5 ways to use up your old apples
Did you know that there are over 7,500 apple varieties around the world?
An apple a day, keeps the doctors away? Whilst they might be holding the fort in keeping our health in good check, we’re not exactly doing our part in keeping their waste at bay. In terms of the most wasted foods in a household, apples actually take a place in the top 5.
The apple - the fourth most consumed fruit worldwide. Yet over 1.3 million of this fruit is discarded every year. Why? Unfortunately, the fruit industry is tough when it comes to looks… But isn’t what's in the core that matters? Jokes aside, apples face some of the highest cosmetic standards in the produce industry. Variation in colour, size, weight or even a tiny blemish are some of the imperfections that are picked on, despite them being only skin deep. So let’s play our part in not letting the appearance deceive us when we are next buying them - simply cut out the bits that seem un-apple-ing to you and enjoy the rest!
Another tip to avoid wasting our beloved fruit is proper storage. Store them in a cold, dark and ventilated place to make them last longer. And if possible, try not to let them touch each other.
And in case you just haven’t had the chance to go through them all and they have started to lost their crunch, then fear not. Today’s Tuesday Tips blog has got you covered.
Zero-waste applesauce & apple cider vinegar
This recipe is in two folds. The first part of the recipe calls for a delicious homemade applesauce using the ‘flesh’ of the apple. This is such a great way to use up old apples; in this case, looks seriously don't matter and your tastebuds are in for a good ride. Plus you get to make an applesauce that is so much healthier without preservatives and without having to buy it plastic containers from the stores. The second part of this recipe is using the peels and cores from the apples used for the sauce, to make your own zero-waste apple cider vinegar. There is a multitude of benefits with apple cider vinegar and it can be used in a variety of recipes (as a glaze or sauce, salad dressing or even a drink!).
NB: you can use this apple cider vinegar recipe for whenever you next need to upcycle your apple scraps (including the recipes shared below).
Cinnamon apple oat muffins
We love a good muffin recipe. Muffins are just the perfect on-the-go snack and they come in so many different flavours, from sweet to savoury. But today we are leaning towards the sweet side. This recipe uses up the imperfect apples and turns them into perfect muffins with a extra crumbly topping. YUM.
Apple butter
Wait, did someone say apple BUTTER? Everything tastes butter with butter (not a typo, sorry). Apple butter is basically applesauce that has been cooked down for longer, basically caramelised if you will. And it can be used in anything that your heart desires. Whether it's incorporating it into other desserts or enjoyed simply with a scoop (or two) of vanilla ice cream, this is the spread you never knew you needed.
Apple dumpling pie
If you are looking for THE heart-warming apple dessert recipe, then this apple dumpling pie is for you. Comforting and golden, enjoy this recipe warm to get the maximum level of dopamine (not scientifically proven but surely an amazing dessert does that to us, right?). Plus it's so easy to make that our waistlines should actually be worried.
