Candied Apple Slices

Healthy candied apple slices can make the most delicious dessert or snack!

If we could teach our kids fruit makes the perfect treat or dessert, they would be so much healthier!  Fruit, with its natural sweetness, it’s fiber, it’s low calories, and the variety of minerals and vitamins, are just the desserts they need.  There have been several summers where we’ve taken in a student from Japan. I always ask so many questions about their dietary habits from home.  I’ve had a few mention they have dessert every single day. When I ask follow up questions, it usually comes out that what they are referring to is actually fruit (and not the desserts we typically talk about here in the US)  The fruit is apparently plenty sweet for them, and they consider it their daily dessert. I just love that!

These apple slices make a sweet and delicious dessert or snack. You can incorporate a variety of toppings and flavors and let the kids really make them their own.   Sometimes, I’ll use a tiny bit of chocolate, but even that contains some beneficial antioxidants.

What toppings would you put on apple slices?

To make these candied apple slices, you only need two things. You need a spread (or a dip) and a topping.  We have used a variety of spreads including:

• Peanut butter: Peanut butter is great because it balances this snack with some protein from the nuts.  You can make your own peanut butter, or find some commercial peanut butter that has one ingredient: Peanuts!
• Almond butter: Like peanut butter, almond butter also includes protein, and makes a great dip or spread for apples. We have a recipe for “Gourmet Almond butter” which you’ve got to try!
• Cream cheese
• Yogurt: We like flavored fruit yogurts, but also plain or vanilla tastes great on apples, depending on what your toppings will be.
• chocolate
• Sunflower butter If your kids have an allergy to nuts, or  you just want to try an alternative, this Cinnamon sunbutter is out of this world!
• Pecan butter: Try this pecan butter for a different dip or spread! 

Once you decide what ingredients you want to use, we’ve found it beneficial to follow these steps:

• Cut and core 1 apple
• Soak in a bowl for a few minutes with cold water and a few drops of lemon juice.
• Dry thoroughly before attempting to put on any peanut butter or cream cheese.
• Spread either all natural peanut butter, or cream cheese on each apple wedge.
• Press into a bowl of toppings.  You could use:
  • Granola
  • Chocolate chips
  • chocolate candies
  • coconut
  • dried cranberries
  • raisins
  • Chopped peanuts nuts
  • toasted wheat germ
  • ground flax meal
  • Sunflower seeds
  • cereal
  • sliced almonds

So, the next time your kids think they need dessert, and you just don’t want to teach them that they need cakes or cookies after dinner each night, break out the apple slices! Set up some fun mini bowls with different toppings and spreads and let them create their own masterpieces!

What other toppings would you put on these apple slices?

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