Diabetes Health Talk

Fall is in the air here in Alaska. We still have not had snow, which is fine with me. I imagine it may be a week or so before we do, but it is sure coming down the mountainsides quickly. We watch the snow line come further down each day and know that soon the clouds that are bringing rain to us and snow to the mountains will soon catch up to us and drop the white stuff.

So, it is time to turn the furnace on - or up in our case - hubby has been chilling lately and has turned the thermostat up to suit himself. In fact, he had to buy and install a new thermostat because the old one (same age as house - 30 years!) was just not working very well. We’d hear a click and then the furnace would run and then it would go off. Over and over again. Very annoying - and I’m sure that the gas company was charging us for each click, too.

ANYway . . . back to the fall and Alaska.

It’s time to at least bring the jackets to work in the car - if not wearing them. Sweaters are helping stave off the chill, too.

And, then there are the apples.

I was in a training all day today and will be again tomorrow. It is near my house so I figured I could run home at lunch time to have a cup of soup - but the powers that be catered in lunch for everyone. That was very nice and very unexpected.

There was salad, rolls, small new potatoes and chicken. Stuffed chicken. Chicken stuffed with an apple based stuffing. I tasted cinnamon and the apples and it made a quite nice addition to the baked chicken. Yum! I’m going to have to see who did the catering tomorrow if I can.

So, in honor of the fall and in honor of apples I decided to look for a good baked apple recipe to share with all of you tonight. This one looks YUMMY! Mint baked apples.

I used to fix baked apples for hubby and Lessa and her sister all the time. I think I may have to get some good baking apples this weekend.
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Mint baked apples
Preparation time: 15 minutes
Baking time: 40–50 minutes

2 large red baking apples (about 8 ounces each)
2 tablespoons brown sugar
2 tablespoons golden raisins
2 teaspoons chopped fresh mint leaves
2 teaspoons reduced-calorie margarine
Water

Preheat oven to 350°F. Core apples through the top, stopping 1/2 inch from the bottom. Peel a 1-inch strip off the top of each apple around the hole. Place apples in a shallow baking dish; set aside. In a small bowl, stir together brown sugar, raisins, and mint. Fill the apples with the raisin mixture. Top the raisin filling in each apple with 1 teaspoon margarine. Carefully pour 1/4 inch water around (not over) apples. Bake uncovered for 40–50 minutes, or until apples are tender when pierced with a fork. Remove apples from remaining water and serve warm or chilled.

Yield: 4 servings
Serving Size: 1/2 apple

Nutrition Facts
Per Serving:
Calories: 118
Carbohydrate: 27 g
Protein: <1 g
Fat: 1 g
Saturated fat: <1 g
Sodium: 20 mg
Fiber: 4 g
Exchanges per serving: 1 fruit, 1 other carbohydrate
Carbohydrate choices: 2

This recipe was developed by Tami Ross, a Diabetes Nutrition Specialist and Certified Diabetes Educator in Lexington, Kentucky.

diabetes, baked apple, apple, fall, alaska, nutrition