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Stewed Apples with Warming Spices | Nutrition Stripped
Eat Well Dec. 14. 2021
Flavor Factor

Stewed Apples with Warming Spices

Dec. 14. 2021
Flavor Factor
McKel Hill Kooienga, MS, RDN, LDN

McKel Hill Kooienga, MS, RDN, LDN

Founder of Nutrition Stripped and the Mindful Nutrition Method™

A simple recipe to make stewed apples without added sugar and with warming spices.

Growing up in a Midwest family, we went all-out for Sunday morning breakfast. It always included my dad’s stewed apples, pancakes, bacon, scrambled eggs with cheese, and muffins.

Now I’m bringing back those stewed apples NS style! I promise this is one of the easiest recipes you’ll make. All you need is 3-4 fresh apples of your choice. I find that gala, fuji, and honey crisp are my favorites to stew, but the beauty is in using whatever you have on hand, what’s seasonal to your region, and what tastes good to you.

Stewed Apples

These Stewed Apples with Warming Spices will add so much flavor to any breakfast bowl like oatmeal, porridge, or yogurt. Additionally, enjoy these stewed apples as a dessert with your favorite vanilla ice cream.

Our core belief here is that balanced eating should be both nutrient-dense and delicious-dense!

One of the unique elements in our Foundational Five system for creating balanced meals is the Flavor Factor, which is all about adding ingredients that help make your meal taste delicious and even more nutritious, including sauces, dressings, spices, and herbs.

Made with in-season apples (our favorites are our Fuji), ground cinnamon, and fresh ginger, this stewed apple with warming spices recipe will turn into a delicious balanced breakfast or dessert when combined with 1-2 additional Foundational Five elements of nutrition listed below.

Make this Flavor Factor recipe on your batch cooking day and you’ll be able to enjoy it in a variety of ways throughout the week! 

You can use apple cider or water as the liquid. If using apple cider it will increase the sugar content, create a thicker syrup, and taste sweeter than if using water, both variations are delicious! 

This recipe will stay well for 1 week in the fridge and just reheat upon serving. 

What is the Foundational Five Flavor Factor? 

In case you’re new to the NS Community and the Mindful Nutrition Method, the Foundational Five system is part of how we teach you to build balanced meals. It makes it easy for you to give your body the nourishment you need while having the flexibility to enjoy the foods you love without stressing about food.

The Foundational Five is made up of five elements of nutrition including Protein, Fat, Non-starchy Carbohydrates, starchy & Sugary Carbohydrates, and the Flavor Factor (which brings vibrancy, deliciousness, and enjoyment to your meals). 

You can download our free guide that walks you through our Foundational Five system for creating balanced meals that you can use to meal prep or cook fresh this week!

What Makes This Stewed Apples Recipe Nourishing

Apples

Apples are one of my favorite digestive-friendly fruits due to their unique fiber content. They contain both insoluble and soluble fiber, which are great for supporting our digestion.

Apples have also been studied and associated with improving cognitive function, reducing the risk of heart diseasediabetesreducing cholesterolmanaging weightbone health, as well as digestive health.

Cinnamon

Cinnamon is also loaded with antioxidants — especially polyphenols. Antioxidants are especially important because they help the body fight oxidative stress and damage caused by free radicals.

The Recipe

Serves 4 servings

Print

Ingredients

4 large apples, cored, peeled, and chopped

1-inch nob of fresh ginger, peeled

2 whole cinnamon sticks

2 whole cloves

1/4 teaspoon sea salt

3 cups water (optional, use apple cider for a sweeter dish)

Directions

In a small saucepan on low-medium heat add all ingredients and gently simmer for 5-8 minutes with the lid on.

Take off the lid and continue to cook for an additional 10 minutes or until the apples are tender to desired texture.

Optional: add apple cider to sweeten or thicken the stewed apples.

Serve warm. Store in an airtight glass container for up to 1 week.

To serve:

Eat plain as I did, pictured with almond butter!
Top yogurt
Top oatmeal or porridge
Top banana ice cream for dessert (so tasty and a great cold/warm combination)

Things I used to make this:

ground cinnamonclove, blue bowl (set we have at home and LOVE!), small pot for cooking

Do You Want To Start Experiencing More Balance With Your Eating Habits Today?

Discover the simple yet effective tools you can start using at your next meal to experience more balance with your food choices today, plus the steps to maintain balanced eating habits for life.

Be sure to download our free balanced eating guide that brings you through the Foundational Five so you understand not only what components you need, but also why they’re important for your health and why this way of eating is helpful for creating balanced eating habits. 

Download The Free Guide Now

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