We have been told so often that fruit and vegetables are benficial for our health and here at natural food finder we do agree with this advice. However, we do not believe that this means that we should be eating copious amounts all year long. In the hotter summer months most people normally find that they prefer cooler, refreshing foods. Many fruits and leafy salads provide for this cooling effect and are often found locally in abundance at this time of year.
During winter months many often find they have a greater desire for warming soups, stews and broths. This is where many winter vegetables come to the forefront as part of these warming, nourishing winter meals. Fruits are often scarce in the winter months and so prior to the start of large scale importing it is unlikely that much fruit would have been eaten at this time of year. Apples, pears, cherries and rhubarb are the main fruits available in the winter. Interestingly many of these fruits have traditionally been used to make warming meals and desserts rather than being eaten raw. All of these fruits are used in making pies, crumbles, and sauces that are eaten warm. Apple and cherries are used in many savoury meals as well. This makes much more sense and provides that warming nourishment we crave in the winter, rather than the cooling effect that fruits provide in the summer. With this in mind we wanted to inspire you in your efforts to include fruits in your winter diet, but as warming, delicious and nutritious desserts and meals.
Due to popular demand we are listing a great apple pie recipe adapted from Nourishing Traditions cookbook by Sally Fallon Morell
Ingredients:
8 cooking apples
Lemon Juice ( 1-2 lemons)
Rapadura - dehydrated cane sugar ( 2 tablespoons)
Grated lemon rind ( 1 Lemon)
arrowroot (1 tablespoon)
Cinnamon ( 1/2 tsp cinnamon)
For the pastry: 9 " pie shell with some left over for lattice work.
1 1/3 cups organic unbleached white flour
Pinch of salt
1/2 cup butter or lard
2 egg yolks
3 rounded tablespoons cold water
- Peel and core apples and cut into slices, toss with lemon juice. Mix rapadora, lemon rind, arrowroot and cinnamon together and toss with the apples.
- Sift flour, sea salt into food processor, place butter on a board and cut into about 16 pieces using a sharp knife. Distribute butter over flour, pulse processor several times until butter is broken into pea-sized pieces and is well distributed.
Beat egg yolks briefly with a fork, dribble over flour mixture and mix once or twice. Have water ready, turn on processor and immediatly pour water in. stop processor at once so butter doesnt get any smaller. Turn crust onto waxed paper, wrap up and squeeze together forming a ball. Refrigerate for several hours. Roll out onto floured surface, once right thickness place into press dough firmly into sides and drape over the top. Prick dough with a fork, then place apple mixture into base and cover over with lattice design. Leave some gaps so the apples can cook through.
Cook on the middle shelf, 180-200 degrees Celcius (350-375 Farenheit) for 45 minutes (or until crust is golden)
