The Mail-Order Catalog for Healthy Eating

Apples

For more classic apple recipes, check out Great American Vegetarian

Apple and Butternut Squash Soup
Contemporary Waldorf Salad
Cinnamon-Apple Pancakes

If something is quintessentially American, it's "as American as apple pie." Who needs the crust? I'd like to simplify that phrase to "as American as apples." Because as far as I'm concerned, there's no crop as all-American as apples (well, except maybe corn).

In the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries, America was so smitten with apples that there were literally hundreds of varieties to choose from. These romantic apple names from yesteryear pique my curiosity: Yellow Bellflower, Cranberry Pippin, Pumpkin Russet, Maiden Blush, and Red Siberian. At the same time, apple expressions became an ingrained part of our cultural language. Consider:

Children with healthy coloring are referred to as "apple cheeked."
At the turn of the century, "go climb a sour apple tree" was a way of telling someone to take a long walk off a short pier.
In the 1920's "yes-men" came to be known as apple-polishers.
To be "the apple of someone's eye" is a most sublime compliment.

Admittedly, I rely on imported apples out-of-season, especially the wonderful Braeburn variety from New Zealand. But now, it's time to enjoy the local autumn apple season: In my part of New England, that means Macouns (which have become the most popular local apple), Cortland, Greening, Red Delicious, Empire, Jonagold, Macintosh, and Gala apples.

APPLE AND BUTTERNUT SQUASH SOUP
Serves: 6

Everything about this soup says "fall harvest," from its warm golden color to its slightly sweet, fresh flavor. Once you've got the squash baked, it cooks fairly quickly.

1 large butternut squash
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 large red onion, chopped
4 cups peeled, diced Macintosh apple
1 vegetable bouillon cube
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
2 cups low-fat milk, soymilk, or rice milk, or as needed
Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Halve the squash lengthwise with a sharp knife and scoop out the seeds and fibers. Place cut side up in a shallow baking dish and cover tightly with foil. Bake for 45 to 50 minutes, or until tender. Set aside until cool enough to handle.

Heat the oil in a soup pot. Add the onion and sauté over medium-low heat until golden, about 8 to 10 minutes. Add the apple dice, 4 cups water, bouillon cube, and spices. Bring to a simmer, then simmer gently, covered, until the apples are soft, about 10 minutes.

In a food processor, puree the squash with 1/2 cup of the milk, until completely smooth. Transfer to a bowl.

Transfer the apple-onion mixture to the food processor and puree until completely smooth. Transfer both this and the squash puree back into the soup pot and stir together. Add the remaining milk or soy milk, using a bit more if the puree is too thick.

Bring the soup to a simmer once again, then cook over low heat for another 5 to 10 minutes, or until well heated through. Season to taste with salt and white pepper. Serve at once, or let the soup stand off the heat for an hour or two, then heat through as needed before serving.

CONTEMPORARY WALDORF SALAD
Serves: 4

A classic American salad, this crunchy mixture of apples, walnuts and celery is updated with soy mayonnaise and a bed of baby greens.

3 medium crisp apples, cored and diced
Juice of 1/2 lemon
2 large celery stalks, diced
1/2 cup dark raisins
1/4 cup finely chopped walnuts
1/3 cup commercially prepared soy mayonnaise
Pinch of nutmeg
Mixed baby greens (mesclun), about 5 to 6 ounces, or as desired

Combine the apples and lemon juice in a mixing bowl and toss together. add the remaining ingredients except the greens, and toss well.

Line 4 salad plates or shallow bowls with greens. Dived the salad over them and serve at once.

CINNAMON-APPLE PANCAKES
Serves: 4 to 6, about 24 3- to 4-inch pancakes

2 cups whole wheat pastry flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 1/2 teaspoons cinnamon
1 cup low-fat plain yogurt or soy yogurt
1 to 1/2 cups low-fat milk, rice milk, or soymilk, or as needed
1 heaping cup very thinly sliced, peeled apple
2 tablespoons sliced almonds, optional
Cooking oil spray or nonhydrogenated margarine
Applesauce and/or maple syrup
Extra cinnamon

Combine the first 3 (dry) ingredients in a mixing bowl.

Make a well in the center of the flour mixture and pour in the wet ingredients. Stir, then whisk together until thoroughly combined, but do not overbeat. Add more milk if the batter seems too thick. Stir in the apple slices and optional almonds.

Lightly coat a non-stick griddle with cooking oil spray or nonhydrogened margarine. Ladle the batter on in scant 1/4 cupfuls. Cook over medium heat on both sides until golden brown. These need to brown a bit slower than do most griddlecakes to be cooked all the way through.

Keep the griddlecakes in a covered casserole dish in a 200 degree oven until all are done. Serve hot with applesauce or maple syrup and a dusting of cinnamon.

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