Winter and Fruit!

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SoDamnHungry
SoDamnHungry Posts: 6,998 Member
Brr! It's cold out all of a sudden, and the last thing I want to eat is a nice, crisp, cold apple. I want warm and comforting foods (like cookies!). So I got to thinking, maybe some of you folks have great ways to make fruit warm and delicious in the winter.

My only ideas so far: Cinnamon apples in the microwave, heated frozen berries with granola over them, and peanut butter toast with sliced bananas on it.

So, anything you do to make fruit awesome during those cold winter months? The less sugar and fat added, the better.
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Replies

  • auroranflash
    auroranflash Posts: 3,569 Member
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    Have not tried it yet but I hear putting thin slices of granny smith apples on a grilled cheese sammich is delicious. Could also include apples or raisins in a tuna or chicken salad. If you have a grill (even a george foreman) you could grill some pineapple or peaches. Grilled pineapple goes great with chicken, peaches go great with pork.

    But fruit is the devil, it's full of sugar and will kill you, so try none of the above. :devil:
  • _Wits_
    _Wits_ Posts: 1,286 Member
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    Mmmmm grilled cheese with white cheddar slices and thinly sliced apple... Cheddar cheese goes great with crisp slightly tart apples...
  • SoDamnHungry
    SoDamnHungry Posts: 6,998 Member
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    Have not tried it yet but I hear putting thin slices of granny smith apples on a grilled cheese sammich is delicious. Could also include apples or raisins in a tuna or chicken salad. If you have a grill (even a george foreman) you could grill some pineapple or peaches. Grilled pineapple goes great with chicken, peaches go great with pork.

    But fruit is the devil, it's full of sugar and will kill you, so try none of the above. :devil:

    Nooo, I will eat all of the fruit that ever was! Actually, it gives me cankers so I do have to be careful. ._.
  • SoDamnHungry
    SoDamnHungry Posts: 6,998 Member
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    Mmmmm grilled cheese with white cheddar slices and thinly sliced apple... Cheddar cheese goes great with crisp slightly tart apples...

    I'm gonna have to try this grilled cheese with apples thing...
  • samlankford
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    yeah if I have too much sugar I get cankers as well.. sucks but it makes you keep yourself in check!!
  • Lleldiranne
    Lleldiranne Posts: 5,516 Member
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    Berries in hot cereal for breakfast (oatmeal or cream o wheat)

    We love home made fruit smoothies, but that's another cold thing.
  • rlgrant1109
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    steel cut oats, gala apples, and cinnamon. Cook overnight in your crock pot with a little water and makes a great breakfast :) Makes your house smell great too!
  • JennaM222
    JennaM222 Posts: 1,996 Member
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    Try Baked Apple Pie Egg Rolls!

    10907224067880214_0I2OQmn0_c_zps4c7b1b17.jpg

    Directions & Ingredients:

    2 apples 1 granny smith and 1 gala (about 2 heaping cups worth)
    1 large lemon juiced
    1/3 cup sugar
    4 Tbsp. flour
    2 tsp. ground cinnamon
    1/4 tsp. all spice
    1/8 tsp. salt
    16 egg roll wrappers
    1 egg lightly beaten
    . SWEETENED WHIPPED CREAM DIP . .
    3/4 cup heavy whipping cream
    1/4 cup sugar
    2 tsp. vanilla
    cinnamon to sprinkle on top
    Instructions
    Preheat oven to 375 degrees F

    Peel and chop up apples. Add to a medium bowl. Add remaining filling ingredients to bowl and stir together until well combined. Allow mixture to sit for about 10 minutes.

    Lay 1 egg roll wrapper onto a clean surface and brush edge with a 1 inch perimeter of egg wash.

    Spread 2-3 tablespoons of the filling across one side of the prepared egg roll wrapper. You do not want to over stuff these.

    Fold the sides over and brush with egg wash. Carefully roll filling tightly in the wrapper and press gently to seal.

    Place onto a baking sheet lined with parchment and coat with a thin layer of cooking spray. Repeat until all the filling and wrappers have been used.

    Bake egg rolls for 20 to 25 minutes or until golden brown and crisp. During the last 5 minutes of cook time, pull out and brush with a little melted butter and sprinkle cinnamon and sugar on top. Put back in oven for remaining 5 minutes. Serve immediately with sweetened whipped cream.

    TO MAKE SWEETENED WHIPPED CREAM: Place cream in a mixing bowl and whip with a hand mixer, on medium-high speed. As the mixture thickens, slowly add sugar until fully incorporated. Add vanilla. Whip until stiff peaks form. I sprinkled a little cinnamon on top as well.
  • NikkiSixGuns
    NikkiSixGuns Posts: 630 Member
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    Baked bananas! Peel one, wrap it in foil, and bake it for about 20 minutes.

    If you wanna get crazy, you could stuff it with a few marshmallows, chocolate chips, and graham cracker crumbles before baking...
  • SoDamnHungry
    SoDamnHungry Posts: 6,998 Member
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    Oh man, these all sound delicious. I'm going to have to try them all. Any other ideas are still welcome, though!
  • opalescence
    opalescence Posts: 413 Member
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    sliced apples and cinnamon dry roasted almonds taste exactly like a caramel apple which ultimately reminds me of fall. best of all no cooking required :)

    I cant wait to try out some of these recipes :)

    edited to fix typos... theres always one
  • Nibarlan
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    Try Baked Apple Pie Egg Rolls!

    10907224067880214_0I2OQmn0_c_zps4c7b1b17.jpg

    Directions & Ingredients:

    2 apples 1 granny smith and 1 gala (about 2 heaping cups worth)
    1 large lemon juiced
    1/3 cup sugar
    4 Tbsp. flour
    2 tsp. ground cinnamon
    1/4 tsp. all spice
    1/8 tsp. salt
    16 egg roll wrappers
    1 egg lightly beaten
    . SWEETENED WHIPPED CREAM DIP . .
    3/4 cup heavy whipping cream
    1/4 cup sugar
    2 tsp. vanilla
    cinnamon to sprinkle on top
    Instructions
    Preheat oven to 375 degrees F

    Peel and chop up apples. Add to a medium bowl. Add remaining filling ingredients to bowl and stir together until well combined. Allow mixture to sit for about 10 minutes.

    Lay 1 egg roll wrapper onto a clean surface and brush edge with a 1 inch perimeter of egg wash.

    Spread 2-3 tablespoons of the filling across one side of the prepared egg roll wrapper. You do not want to over stuff these.

    Fold the sides over and brush with egg wash. Carefully roll filling tightly in the wrapper and press gently to seal.

    Place onto a baking sheet lined with parchment and coat with a thin layer of cooking spray. Repeat until all the filling and wrappers have been used.

    Bake egg rolls for 20 to 25 minutes or until golden brown and crisp. During the last 5 minutes of cook time, pull out and brush with a little melted butter and sprinkle cinnamon and sugar on top. Put back in oven for remaining 5 minutes. Serve immediately with sweetened whipped cream.

    TO MAKE SWEETENED WHIPPED CREAM: Place cream in a mixing bowl and whip with a hand mixer, on medium-high speed. As the mixture thickens, slowly add sugar until fully incorporated. Add vanilla. Whip until stiff peaks form. I sprinkled a little cinnamon on top as well.

    I really should not be reading these things before lunch!
  • bio_fit
    bio_fit Posts: 307 Member
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    My favourite autumn/winter fruit recipe is Spicy Baked Apple.

    First you make the stuffing - some dried fruit like sultanas, raisins, maybe something like cranberries too? Then mix this with some orange juice, a little brown sugar, melted butter, allspice, cinnamon and some flaked almonds. It should be a 'spoonable' mixture, not too runny!

    Get yourself a whole cooking apple - a Bramley is perfect - then core it. Sit it in a small, but deep baking tray/dish, and stuff the apple with the spiced mixture. Optional extra - drown in red wine :bigsmile: Bake until it looks good to go!

    If you want it to me super healthy, then I guess you could omit the butter - the wine doesn't really add many calories, it acts more like a flavouring agent!
  • MoniMoni2u
    MoniMoni2u Posts: 211 Member
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    I made fried apples yesterday


    1 t butter
    3 large red delicious apples, sliced (It's what I had from the tree! LOL)
    Pinch of salt
    Cinnamon
    Nutmeg
    Cloves
    Cardamom
    2 T packed Brown sugar (could have used less and will next time)

    Spray skillet with non-stick spray and then add butter. Melt butter and add apple slices and pinch of salt. The salt will help the apples release water so that less oil/butter is needed. Sprinkle with spices. Cook over medium heat until the apples soften 10 - 15 minutes. Add brown sugar at the end.

    This can serve 3 or 4 as a side dish with dinner.

    Some people like to add some diced onion to this as well.
  • sue_886
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    Here are some apple ideas:

    Apple Phyllo Pie: http://lowfatcooking.about.com/od/dessert/r/applepie.htm
    (This does call for 1/4 brown sugar and 1/4 honey, but I'm sure it can be reduced and/or substitutes can be made. I made a similar recipe for Thanksgiving last year and it was delicious!)

    Apple Crisp: http://recipes.sparkpeople.com/recipe-detail.asp?recipe=11935
    (Again; I find apples so sweet I would personally reduce the sugar amount.)

    Hot Spice Cider: http://www.bhg.com/recipe/drinks/hot-spiced-cider/

    Nutrition Facts are included on each recipe page.

    I also personally love spreading apple butter on whole grain toast. The kind I have is from a local farm and has no sugar added; just apples and spices and it's delicious!

    Happy fall cooking/baking!
  • sherisse69
    sherisse69 Posts: 795 Member
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    bump
  • ademiter
    ademiter Posts: 176 Member
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    Pineapple cheese casserole -

    1 cup sugar (could use splenda)
    6 tablespoons all-purpose flour
    2 cups grated sharp cheddar (reduced fat)
    2 (20-ounce) cans pineapple chunks, drained, and 6 tablespoons pineapple juice reserved
    1 cup cracker crumbs (recommended: Ritz)
    8 tablespoons (1 stick) butter, melted, plus extra for greasing pan (use light butter, or butter spray)

    Directions


    Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
    Spray medium-size casserole dish with butter.

    In a large bowl, stir together the sugar and flour. Gradually stir in the cheese. Add the drained pineapple chunks, and stir until ingredients are well combined. Pour the mixture into the prepared casserole dish.

    This dish is SOOOOOOOO yummy! You could do the same thing with apples!!
  • tcheryl
    tcheryl Posts: 70 Member
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    bump
  • Jesi0725
    Jesi0725 Posts: 92 Member
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    Bump!