Baked Apples with Oats, Nuts and Raisins

Recipe

Baked Apples with Oats, Nuts and Raisins

Yield: 6 servings)

Ingredients

• 6 crisp, sweet eating apples (e.g., Fuji, Honeycrisp, Pink Lady, Gala)
• 1/3 cup rolled oats
• 1/3 cup almonds
• 1/3 cup raisins
• 1/3 cup maple syrup
• ½ teaspoon dried ginger
• zest of 1 lemon
• 1 cup apple juice

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350° F.
2. Core the apples from the top almost to the bottom using an apple corer, melon baller, or ½ teaspoon measure. Make a generous cavity sufficient to accommodate 2 tablespoons of filling.
3. Using a paring knife, score a cut through the apple’s skin around its equator. This will allow the apple to expand but not burst during baking.
4. In a bowl, combine oats, almonds, raisins, maple syrup, ginger and lemon zest.*
5. Fill the apple’s cavity with the mixture.
6. Transfer the apples to a baking dish and add just enough apple juice to cover the bottom of the dish.
7. Bake apples until soft, approximately 30 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted through the skin goes in easily.
8. Remove apples from the oven and allow them to cool. For plating, halve or quarter them with a sharp knife. Serve with ice cream or whipped cream.

*Variations: 1/3 cup oats, 1/3 cup pistachios, 1/3 cup apricots, 1/3 cup maple syrup, ½ teaspoon cardamom 1/3 cup oats, 1/3 cup walnuts, 1/3 cup cranberries, 1/3 cup maple syrup, ½ teaspoon cinnamon

This post was originally published by the Natural Gourmet Institute. Learn more about today's Natural Gourmet Center.