written by Rebecca Budde, SIU School of Medicine
For some people, harvest time means the end of summer’s bounty of fresh, sweet fruits and berries. But fall has its own crop of delightful options. Apples, pumpkins and grapes, three fruity favorites that thrive this time of year, can be just as delicious and nutritious as their summer competitors.
Apples: With more than 7,500 different types of apples, this power-fruit can work wonders for your health. With very few calories, no fat and only a trace of sodium, one medium apple counts for about 20% of the USDA’s daily recommendation of fiber. It’s also a great source of vitamin C.
Pumpkin: The bright orange fruit isn’t just good for pie; it’s full of potassium, B-vitamins and beta-carotene, which is converted to vitamin A in the body. A diet rich in foods containing beta-carotene may reduce the risk of developing certain types of cancer and offers protect against heart disease, according to SIU dietitian Sara Lopinski. Illinois produces more pumpkins than any other state, so have a pie and support the local economy.
Grapes: Also low in calories and fat-free, these bite-sized babies are a wonderful source of vitamins C, A and K, carotenes and B-complex vitamins such as pyridoxine, riboflavin and thiamin. Grapes are rich in a compound known as resveratrol, an anti-oxidant found to help fight cancer, heart disease, stroke and Alzheimer’s disease.
Here are a few recipes to try with these fall favorites:
Easy baked apples with walnuts and raisins (optional) Adapted from a recipe from The American Institute for Cancer Research
makes 6 servings
Per serving: 151 calories, 3.5 g total fat (<1 g saturated fat), 31 g carbohydrate, 2 g protein, 4 g dietary fiber, 5 mg sodium.
Canola oil cooking spray
3 large Granny Smith apples or any variety baking apple
3 Tbsp. whole-wheat flour
3 Tbsp. brown sugar
3/4-1 tsp. ground cinnamon
1/4-1/2 tsp. ground nutmeg
1/3 cup coarsely chopped walnuts
1/4 cup raisins
1/3 cup apple cider
Directions
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spray glass pie dish with non-stick spray.
2. Cut apples in half from top to bottom, core and peel. Lay halves flat and cut into medium slices. Place apple slices in large bowl.
3. In medium bowl, mix together flour, sugar, cinnamon and nutmeg. Sprinkle mixture on apples and gently stir until apples are evenly coated with spices. Gently fold in walnuts and raisins.
4. Spoon apple mixture into prepared pie dish. Drizzle cider evenly over top.
5. Bake 50-55 minutes or until apples are tender. Remove from oven and cool 5 minutes. Using spatula, carefully turn over apple mixture to get caramelized sauce from bottom of dish. Serve hot or let cool to  room temperature, refrigerate and serve cold later.
Pumpkin pie protein smoothie
1 frozen banana
1/2 cup (120g) vanilla Greek yogurt
1/4 tsp. ground cinnamon
1/4 tsp. pumpkin pie spice
1/2 cup (120ml) skim milk
2 Tbsp. (30ml) pure maple syrup
2/3 cup (150g) pumpkin puree (canned or fresh)
1 cup ice
Add all of the ingredients to the blender in the order listed. Blend on high for at least 3 minutes or until smooth. Scrape down the sides of the blender as needed. Add more milk to thin out if it is too thick. Add a couple more ice cubes for a thicker texture, if desired. Add more spices to taste, if desired.
Grabba grape
Grapes are a great addition to any fruit salad, but for a fun, frozen snack, try freezing a small bowl of grapes. Now that’s an easy recipe!
copyright © SIU School of Medicine, Springfield, Illinois.