Simple Baked Apples

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Usher in fall with these wholesome, nutrient dense baked apples. They make a great after school snack or can be a part of a healthy breakfast. Add an optional topping to kick it up a notch into a healthy dessert you could serve to company.

4
4 medium baking apples, (such as Granny Smith, Joangold, Braeburn, or Honeycrisp)
1 tablespoon Natural Grocers bulk shredded coconut
3 tablespoons Natural Grocers bulk pecans or walnuts, chopped
2 tablespoons Natural Grocers bulk raisins, coarsely chopped
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1 pinch sea salt
2 tablespoons Natural Grocers maple syrup, optional
1 1⁄2 tablespoons butter or coconut oil
  Optional toppings:, whipped cream, ice cream, lightly sweetened coconut cream, or vanilla yogurt
  1. Preheat oven to 375°F.
  2. Cut each apple in half and trim away the stem and blossom ends. Using a small spoon, scoop out the center of the apples where the seeds are and discard. Then scoop out some of the apple flesh into a bowl, leaving about a ¼-inch of apple to create a “bowl” from each half. Set apple bowls cut-side down in a baking dish.
  3. To make the filling, coarsely chop the apple pulp you scooped out and combine it with the coconut, nuts, raisins, cinnamon, salt, and maple syrup. Mix the ingredients well.
  4. Divide the filling among the apple bowls, using a spoon to gently press the filling into each bowl. Use all the mixture, heaping it up if necessary.
  5. Place the filled apple bowls carefully into a baking dish. Top each with a thin slice of butter or about ½ teaspoon of coconut oil. Cover the dish with foil and bake for 20 minutes. Carefully remove the foil from the baking dish (watch out for hot steam!) and return the apples to the oven to bake for another 10-15 minutes, until apples are soft and the topping is just browned.

Source: Heather Pratt