in season: not-so-forbidden fruit

Apples.

Google the term and you'll come back with a hundred different quotes & clichés, a Steve Jobs keynote address and my favorite scene from Good Will Hunting.  The apple tree is believed to be one of the oldest in existence.  Throughout time myths have said that the apple grew on the tree of life, was a sign of fertility, a gift of beauty from the Greek Gods, symbolized knowledge, temptation and immortality.

That's a pretty hefty list for an after school snack to live up to.

While the apple may have a long & interesting history, I'd suggest we live in the now and embrace the benefits it can have on us today.  Read any health magazine and you'll probably notice it's full of science-talk.  I could throw terms at you like soluable fiber, flavonoids & polyphenols... but let's face it, who can remember what all those things do?  Here's what you do need to know.

For starters, don't peel them.  The skin has a lot of antioxidants that will help fight cancer & heart disease.  Antioxidants are the things that every skin care brand is trying to win you over with right now, but an apple is a much cheaper route.  Apple pectin is also thought to protect against colon cancer, I'm guessing it has something to do with it's high fiber content, but I'll leave you to draw your own conclusions.  Finally apples are believed to protect against ovarian cancer.  So really, an apple a day might do wonders to keep your below-the-belt doctor away.

As for how to eat them?  I find that if I eat an apple alone it makes me feel really hungry later.  So consider eating it sliced up with some almond butter to dip it in.  Or just with a handful of plain almonds.  They're also excellent diced up and put into salads.  And of course, desserts. (Apple Crumble anyone?)

I also encourage you to try different varieties of apples.  I grew up eating Granny Smiths & MacIntosh apples so they've always been my favorite.  In the last few years I've branched out and decided to try many of the different types we have here in BC (thank you Okanagan!).  I've really fallen in love with the sweet & juicy Gala & Ambrosia apples.  Try something new!  Apples are a cheap way to experiment with new flavours.  If you're feeling really adventurous try an Apple-Pear.  As someone who's always hated pears (it's a texture thing) I found this to be a surprisingly tasty find.

(from left: apple-pear, golden delicious, granny smith)