By Abra Pappa for Nutritious America
Fall is not fall without caramel apples. At least to me. Crisp tart apples and sticky sweet caramel. Yum!
As a child, October meant caramel apples. We would travel to the farmers market to pick out the perfect caramel apple for the ride home. This much-anticipated treat was homemade by the farmer’s wife, with a fresh apple picked from the tree and dipped in a simple caramel sauce, made from sugar, heavy cream and sometimes butter. Then, as Halloween neared, my mother would come home with a big bag of apples and get to work on her own caramel apples for the family.
What was once the simplest and purest treat has turned into the simplest, fastest pre-packaged (and full of scary stuff) treat. Walk down the apple aisle of any grocery store this month and you will find “caramel apple wrappers” and packaged “old fashioned caramel dip.” Although convenience has its place in today’s hustle and bustle world, I wonder if you have ever read the ingredients in that easy-to-grab dip?
Read Full Post >
Late August marks the beginning of apple season around the country and while a lot of farms in your home state might offer apple trees ripe for the picking, Washington, New York and Michigan are the top three apple-producing states in the nation.
Even if you know your apple types, you might still find yourself confused by the apple varieties on the market and hanging from the trees at your local farm. While different types of apples have different culinary applications, most apple varieties work in sweet or savory recipes.
Apple Popularity
According to the Michigan Apple Committee, the Honeycrisp variety, which is only available in September and October, is continually growing in popularity. Honeycrisp has a crisp, juicy bite and a sweet flavor, perfect for eating or adding to salads.
Read Full Post >
Michael Gonzalez-Wallace is the author of Super Body, Super Brain. You can read more from him at www.superbodysuperbrain.com or pick up his book Super Body, Super Brain.
Who doesn’t want to get smarter? Who wants to look better or be healthier? Many recent studies have shown how specific nutrients have positive effects on the brain especially in those areas of the brain related to cognitive processing or feelings and emotions. Generally speaking, you want to follow a healthy diet for your brain that will lead to good blood flow, help maintain mental sharpness and reduce the risk of heart disease and neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimer’s and dementia.
We know how foods play a great role in our brain. This is the conclusion of several studies led by a phenomenal neuroscientist at UCLA, Gomez Pinilla.
According to one study, the super fats your brain needs most are Omega 3 fatty acids. Your brain converts them into DHA (docosahexaenoic acid) which enhances neuronal communication and promotes neuronal growth.
Read Full Post >
