I Am An Apple - Just ONE!

You’ve heard the story of Adam and Eve, and how they were kicked out of the Garden of Eden for swiping an apple. Well, I know why they did it – apples are good for you! Those crazy kids just wanted a little bite of the bountiful, a jolt of the juicy, and frankly I don’t blame them one little bit. Before I go any further, I guess introductions are in order. My name is Adam – I know, I know, I get that a lot. An apple named Adam, it’s kind of like a cat named Tom, or a dog named Chili. You just can’t make stuff like this up. Anyway, I’m Adam, and it’s nice to make your acquaintance.

History 
While my most famous ancestor was a product of the spectacular one-tree orchard back in Eden, most of my relatives originated in western Asia. While most of us have calmed down over the years and become domesticated, I still have a cousin, the Alma, that continues to grow, wild and free, in mountainous Kazakhstan (alma actually means apple in Kazakhstani). Never suggest to a resident of Almaty, or any other town or village in Kazakhstan, that the Okanagan or Annapolis valleys, or beautiful downtown Yakima is “the apple capital of the world” – trust me, you’ll be in big trouble if you do. I don’t mean to sound immodest, but we apples really are the rock stars of fruit. Back in the day, Gaia (aka Mother Earth) presented a golden apple tree to Zeus and his blushing bride, Hera, on their wedding day. These apples became associated with many tales of love, lust, and temptation. I suspect the fact we were considered a romantic fruit (don’t laugh, we were!) is why no good meal was complete without an apple for… dessert. Later, in the mountains of Jotunheim, where winters make Winnipeg in January seem like Tahiti on a particularly warm day, the Norse goddess Idun managed to cultivate her own golden apples, a steady supply of which kept gods like Thor and Odin and their pals eternally young. Which I suspect led to the saying, “How do you like them apples?”every time a ripped and youthful Thor brought his hammer down on some tired, old non-Norse god’s head. The ancient Persians, followed by the Greeks, then the Romans, considered apples the very personification of pleasure (that has a nice ring to it, doesn’t it? You won’t hear anything like that said of, say, bananas). Wealthy Persians created walled apple gardens, and called them pairidaeza. The Greeks and Romans followed suit – in Latin they were called pardisus. Sounds like paradise to me. It was the Romans who, in the process of conquering most of Europe, brought apples along with legions and flush toilets. The Roman poet Horace noted in 100 B.C. that the perfect meal starts with eggs, and ends with us. While we’ve inspired lots of love and gastronomic delight over the centuries, we’ve also stimulated the odd brain cell. For example, it took one of my relatives to finally get fed up and fall on the head of Sir Isaac Newton back in 1655 to provide the inspiration for the discovery of the laws of gravitation. And if it weren’t for us, I shudder to think how teachers would make it through a school year (and no teachers, no Isaac Newtons).
We were brought to North America in the 1600s by European immigrants – if I remember
correctly, the first apple orchard on the North American continent was planted near Boston in
1625. Now of course you can find us in virtually every state and province in the USA and Canada.
Not to mention much of the rest of the world. From our modest, hard-scrabble beginnings in the
mountains of Kazakhstan, there are now almost 7,000 varieties of domesticated apples on the
planet. Mind-boggling, isn’t it?

Health
Remember the saying, “An apple a day keeps the doctor away?” Well, like many sayings,
this one happens to be true. We are, in fact, very good for you. Researchers have suggested we may
reduce the risk of colon, prostate, and lung cancers. We’re a rich source of antioxidant compounds.
We may also help combat heart disease, promote weight loss, and assist in controlling
cholesterol. Our fiber reduces cholesterol by preventing reabsorption. My green cousins can act
as a liver and gall bladder cleanser, and may even aid in softening gallstones. Because of our high
water content, we’re cooling and moistening, and can aid in reducing fever -- just grate us and
serve to the patient. Steamed apples sweetened with honey are beneficial for a dry cough, and may
help remove mucous from the lungs.
Our flavour is a magical blend of tartness, sweetness, and bitterness, capped by a heady
aroma, a mysterious blend of 250 trace chemicals, that awakens the senses and turns one’s thoughts
to… (remember, we’re a highly romantic fruit). But that’s not all. Eating us raw gives the gums
a healthy massage and cleans the teeth. And as if all that wasn’t enough, we’re a good source of
potassium, folic acid, and vitamin C. We also have trace amounts of B vitamins, iron, magnesium,
and zinc for good measure.
I could go on but I don’t want you to think I’m bragging. So I’ll stop with the back-slapping
and pass on some ideas for ways you can eat me. When you toss me into a salad, my little
bursts of sweetness will make said salad special. Slice me on top of your peanut butter sandwich
to give it some sweet crunch and provide a pleasantly contrasting flavor. Make a vegan Waldorf
salad with diced apples, diced celery, raisins, and vegan mayonnaise. If you’re fortunate enough
to have a juicer in your kitchen, you can enjoy fresh apple juice throughout the year (yum). And in
case you’re felling a little frisky, try some of these easy recipes featuring yours truly. Enjoy me for
your health. Enjoy me for the sheer fun of it!

Adam Apple

Nutritional Apple Recipes


ROZIE’S APPLE COFFEE CAKE
1 1/3 Cups (320mL) flour
¾ (180mL) cups sugar
3 tsp (15mL) baking powder
¼ tsp (1mL) salt
¼ Cup (60mL) butter or margarine (room temp)
1 whole egg, beaten or use 4 Tbsp (60mL) liquid egg whites
¾ Cup (180mL) milk
1 tsp (5mL) vanilla extract.
2-3 cooking apples, peeled and sliced. Add a squeeze of lemon juice or orange juice to prevent apples from turning brown.
Topping
1/3 Cup (80ml) brown sugar
½ tsp (2ml) cinnamon
Place flour, sugar, baking powder and salt in a large bowl. Cut in or rub butter into flour mixture until it is crumbly. Make a well in the center. In another bowl, beat eggs until frothy. Add milk and vanilla. Pour into well. Stir just enough to moisten. Place into a greased 8x8 inch (20x20 cm) cake pan. Arrange sliced apples on top of batter, slightly pushing them into the batter. Sprinkle brown sugar and cinnamon mix over top of the apples. Bake in a 350° F (180° C) oven for 35-45 min. Every oven bakes differently so watch for it to brown nicely and that apples are tender.
Rose-Marie MacPherson Strathmore, Alberta


BAKED APPLE SALMON STEAKS
2 salmon steaks
1 large apple, chopped
1 onion chopped
3 Tbsp (45mL) balsamic vinegar
2 Tbsp (30 mL) lemon juice
Place salmon separately on 2 tinfoil sheets large enough to
fold and seal salmon. Add chopped apple and onion, divided
evenly between salmon steaks. Pour balsamic vinegar and
lemon juice over salmon, apple, and lemon mixture. Wrap
tightly in foil so juice and steam do not escape. Place on
baking pan and bake in 350° F oven for about 20 minutes.
Susan Kane – Strathmore, Alberta

APPLE CRANBERRY CRISP
Filling:
5 medium apples
1 can (398 mL) whole cranberry sauce
¾ Cup (180 mL) sugar
2 Tbsp (30 mL) all purpose flour
Topping:
½ Cup (120 mL) grated nuts of your choice
1 Cup (240 mL) rolled oats
5 Tbsp (75mL) packed brown sugar
1 tsp (5 mL) cinnamon
¼ Cup (60 mL) melted butter
Preheat oven to 375° F. For filling, peel and core apples,
then slice. Combine cranberry sauce, sugar, and flour in
bowl. Mix well. Pour cranberry mixture over apples in baking
pan. Combine nuts, oats, brown sugar, flour, cinnamon,
and melted butter. Mix well. Sprinkle over mixture. Bake
35-40 minutes or until fruit is tender. Serve over your favourite
low-cal ice cream.
Sandie Zobell – Chestermere, Alberta

Introduction

Change is often difficult -- I find it often takes a long time just to decide to think about making a change. In my life, change has only happened when I’ve felt I had no other choice and my health was at risk. Like most everyone, I tend to plug along, thinking that will never happen to me, until... surprise!
This book was inspired by such a need for change in my own life, and the desire to share and hopefully inspire other people to make healthier decisions in theirs. This is the first in a series of I am a... books -- we plan several more, including one covering nuts, seeds, grains, and beans, and another that focuses on herbs, spices, and teas.
The contents of this first book include every I am a... article published in The Newsy Neighbour magazine over the past few years. For those of you not familiar with this publication, Newsy Neighbour is a rural magazine published since 2008 in Alberta. It was inspired by my daughter, Aleesha, whose determination and imagination has kept the magazine growing ever since. Each original article touched on the history and health benefits of individual fruits and vegetables, with some terrific recipes thrown in. This same material has been honed, and some wonderful recipes submitted by our readers added, in the making of this book.
When I first started writing the articles, reader feedback made it clear that many people are excited about learning how to eat more healthily. Fruits and vegetables are more than simply delicious. Many are disease-fighting powerhouses. For example, the best diet for preventing or fighting cancer is one predominantly based on vegetables, fruits, and whole grains. It comes down to this: plants have less fat, more fiber, and more nutrients. These three elements work together to support our immune system, and help our bodies fight off ailments.
Regularly eating antioxidant-rich foods is one of the best -- and easiest -- ways to prevent disease and premature aging. Foods high in antioxidants provide naturally occurring vitamins, minerals, and phytochemicals that can help protect cells against damage by free radicals and other harmful compounds.
The National Cancer Institute estimates that roughly one-third of all cancer deaths may be diet related. What you eat can hurt you, but it can also help you. Many of the common foods found in grocery stores or organic markets contain cancer-fighting properties, from the antioxidants that neutralize free radical damage, to the powerful phytochemicals, whose healing capacities scientists are just beginning to explore.
This book is filled with nutritional information and tips, all designed to explain how the fruits and vegetables featured in these pages promote health and prevent disease. Wrong foods place an enormous amount of stress on the body, causing cells to become acidic, high in sugar, and potentially cancerous during the dividing process. It is important to adopt an alkaline diet, one filled with raw fruits and vegetables.
My hope is by publishing a book about the health benefits of fruits and vegetables in a fun and upbeat way, in a format that includes easy-to-follow recipes, readers will be inspired to take that first empowering step toward a healthier lifestyle, for themselves and their families.
Kathryn Hartwell

Book Cover