Dark Chocolate Covered Apples

Healthy Alternative to Candy Apple

No tricks here, just healthy treats that you will feel great about serving to your loved ones. Lindsey Crouch, of True Balance Cooking, shares and demonstrates a simple recipe for one of your favorite fall treats, chocolate covered apples!

Ingredients:
6 Organic Apples
12 ounces dark chocolate, 70% cocoa
1/2 c chopped walnuts
6 sturdy popsicle/lollipop sticks

P.S.:  Don't forget to make sure you also have wax paper on hand!

Instructions:
Twist off stems of apples. Thoroughly wash apples under running water and dry off with towel. Line cookie sheet with wax paper. Place apples onto wax covered cookie sheet, turn apples upside down so the bottoms are up. Insert sticks into apples cores. Melt chocolate using double broiler (I use a metal bowl over simmering water which makes it easy to dip and roll the apple in the same bowl.) Dip apple into chocolate, trying to only roll it all the way around just once as that will give you a good thick layer of chocolate, let excess drip back into bowl. Make sure the entire apple is coated.

Chop 1/2 cup of walnuts and place in separate bowl. Roll apple in nuts until completely covered.

Place decorated apples onto your wax covered cookie sheet, standing upright.

Refrigerate for 25 minutes or until chocolate is set.

As if you need a reason to enjoy these healthy treats... Here are some helpful supporting tips as to why you can rest assure this is healthy snack for you and your loved ones:

Benefits of Apples:
Apples are a water-rich food, and when incorporated into your diet, they can help you to lose weight.

Apples are also full of antioxidants which help protect your heart, contribute to healthy urinary tract, healthy vision and bolster anticancer defenses. The soluble fiber in apples, pectin, helps lower blood cholesterol levels, reducing the risk of heart disease. Pectin improves the efficiency of the digestive system by removing toxic metals, such as lead and mercury from your body. Apples are an ideal low-calorie snack, as they release sugar slowly into your blood stream and do not spike insulin levels. They are great for helping to increase energy levels, so choose an apple over a candy bar next time you need a little pick-me-up.

Apples are one of the produce items that you should always buy organic in order to avoid residual pesticides. Refer to my article here http://www.truebalancecooking.com/Articles/Organic-Foods.html for the rest of the "dirty dozen vs clean 15" list.

The fresher the apple, the more vitamin C it contains.

Apples are in season now, during the fall, so take advantage of their ripest and tastiest time!

The Benefits of Dark Chocolate:
Refer to my husband's full article for more information: http://www.truebalancecooking.com/Articles/Eat-Dark-Chocolate.html

True dark chocolate, which means that it’s made from the cocoa plant and is at least 65% cocoa, contains many of the health benefits of green, leafy vegetables like spinach and broccoli. The advantages of dark chocolate come in the form of flavonoids, which act as antioxidants. Antioxidants protect the body from premature aging caused by free radicals, which can cause damage that leads to heart disease and a host of other diseases. Dark chocolate isn’t just good for you, it’s great for you.

Dark chocolate is loaded with antioxidants (nearly 8 times the number found in strawberries). It’s also rich in flavonoids, which help relax blood pressure through the production of nitric oxide and balance certain hormones in the body, the reason why most people feel better after eating real, dark chocolate. Cocoa beans are also rich in a number of other essential minerals, including magnesium, calcium, zinc, copper, potassium and manganese.

The Benefits of Walnuts:
Walnuts are great for your heart health. They are an excellent source of monounsaturated fats, which help lower cholesterol levels. They also are incredible for your brain and mood as they level your serotonin, which make them useful for dealing with depression and increasing energy levels. Walnuts are known to help with sleep patterns, as they contain melatonin, which may help with sleep deprivation and insomnia.

Resources:
100 Health-Boosting Foods, facts and recipes for super health, by hamlyn
http://www.truebalancecooking.com/Articles/Organic-Foods.html
http://www.truebalancecooking.com/Articles/Eat-Dark-Chocolate.html

Written by Lindsey Crouch