Apples in the Fall always remind me of when I was a kid. My mother would bring home these large boxes full of bright Red Delicious apples and my brother, sister, and I would get so excited! These apples were perfectly crisp, sweet, and juicy.
I love apples, but they are something you have to eat quickly. If you bite or cut an apple and leave it sitting it will turn brown. Blah, the yucky brown apple. When you cut an apple they come in contact with oxygen and the polyphenol oxidase enzyme gets activated and the flesh of the apple oxidizes. Most of the time this is undesirable because it reduces the visual appeal, so often lemon juice, which naturally contains antioxidants, is used to coat apple slices and slow enzymatic browning.
Well, I was in the store choosing apples when I read a sign that listed the apple trait as slow-browning. Apple growers or breeders (not sure what you call them) have combined a couple apple varieties to produce an apple that doesn’t brown as rapidly. Oh but now, a company in Canada has genetically engineered an apple that doesn’t ever turn brown when sliced. They have added a synthetic gene to prevent the oxidation. Saaay Whaaat?! Think I’ll stick with my regular apples 🙂
I love Spelt tortillas and am always looking for different ways to use them. I like whole wheat tortillas too, but think these have a milder flavor that will not over power the food.
Spelt is an ancient grain related to wheat. It grows well without the use of pesticides or fertilizers, so is often sold as an organic food. Spelt has a light nutty flavor and is easier to digest than wheat (spelt is not gluten-free). It is a good source of protein, thiamine, riboflavin, copper, iron, magnesium, zinc and soluble fiber.
Spelt is a good source of fiber, which can help reduce cholesterol levels. These tortillas are whole grain so you get the benefits of the endosperm and bran 😀 That means you get B vitamins, antioxidants, iron, zinc, magnesium and fiber.
Apples are everywhere. I walked in the store and right away, I see apples. So many apples and so many different varieties! I used some self-control and only bought a few. 😀 I chose some Jazz apples. These are a combination of Gala and Braeburn. They have a sweet and slightly tart flavor. They are delicious eaten plain, but turn them into a dessert and they are heavenly.
Start off by slicing the apples. Leave the skins on, they have a pretty color and you’ll get a little extra fiber. Mix the apples with some lemon and sugar. This dessert is pretty simple and cooks quickly.
Cook apple mixture over medium-high heat just until tender. I like the apples to still be slightly firm. I’m not a fan of smushy apples.
Assemble the quesadilla buy heating a tortilla. Add some of the cream mixture. Top with some apples, fold and toast each side of quesadilla. Sprinkle some cinnamon sugar on top and prepared to be amazed.
- 4 medium Jazz apples, thinly sliced
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
- ¼ cup sugar, divided
- 1 (8-ounce) package reduced-fat cream cheese, softened
- 1 (14-ounce) can fat-free sweetened condensed milk
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 6 spelt tortillas
- 2 oz chopped walnuts, toasted
- 1 tsp ground cinnamon
- In a small bowl combine sliced apples with lemon juice and 3 tablespoons of sugar.
- Heat a large non-stick skillet over medium heat. Coat pan with cooking spray. Add apples and cook just until tender. Transfer apple mixture back to bowl, and set aside. Wipe the skillet clean with a damp paper towel. Return skillet to stove top and heat on medium low.
- Combine cream cheese, condensed milk, and vanilla in a medium bowl. Whisk until smooth.
- Place 1 tortilla in skillet coated with cooking spray over medium low heat; spread with about 2 tablespoons of cream mixture. Heat for a minute.
- Layer some apples on one half of tortilla. Sprinkle with about a few walnuts.
- Fold tortilla in half; cook on each side until browned. Prepare remaining tortillas in the same manner.
- In a small bowl stir together the remaining sugar and cinnamon. Sprinkle over warm quesadillas.
- Cut each quesadilla into 4 wedges.
You have got to try this recipe. It is so simple and these quesadillas are amazing! Every bite is a crispy crunch of the tortilla followed by creamy apple filling.
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Source:
http://www.nytimes.com/2012/07/13/business/growers-fret-over-a-new-apple-that-wont-turn-brown.html?pagewanted=all