Recipe Adventure: 8 Reasons To Use Your Bushel of Apples

An apple a day might keep the doctor away, but these dishes may have the power to do much more than that. Apples of any variety have great benefits: They contain phytochemicals like polyphenols, which are antioxidants linked to many health benefits. They’re also a good source of fiber and could even help lower your cholesterol.

Before you bundle up for colder weather, put your bushel of apples to good use with the following eight recipes.

Steel-cut starter

A bowl of steel-cut oats is a great heart-healthy start to any day, but when you toss in chopped walnuts, ground cinnamon, ground cloves, vanilla extract and cubed apples, this dish will warm your belly in all the right ways.

Chip off the ol’ block

Finding yourself reaching for a sweet or salty snack in the middle of the day? Consider slicing up some Fuji or Red Delicious apples instead, and baking these apple chips for a nice, crisp alternative to hold you over until dinner.

Flavor full

You’ve got months until the holiday season kicks off in full gear, which gives you more than enough time to try out this whole-grain stuffing with apples, pears and toasted nuts.

Taste teaser

Your antioxidant-rich green tea takes on a whole new flavor when you infuse it with apples and cinnamon. This tea is good for warming you right up, but it also provides a lot of benefits for your brain.

Oven ready

Roasting Gala apples and red onions add a sweet kick to this pork tenderloin recipe, where the pork is seasoned with fennel seeds, salt and pepper.

Fall harvest

What better way to fulfill your craving for pumpkin spice than to bake up a storm with these pumpkin-apple chia muffins. The chia seeds provide an abundant source of omega-3 fatty acids and even more heart-healthy fiber.

Slow and steady

Sometimes, the best recipes are worth the wait, but that’s especially true if they’re less hassle, too. This slow-cooker recipe for apple crisp uses apple pie spice and apple butter alongside a little bit of regular butter for a burst of apple flavor without adding a whole ton of fat.

A simple finish

Satisfy your sweet tooth without adding a bunch of sugar. This baked cinnamon apple recipe uses artificial sweetener to keep this dish low cal.