Lunch: Baked Apples with Apricot Glaze

I wish I could say Baked Apples with Apricot Glaze are the perfect dessert for these chilly late-September nights, but it’s currently 73ºF in New York City. One more time: 73ºF. The name of the month doesn’t group it into the “summer” category. And the te

This recipe includes fertility superfoods such as:

Cinnamon, Lemon, Cranberries, Apples, Nuts, Walnuts

Health and fertility benefits of Baked Apples with Apricot Glaze

Cinnamon is one of the best ingredients that someone with insulin sensitivity can eat. Half a teaspoon of cinnamon per day has been shown to be very effective at normalizing blood sugar levels. Cinnamon contains hydroxychalcone, which is thought to enhance the effects of insulin. It has also been suggested that Cinnamon prevents post-meal blood sugar spikes by slowing the gastric emptying rate - meaning that food digests slowly. (Reference: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/11506060). Lemons can help to prevent oxidative damage to the body, which women with PCOS are often susceptible to. Researchers believe that cranberries contain substances that prevent infection-causing bacteria from sticking to the urinary tract walls. However, store-bought cranberry juice is typically all sugar - so make sure to stick with straight cranberries. Apples will improve your body's sensitivity to insulin (Reference: http://care.diabetesjournals.org/content/27/1/281.full) Nuts are a natural source of Inositol, a derivative of Vitamin B (which is often prescribed in the form of supplements for women with PCOS). Inositol can effectively control the symptoms of PCOS by reducing insulin resistance and improving insulin sensitivity. Walnuts are low on the glycemic index. What’s more, they also lower the glycemic index of other foods that you eat in conjunction with these nuts. Any kind of nuts provide a healthy source of fat and a great way to encourage PCOS weight loss.

Ingredients

2 large McIntosh apples
1/2 lemon
2 Tablespoons dried cranberries
1/4 cup chopped walnuts
1/4 cup dark brown sugar
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
3 Tablespoons apricot preserves
2 Tablespoons water
Unsalted butter

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 350 ºF.
Carefully core the apples by cutting around the top stem and removing all but the bottom 1/2-inch of the core (if you remove the entire core, the filling will fall out).
Remove the top one-third of the skin by scoring a line around the entire apple, then peeling away the skin. Rub the exposed flesh with the lemon to prevent it from browning. Repeat the process with the second apple.
Place the prepared apples in individual baking dishes or in one larger baking dish (if using individual dishes, place them on a sheet tray for easier handling). Combine the dried cranberries, chopped walnuts, dark brown sugar and cinnamon in a small bowl, then fill each cored apple by packing it firmly with half of the mixture. Top each apple with a pat of butter.
Whisk together the apricot preserves and water in a small saucepan over low heat, just until the preserves melt.
Pour half of the preserves over each apple then transfer them to the oven.
Bake the apples for 35 to 40 minutes.
Serve the baked apples warm and paired with vanilla bean ice cream.

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