 tsp salt
1.5 tsp cumin
1.5 tsp chili powder
1.5 tsp paprika
15 cups broth
1/4 tsp ginger, ground
Water as needed
Directions:
1. Heat olive oil in large pot over medium heat. Place sweet potato, carrots, apple, and onions in pot. Stir and cook apples and vegetables until the onions are translucent, about 15-20 minutes.
2. Stir tir in the lentils, ginger, black pepper, salt, cumin, chili powder, paprika, broth, and ground ginger. Bring the soup to a boil over high heat, then reduce the heat to medium-low, cover and simmer until the vegetables are soft, about 30 minutes.
3. Puree the soup using a blender. Add water as needed.
Blog post by: Linzy Peterson & Sandra Reynolds
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