Apple Season Is Here . . .

The apple trees at Kashi Atlanta have received a blessed review as "sweet, light and juicy."
This year only one tree produced 4 apples. We have a total of 5 trees, 3 of which are only 1 year old and currently in pots.
NEXT YEAR . . . look out !
Our extremely hot periods this summer have dramatically hurt apple production throughout Georgia.
Apples are delicious eaten fresh, used in salads, or baked in desserts, and they go nicely with vegetables like cabbage and sweet potatoes and 'white' meats.
Apples particularly good for baking include Cortland, Liberty (which is one of our new trees at the Ashram) Rome, Winesap and Northern Spy. For pies, Golden Delicious keep their shape better than most, while Granny Smith will become mushy if used alone. Use a combination of sweet and tart varieties for best results.
Tart varieties include Granny Smith, Rhode Island Greening and McIntosh.
Sweet varieties, especially good for eating out of hand, include Red Delicious, Golden Delicious, Gala (2 of the Galas are also at the Ashram) and York Imperial.
Store fresh apples in a cool, dark place or refrigerate. They will keep longer if they aren't touching each other in storage.
To keep chopped or sliced apples from darkening, toss with a citrus juice.
Yields: 2 large apples or 3 medium apples = 2 to 2 1/2 cups of chopped / sliced apples.

Here is a quoted section from an article recently published by Dr. John Douillard on the APPLE:
"They are harvested in abundance at the end of the summer, as if nature is sending a message to eat a lot of these now.
**Apples Balance Blood Sugar.
While apples are thought to be problematic for those with blood sugar issues, research has shown that apples have numerous phyto-nutrients that actually support blood sugar.
The following benefits are found significantly in fresh whole or freshly juiced apples.
Quercitin in apples may slow the breakdown of carbs into simple sugars in the gut, thus supporting blood sugar.
Polyphenols in apples may lower the rate of glucose absorption, decreasing blood sugar spikes.
Apples support the pancreas to produce more insulin to help support blood sugar(3).*
**Apples Lower LDL Cholesterol.
The pectin in a whole apple (while not an extremely high source) has been shown to interact with other phyto-nutrients and may lower the bad fats in the blood without having to take high dosages of daily fiber.* Apples may also decrease the breakdown of good fats by damaging free radicals, otherwise called lipid peroxidation."
**How To Eat Apples.
Eat only organic apples! Apples are on a list of 12 foods that are commonly contaminated with pesticides, called the "Dirty Dozen".
The magic of apples seems to be the combination of the phyto-nutrients and the apple pectin. The best way to get these is from eating the whole fruit. Apples freshly juiced in a juicer still hold onto many of these beneficial properties. Store-bought apple juice, however, will have significantly fewer of these benefits. During the end-of-summer days, try to eat 2-4 apples a day."
(www.lifespa.com)

************ TWO RECIPES TO TEST OUT :

Recipe for a Grilled Apple Cheese Sandwich

Ingredients:
2 slices bread
1 slice Swiss or Jack cheese oe Extra Sharp Cheddar
1/2 apple, thinly sliced (Try a Winesap apple for this sandwich.)

Directions:
Toast the bread. Place cheese and apple slices on one slice of bread. Top with remaining slice of bread; grill until cheese is melted.

************

Jícama-Apple Slaw Recipe
From EatingWell: September/October 2007

Crunchy jicama and apple plus oranges and avocado combine in this crisp and refreshing dairy-free slaw.

6 servings, generous 1 cup each
Active Time: 35 minutes
Total Time: 35 minutes
Nutrition Profile
Low cholesterol | Low sodium | High fiber | High potassium | Gluten free |

1/3 cup packed chopped fresh cilantro, plus leaves set aside for garnish
2 tablespoons chopped fresh mint, plus leaves for garnish
1-2 tablespoons minced jalapeño pepper
1 teaspoon sugar
3/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
1/4 cup lime juice
1/3 cup extra-virgin olive oil
1 1-pound ji­cama, (see Note)
1 tart green apple, cored (not peeled)
2 navel oranges
2 avocados, diced

Preparation
1.Place 1/3 cup cilantro, 2 tablespoons mint, jalapeño to taste, sugar, salt, cumin and lime juice in a food processor. Process until finely chopped, about 30 seconds, stopping once to scrape down the sides. With the motor running,and lid on, add oil through the feed tube in a slow, steady stream until the dressing is well combined. Transfer the dressing to a large bowl. Do not clean the processor, but change to the shredding disk.
2.Using a small, sharp knife, carefully peel jicama, making sure to remove both the papery brown skin and the layer of fibrous flesh just underneath. Cut the jicama and apple into pieces that will fit comfortably through your processor’s feed tube. Shred the jicama and apple in the processor. Add to the bowl with the dressing.
3.Using a sharp knife, remove the peel and pith from the orange. Working over the bowl with the slaw (to catch any juice), cut the orange segments from the surrounding membranes, letting them drop into the bowl. Squeeze any remaining juice into the slaw. (Discard membranes and peel.) Add avocados; gently toss to combine. Serve immediately, garnished with cilantro and mint leaves.

Note: Ji­cama is a round root vegetable with thin brown skin and white crunchy flesh. It has a slightly sweet and nutty flavor and can be found in the produce section.

NutritionPer serving: 288 calories; 20 g fat ( 3 g sat , 10 g mono ); 0 mg cholesterol; 29 g carbohydrates; 3 g protein; 8 g fiber; 296 mg sodium; 584 mg potassium.

Nutrition Bonus: Vitamin C (120% daily value), Fiber (32% dv), Potassium (17% dv).