An apple a day keeps the doctor away!

That phrase seems to be a memory from childhood. Was it something my mother said to me? I can't remember but it was certainly something commonplace and was something I said to my own children when they were young. I come from Wales, and grew up there, which makes it interesting to find that the phrase is supposed to have originated in Wales back in the Nineteenth century. It was not quite the same wording but has the same meaning:

“Eat an apple on going to bed, and you'll keep the doctor from earning his bread.”

Not sure I would want to eat an apple just before going to bed. I am sure my mother used to tell me as a small boy that eating any fruit just before bed would give me an upset stomach. I was never brave enough to test her wisdom so to this day I don't know whether it would!

Apples contain Vitamin C. They are reputed to aid the immune system and also help reduce cholesterol. People are also encouraged to eat apples as they help in keeping teeth clean and killing off oral bacteria. There is also some indication that apples, like some other foods, can help in the prevention or slowing down of degenerative brain illnesses like Alzheimer's Disease.

Leaving all that aside there are some great ways to enjoy apples besides eating it au naturel . . .

Pink Lady^® apples . . . packed with goodness

Pink Lady^® apples are a natural source of energy and packed with vitamin C. A single apple supplies a quarter of your day's vitamin C. Almost half of the Vitamin C content of an apple lies directly under its skin so it’s can be more beneficial not to peel your apples.

As well as Vitamin C, you’ll find boron to keep your bones strong and pectin, which helps your body digest food more efficiently.
The apple pie chart

• About 10% of a Pink Lady^® apple is made up of carbohydrate and contains dietary fibre in both its skin and core.
• Approximately 4% of a Pink Lady^® apple is made up of vitamins and minerals. The rest of the apple, more than 80%, is made up of water.
• An average 100g Pink Lady^® apple contains about 50 calories.

APPLE RECIPE IDEAS:

• Pink Lady^® Apple and Sausage Filo Rolls

• Pink Lady^® Apple, Chicory and Pecan Salad

• Pink Lady^® Apple and Moroccan Giant Couscous Salad

• Pink Lady^® Oaty Crumble Apple Muffin

All apple recipes courtesy of www.pinkladyapples.co.uk

APPLE AND SAUSAGE FILO ROLLS

Pink Lady^® Apple and Sausage Filo Rolls are the ultimate picnic or lunchbox filler and are a great alternative to a sarnie. Light crispy pastry encases a flavour-packed filling of sausage and Pink Lady^® apple.

Ingredients

6 good quality Toulouse style sausages (about 400g)
1 Pink Lady^® apple, cored and finely diced
50g dried breadcrumbs
1 tbsp chopped fresh sage
2 tsp wholegrain mustard
150g filo pastry (6 sheets measuring about 40 cm x 30 cm)
60g butter, melted

Method

• Preheat the oven to Gas Mark 6 / 200°C /fan oven 180°C.

• Squeeze the meat out of the sausage skins and put into a bowl with the diced Pink Lady^® apple, 25g breadcrumbs, sage, mustard and seasoning. Mix really well with your hands to combine.

• Lay one sheet of pastry onto a clean board and brush with the melted butter.

• Top with a second sheet of pastry, brush with more butter and then top with a final sheet of pastry.

• Brush again with butter and then fold in half to make a long rectangle.

• Cut into three equal small rectangles.

• Repeat this process again with the remaining three sheets of filo pastry.

• Shape the sausage mixture into six equal sausage shapes, just a bit shorter than the pastry rectangles.

• Take one pastry rectangle and sprinkle a little of the remaining breadcrumbs in the centre.

• Put a sausage on top of the breadcrumbs and brush all the exposed pastry with butter.

• Fold the pastry up and over the sausage, pressing down at the edges to enclose the sausages.

• Repeat with remaining filo and sausage mixture.

• Place the filo rolls on the prepared baking tray, brush with the melted butter and then lightly score each roll three times on the top.

• Bake for 20 - 25 minutes until golden and cooked through.

Makes 6

APPLE, CHICORY AND PECAN SALAD

Pink Lady^® Apple, Chicory and Pecan Salad - Bitter chicory works superbly well with the crunchy sweet Pink Lady^® apples and nutty pecans, all drizzled with a creamy sesame seed dressing. If you can’t find tahini, then you could use Dijon mustard instead.

Ingredients

3 chicory bulbs, trimmed, quartered and leaves separated
300g cooked chicken meat, shredded
2 celery sticks, finely sliced
1 Pink Lady^® apple, cored and finely sliced
1 shallot, finely sliced
50g pecans, toasted and chopped
juice ½ small lemon
3 tbsp olive oil
1 tbsp tahini
a small handful of fresh flat leaf parsley leaves
50g parmesan shavings

Method

• Put the chicory onto a large platter.

• Scatter the chicken, celery, Pink Lady^® apple, shallots and pecans over the top.

• In a small bowl whisk together the lemon juice, olive oil and tahini until combined.

• Drizzle all over the salad and scatter over the parsley and parmesan.

Notes:

To make a lower fat dressing, mix together 3 tbsp low fat plain yoghurt with the tahini instead of the oil.

Serves 4

APPLE AND MOROCCAN GIANT COUSCOUS SALAD

Pink Lady^® Apple and Moroccan Giant Couscous Salad - Crunchy fresh Pink Lady^® apple combines beautifully with the smoky spicy aromas from Morocco. The perfect lunchbox treat! You can use regular couscous if you like, just make according to pack instructions.

Ingredients

3 tbsp dry sherry
50g sultanas or raisins
200g giant couscous
1 tsp smoked paprika
¼ tsp ground cinnamon
½ tsp ground cumin
1 Pink Lady^® apple, cored and diced
2 shallots, finely chopped
1 garlic clove, crushed
2 tsp fresh root ginger, finely grated
½ red chili, de-seeded and finely chopped
25g pack fresh mint, leaves only finely chopped
grated zest of 1 lemon
1 tbsp pine nuts, toasted

Method

• Put the sherry into a small saucepan and gently bring just below the boil.

• Add the sultanas and set aside to soak.

• Meanwhile put the couscous into a saucepan of boiling water and gently simmer for 6 - 8 minutes until swollen and tender.

• Drain in a sieve and rinse in cold water.

• Drain again thoroughly, using the base of a bowl to squeeze out any excess liquid.

• Set aside.

• Put the paprika, cinnamon and cumin in to a dry frying pan and gently heat until fragrant.

• Transfer to a large bowl.

• Add all the remaining ingredients and stir in the couscous, sultanas and soaking sherry.

• Check seasoning and serve.

Serves 2

OATY CRUMBLE APPLE MUFFIN

Pink Lady^® Oaty Crumble Apple Muffin - These delicious muffins will definitely fill a hole. Packed with bran and chunks of Pink Lady^® apple, it’s like an apple crumble in a cake.

Ingredients

1 Pink Lady^® apple, cored
200g self raising flour, sieved
50g oatbran
½ tsp baking powder
175g caster sugar
zest and juice 1 orange
3 medium eggs
100ml sunflower oil
75ml buttermilk

For the crumble:
25g butter
50g plain flour
1 tbsp caster sugar
25g rolled porridge oats

Method

• Preheat the oven to 190°C / 170°C fan oven / Gas mark 5

• Line a 12-hole muffin tin with paper muffin cases.

• Coarsely grate half the Pink Lady^® apple and put into a large bowl.

• Dice the remaining apple and add the flour, oatbran, baking powder, sugar and orange zest.

• Lightly beat together the orange juice, eggs, oil and buttermilk in a jug until combined.

• Pour the egg mixture into the flour and stir with a spatula until just combined.

• Divide equally between the paper cases.

• For the crumble, rub together the flour, oats, sugar and butter in a bowl until it resembles coarse breadcrumbs.

• Sprinkle over the top of the cakes and bake in the oven for 20 minutes until lightly golden and risen.

• Leave to cool in the tin for 5 minutes and then transfer to a wire rack to go cold.

Makes 12

www.pinkladyapples.co.uk

Published 18 May 2011

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