Apple immune-booster dessert (aka stewed apple!)

This dessert is a delicious but fantastic way to help regulate your immune system by feeding your good gut bacteria.  Sweeten it if you like with some stevia drops.  The reason for the skin is it provides more polyphenols (immune-supporting plant compounds).  If your apples are not organic it’s best to discard the skin.  In the Autumn, I like to make up a ton of this and bottle it in sterile jars to keep in the larder.  A dollop on your morning porridge, or eat with some natural coconut or dairy yoghurt as a dessert, you decide.  I also use it for apple sauce with duck or outdoor-reared pork.  Once I have opened a jar, I keep it in the fridge for up to 4 days.

 

 

 

 

 

For 4 servings:

4 medium organic apples (or cooking apples), washed
A little water
Half teaspoon Ceylon/Sri Lanka cinnamon (“cinnamon” sold where it doesn’t specify the type will in fact be cassia cinnamon, which doesn’t have the health benefits).

1. Grate off some of the skin of the apples and put in a saucepan with a little water.  2.Peel and slice the rest and add to the pan.  Cover and stew gently until the apples are softened and starting to fall apart.  This usually takes at least 15 minutes.  They are done when the tip of a knife goes through them with no resistance.
3. Remove from the heat and stir in a half teaspoon or more of Ceylon cinnamon.
4. If it’s not sweet enough for you, add some stevia, xylitol or erythritol.

Why this is good for you
These days, lots of us have health conditions where our immune system is out of control.  Allergies, asthma, eczema, colitis and Crohn’s, autoimmune hypothyroidism are just some examples.  Stewed apple may be one of the most perfect foods for helping your good gut bacteria grow in order to dampen down an out-of-control immune system.  Naturally we need LOTS of different plant foods in our week to foster a wide variety of good bacteria.  But stewed apple is a great start, especially if you are someone who can’t tolerate raw fruit at the moment.

Apples naturally contain sugar so it’s better not to have huge amounts of this – just the equivalent of one medium apple is the amount you want as a dessert, otherwise you are overloading with sugars.  Too many sugars, even natural ones, slow down your liver function and immune system.