Try this healthy dessert recipe with apples and granola, which converts into a dessert with a scoop of ice cream or a healthy breakfast item without the cream or ice cream.

Granola stuffed steamed apples

With winter, around and the need to have sugary and high calorific foods, many of us are lured into having desserts that are high in calorie and not adequate in nutritional value. To satisfy your sweet tooth cravings and ensure that your system gets benefited as well, here is a unique recipe that combines the goodness of apples and granola. This recipe imbibes the slow cooking technique which preserves the nutritional goodness of the ingredients as the food gets cooked over time and in a slow heat method. This recipe could be used for dessert as well as for breakfast if you remove the ice cream component.

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Ingredients to use

  • Five gala apples, medium sized
  • Five cups of granola, the cinnamon flavored mix would go well
  • Two tablespoons of melted butter
  • Five teaspoons of maple syrup
  • Ice cream or whipped cream

How to make

You can start with the Gala apples, medium sized or opt for any other apple variety. You need to begin by cutting off the tops and then cut them out with a melon baller or a round teaspoon. When you are cooking in the slow cooker, it is best to opt for granola as the crispiness of the cereals is maintained. You can drizzle some melted butter on the apples and then add in maple syrup before putting granola all over them.

The slow cooker will do the rest; all you need to do is cover the cooker and set it on high. Allow the apples to steam inside the cooker for about two and a half hours. You could check in between to ensure that the apples have become tender but are not falling apart. You can then add on ice cream or pile on whipped cream to serve them as nutritious dessert.

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Nutritional benefits

For those who are trying to lay off the fat, they might frown upon many of the items mentioned in the recipe. However, these can be easily substituted. At the same time, the nutritional goodness of apples and granola cannot be overlooked. Apples are rich in antioxidants, flavonoids, vitamins and necessary dietary fiber. With granola mix you will get the nutrition of nuts like almonds and walnuts, which offer essential fats and omega-3 fatty acids in order to boost your cardiac health. Of course, you cannot ignore the high sugar value of these cereals or the calories included in maple syrup or butter. However, if your dinner is lean, having a steamed apple with granola for dessert without the cream or ice cream would surely be a good idea. It is also a healthy dessert or breakfast item to serve your kids, especially if it is difficult to get them to eat apples or granola which is good for them. Tempt them with ice cream on the side and you can be sure that they are eating something nutritious and filling for a change. Here is Another Easy Breakfast Recipe: Orange and Berry Smoothie for Your Breakfast.