25 Amazing Apple Recipes

By Health.com
September 30, 2013
Whether your fave is the tart Granny Smith, juicy McIntosh, or sweet Golden Delicious, there's nothing better than biting into a fresh, crisp apple.
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Apple pie and other healthy recipes

Whether your fave is the tart Granny Smith, juicy McIntosh, or sweet Golden Delicious, there's nothing better than biting into a fresh, crisp apple.

And few foods can rival the apple when it comes to health benefits. Rich in fiber, vitamin C, and relatively low in natural sugars, a medium-sized apple is only about 90 calories.

Here are 25 recipes you can use to wow friends and family with apple deliciousness.

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Apple Tarte Tatin

Simple and sweet, this French treat couldn’t be easier to make. Other versions call for anywhere from one-half to an entire stick of butter—ours uses only 2 teaspoons, so you can dig in guilt-free.

Ingredients: Apples, frozen puff pastry dough, butter, brown sugar

Calories: 201 per slice

Try this recipe: Apple Tarte Tatin

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Apple-Spinach Chicken

Try this recipe: Apple-Spinach Chicken

The tart flavors of the Granny Smith apples blend with the bitter spinach to make a tender chicken recipe. It's a little low on fiber, so add a piece of multigrain toast to complete the meal.

Ingredients: Vegetable oil, boneless chicken breast, garlic, spicy brown mustard, apple cider, Granny Smith apples, baby spinach

Calories: 202

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Apple Sangria

Yunhee Kim
Ingredients: apples, apple juice, apple-cranberry juice, Calvados, seltzer, dry white wine

Calories: 195

Try this recipe: Apple Sangria

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Updated Waldorf Salad

Use low-fat mayo mixed with apples, grapes, dried cranberries, celery, and walnuts for this chunky salad that renews a classic and curbs mid-afternoon hunger.

This dish delivers a serving of low-purine nuts and fruits. Plus, apples, grapes, and cranberries all contain malic acid, which may counter gout-promoting uric acid in your body.

Calories: 153

Try this recipe: Updated Waldorf Salad

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Caramelized Pork Loin With Apples

The tartness of Granny Smith apples is the perfect contrast to this spicy pork. And you can get all the flavor for only 7 grams of fat.

Ingredients: Brown sugar, cumin, ground red pepper, garlic, pork loin, onions, balsamic vinegar, butter, Granny Smith apples, Rome apples

Calories: 199

Try this recipe: Caramelized Pork Loin With Apples
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Baked Apple Fritters

Yunhee Kim
Ingredients: Dough: active dry yeast, 1% low-fat milk, all-purpose flour, granulated sugar, honey, butter, teaspoon salt, egg Filling: butter, apple, apple juice, ground cinnamon Glaze: powdered sugar, honey, apple juice, ground cinnamon

Calories: 214

Try this recipe: Baked Apple Fritters

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Apple-Mascarpone Parfaits

Becky Luigart-Stayner
Mascarpone is a soft, creamy cheese with a distinct, rich flavor. This recipe combines it with cottage cheese to cut down on fat, and the cheese mixture enhances the tartness of the Granny Smith apples while still bringing the dessert together with its smooth texture.

Ingredients: Butter, Granny Smith apples, brown sugar, lime juice, ground ginger, cottage cheese, mascarpone, sugar, vanilla extract

Calories: 265

Try this recipe: Apple-Mascarpone Parfaits

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Apple Slaw

Try this healthy version of coleslaw for a sweet and crunchy side. At only 2 grams of fat and 10 grams of carbs per serving, it's the perfect complement to any barbecue dish.

Try this recipe: Apple Slaw
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Warm Apple and Rum Raisin Topping

This delish dessert is super easy to make. Just saute apples and butter in a skillet over medium heat, along with cinnamon and lemon juice. Add rum and golden raisins. Cool, and serve over vanilla ice cream or yogurt, or even on pancakes!

Ingredients: rum, golden raisins, butter, Cortland or McIntosh apples, cinnamon, lemon juice, vanilla ice cream or yogurt

Try this recipe: Warm Apple and Rum Raisin Topping

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Cheddar and Apple Melt

Jim Bathie
A great way to enjoy apples, and a snack even the kids will love!

Ingredients: shredded Cheddar cheese, apples, corn tortillas

Try this recipe: Cheddar and Apple Melt

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Apple-Sesame Chicken

Oxmoor House
Stir-fry with apples? Yes, please. This tasty dish combines healthy ingredients like apples and chicken with curry powder and sesame seeds for a simple and hearty meal. Tip: Use brown rice and low-sodium soy sauce for an even healthier dish.

Try this recipe: Apple-Sesame Chicken
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Classic Apple Pie

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Almost better than mom’s! At less than 300 calories per slice, this delicious take on classic apple pie cuts the sugar and lets the fresh flavors of sweet, tart apples shine.

  Try this recipe: Classic Apple Pie

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Butternut Squash and Apple Soup

Antonis Achilleos

This creamy soup is light on calories but rich in antioxidants. Serve it in mini pumpkins.

Try this recipe: Butternut Squash and Apple Soup

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Caramel Apple Pie

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Tart Granny Smith apples are a nice contrast to the sticky-sweet caramel syrup. Plus, oats add a boost of filling fiber.

Ingredients: Refrigerated pie dough, sugar, cornstarch, cinnamon, salt, nutmeg, Granny Smith apples, fat-free caramel sundae syrup, flour, brown sugar, butter, oats

Calories: 276 per slice

Try this recipe: Caramel Apple Pie
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Apple-Maple Galette

Yunhee Kim
Ingredients: Crust: all-purpose flour, granulated sugar, salt, cold butter, vegetable oil, apple cider Filling: apples, fresh lemon juice, brown sugar, maple syrup, all-purpose flour, unsalted butter, egg white, coarse sanding sugar

Calories 294

Try this recipe: Apple-Maple Galette

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Pork Loin With Apple-Cranberry Chutney

Yunhee Kim
Ingredients: olive oil, boneless pork loin, kosher salt, pepper, reduced-sodium bacon, leek, apples, fresh cranberries, honey, fresh rosemary, lemon juice

Calories: 291

Try this recipe: Pork Loin With Apple-Cranberry Chutney

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Spiced Pickled Apples

Yunhee Kim
Ingredients: apple-cider vinegar, sugar, kosher salt, ginger, allspice berries, whole peppercorns, cinnamon sticks, star anise, lady apples

Calories: 148

Try this recipe: Spiced Pickled Apples
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Spiced Apple Cider

Istockphoto
This tangy, fat-free beverage is ready in just 20 minutes. Cinnamon gives this hot drink a fragrant flavor and has the added health benefits of preventing blood clotting and controlling blood sugar. Enjoy as a delicious spirit for a winter party or omit the alcohol and enjoy in the afternoon with the kids.

Try this recipe: Spiced Apple Cider

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Apple-Cranberry Bake With Streusel Topping

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The flavors of fall reign supreme in this tart treat. Cranberries are naturally low in calories and rich in fiber, vitamin C, and cancer-fighting antioxidants.

Ingredients: Cranberry juice cocktail, sugar, cranberries, red currant jelly, butter, Rome apples, water, flour, brown sugar, walnuts

Calories: 191 per slice

Try this recipe: Apple-Cranberry Bake With Streusel Topping

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Double Apple Crumble

Worried about pie presentation? Dole out individual servings of this warming fall treat instead. A hint of butter gives this dessert a full, rich flavor without loading up on fat.

Ingredients: Braeburn apples, apple butter, flour, oats, brown sugar, cinnamon, salt, butter, pecans

Calories: 251 per slice

Try this recipe: Double Apple Crumble
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Surprisingly Light Apple Pie

Whip up this versatile version with Winesap, Northern Spy, Golden Delicious, or Braeburn apples. Or use a combination of a few of your favorites to give a better texture to your filling. The result? A slice that's 155 calories lighter than traditional pies!

Ingredients: Flour, sugar, salt, unsalted butter, fat-free shortening, water, apples, honey, lemon juice, cinnamon

Calories: 319 per slice

Try this recipe: Surprisingly Light Apple Pie

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Apple Spice Cake

Spices are a diet-friendly way to enhance flavor without adding calories or fat, and they can even benefit your health. The vegetable oil and low-fat buttermilk in this recipe cut out loads of buttery fat from traditional versions.

Ingredients: Brown sugar, fat-free cream cheese, vegetable oil, vanilla extract, eggs, flour, baking soda, cinnamon, salt, cloves, nutmeg, low-fat buttermilk, Braeburn apples, brandy (optional), powdered sugar

Calories: 205 per slice

Try this recipe: Apple Spice Cake

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Ultimate Apple Pie

Yes, you can eat pie à la mode eve when on a diet! This slice has only 4 grams of fat—15 less than some traditional recipes—and still boasts a tender, flaky crust. A mix of Gala and Granny Smith apples guarantees a perfect filling.

Ingredients: Flour, whole-wheat flour, baking powder, sugar, salt, unsalted butter, reduced-fat cream cheese, water, lemons, Gala and Granny Smith apples, brown sugar, vanilla extract, cinnamon, nutmeg, egg, low-fat vanilla ice cream

Calories: 260 per slice

Try this recipe: Ultimate Apple Pie
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Lightened Waldorf Salad

By using fat-free mayonnaise and fat-free yogurt, you can cut back on cholesterol and fat. The lighter the dressing, the more you can taste the fruity and nutty flavors.

Try this recipe: Lightened Waldorf Salad

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Warm Apple-Buttermilk Custard Pie

This tasty treat will be a family favorite. Fat-free buttermilk makes a perfect substitution for normal butter-laden pies, and tart Granny Smith apples pack plenty of flavor. The blend of the the buttery streusel and the calorie-conscious filling leaves your sweet tooth satisfied and your healthy diet intact. Plus, this recipe calls for a refrigerated pie crust—perfect for beginner bakers.

Try this recipe: Warm Apple-Buttermilk Custard Pie
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