Healthy Bites with TGMC | Apples: Healthy Apple “Donuts”

“An apple a day will keep the doctor away.” We have all heard the saying, but do you know what it means? Apples were once prescribed to patients to treat depression, digestion, inflammation, and even as a beauty therapy. Today, we know that apples are full of nutrients with wonderful health benefits. For example, eating whole apples has been shown to cleanse teeth and fight bad breath. The fiber in the skin acts like a toothbrush to scrub plaque from your teeth and the acid in the juice helps kill off bad bacteria.

So, what in an apple helps “keep the doctor away”? Apples, mostly in the skin, contain fiber, flavonoids, vitamin C, and potassium. One medium apple contains about 100 calories and 20 percent of your daily recommended fiber. The fiber helps keep our digestive tracts healthy and regular. Flavonoids, also known as plant pigments, have been shown to reduce our risk of diseases such as cancer, heart disease and stroke. Vitamin C helps promote healing and prevents colds and potassium helps us maintain a healthy blood pressure. So next time you are on your way out the door, grab an apple for an easy, nutritious snack on the go.

Ingredients:

• 6 apples, washed
• 1/3 cup melted dark chocolate
• 1/3 cup almond butter or nut-free butter, melted

Toppings:

• Granola
• Raisins
• Ground cinnamon
• Unsweetened coconut
• Colored sprinkles
• Mini dark chocolate chips

Directions:

STEP 1
Cut apple slices into 1/3 inch-thick ring slices. With an apple corer, knife, or melon baller, remove the core to resemble a donut ring.
STEP 2
Melt the chocolate and nut or nut-free butter in a microwave safe bowl for 30 seconds. Transfer each into a zip or piping bag and cut off the tip.
STEP 3
Place apple slices onto wax or parchment paper and let the kids drizzle the chocolate or nut butter over the apple slices and top with their favorite topping.

Serves: 12-18