By MARY ANN LIENHART CROSS
Extension Director and Extension Educator, Health and Human Services, Elkhart County Extension

I am not sure when the best time of year for cooking with local foods is. Yes, spring and summer are great with all of the fresh fruits and vegetables, but there is nothing like the fall. Fall is the time of the year when many of us change what we are eating, how we prepare our food and, of course, what we wear. I like fall for many reasons, one being it is a great time for some real food cooking. There is something special about preparing and eating locally grown squash, apples, potatoes, sweet potatoes and pumpkins.

Fall also means campfires with cooking over a wood fire, making s’mores, carry-in meals, tailgating, crockpot meals and, most of all, everything with vegetables and fruits. The two food groups that we all need to eat more of are vegetables and fruits. Fall is a great time to plan to eat more vegetables and fruits of all colors. Keep in mind that we need to eat a rainbow of foods. We need the foods of all of the colors as they contain the phytochemicals that help to reduce the risk of stroke and improve heart health.

So as I have been writing about eating seasonal food, now is the time for cabbage, cauliflower, carrots, sweet potatoes, pumpkins, red and purple grapes, apples, pears and all the others. That saying that I grew up with, “an apple a day keeps the doctor away,” has a lot of truth to it. I think it really could be five servings or more vegetables and fruits will help to keep you healthy.

You need to put the crunch in your healthy eating plan and an easy way to do this is with apples. I am not sure what the apple report is when it comes to quantity but the quality is wonderful. I sure have been eating apples and I want to remind you that they are one of nature’s most convenient foods. All you need to do is rinse it, eat and enjoy. 

The apple is an extra special food, as it is eaten both raw and cooked. It is good for you and tastes good. What’s great about apples is that they are a snack food that is ready to go. Apples are so tasty, have no fat, are high in fiber, nutritious and low in calories. As adults, we especially need a diet high in nutrients, complex carbohydrates and fiber but low in fat, sodium and calories. Apples contain a water-soluble fiber called pectin that actually helps lower blood cholesterol levels.

Each of us needs to effectively fight the stress of everyday life as well as reduce the risk of developing heart disease and some forms of cancer and diabetes. The potassium in apples can help contribute to the control of high blood pressure and reduce the risk of strokes. Some research has also shown that the carotenoids found in apples can actually help reduce the risks of developing some forms of cancer. I encourage you eat at least one or two medium-size apples a day just as an apple, not always in pie or dumplings!

Baked apples are a great choice for dessert or breakfast. Here is a quick way to make them.

Baked Apples

4 large apples, unpeeled

1/2 cup packed brown sugar

1/2 tsp. cinnamon

1/4 cup butter

1/2 cup orange juice concentrate, thawed, undiluted

Core apples; peel a strip of skin from apple around center top to prevent bursting. Place apples in a 2-quart oven-proof dish. Fill center of each apple with one-fourth of sugar, cinnamon and butter. Pour orange juice around apples; cover. Preheat oven to 375° F and bake apples for 35 minutes, or until tender. Substitute fresh pears for a sweet and juicy variation on this old fashioned dessert. You can also microwave the apples on HIGH for 7-9 minutes, or until tender. For a variation, add 1/4 tsp ginger to the sugar-cinnamon mixture.