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Today, I'm sharing with you Apple-Pie Bars which are easy to make and they are perfect to grab N go. And if you cover them on top with Toffee Caramel which I've shared yesterday(recipe in the blog), it will be a three-layered bar!
The first layer is moist and soft filled with apples, the second one is crunchy with a salty wave, and the third is sweet and chewy...mmmm..incredibly delicious for a cup of coffee!
So, grab the recipe along with some benefits from apples!
1. Apples Are Nutritious
A medium apple — with a diameter of about 3 inches (7.6 centimeters) — equals 1.5 cups of fruit. Two cups of fruit daily are recommended on a 2,000-calorie diet.
One medium apple — 6.4 ounces or 182 grams — offers the following nutrients:
Calories: 95
Carbs: 25 grams
Fiber: 4 grams
Vitamin C: 14% of the Reference Daily Intake (RDI)
Potassium: 6% of the RDI
Vitamin K: 5% of the RDI
What’s more, the same serving provides 2–4% of the RDI for manganese, copper, and vitamins A, E, B1, B2, and B6.
Apples are also a rich source of polyphenols. While nutrition labels don’t list these plant compounds, they’re likely responsible for many of the health benefits.
To get the most out of apples, leave the skin on — it contains half of the fiber and many of the polyphenols.
2. Apples May Be Good for Weight Loss
Apples are high in fiber and water — two qualities that make them filling.
In one study, people who ate apple slices before a meal felt fuller than those who consumed applesauce, apple juice, or no apple products.
In the same study, those who started their meal with apple slices also ate an average of 200 fewer calories than those who didn’t.
In another 10-week study in 50 overweight women, participants who ate apples lost an average of 2 pounds (1 kg) and ate fewer calories overall, compared to those who ate oat cookies with a similar calorie and fiber content.
Researchers think that apples are more filling because they’re less energy-dense, yet still deliver fiber and volume.
Furthermore, some natural compounds in them may promote weight loss.
A study in obese mice found that those given a supplement of ground apples and apple juice concentrate lost more weight and had lower levels of “bad” LDL cholesterol, triglycerides, and total cholesterol than the control group.
3. Apples May Be Good for Your Heart
Apples have been linked to a lower risk of heart disease.
One reason may be that apples contain soluble fiber — the kind that can help lower your blood cholesterol levels.
They also contain polyphenols, which have antioxidant effects. Many of these are concentrated in the peel.
One of these polyphenols is the flavonoid epicatechin, which may lower blood pressure.
An analysis of studies found that high intakes of flavonoids were linked to a 20% lower risk of stroke.
Flavonoids can help prevent heart disease by lowering blood pressure, reducing “bad” LDL oxidation, and acting as antioxidants.
Another study comparing the effects of eating an apple a day to taking statins — a class of drugs known to lower cholesterol — concluded that apples would be almost as effective at reducing death from heart disease as the drugs.
However, since this was not a controlled trial, findings must be taken with a grain of salt.
Another study linked consuming white-fleshed fruits and vegetables, such as apples and pears, to a reduced risk of stroke. For every 25 grams — about 1/5 cup of apple slices — consumed, the risk of stroke decreased by 9%.
4. They’re Linked to a Lower Risk of Diabetes
Several studies have linked eating apples to a lower risk of type 2 diabetes.
In one large study, eating an apple a day was linked to a 28% lower risk of type 2 diabetes, compared to not eating any apples. Even eating just a few apples per week had a similarly protective effect.
It’s possible that the polyphenols in apples help prevent tissue damage to beta cells in your pancreas. Beta cells produce insulin in your body and are often damaged in people with type 2 diabetes.
5. They May Have Prebiotic Effects and Promote Good Gut Bacteria
Apples contain pectin, a type of fiber that acts as a prebiotic. This means it feeds the good bacteria in your gut.
Your small intestine doesn’t absorb fiber during digestion. Instead, it goes to your colon, where it can promote the growth of good bacteria. It also turns into other helpful compounds that circulate back through your body.
New research suggests that this may be the reason behind some of the protective effects of apples against obesity, type 2 diabetes, and heart disease.
6. Substances in Apples May Help Prevent Cancer
Test-tube studies have shown a link between plant compounds in apples and a lower risk of cancer.
Additionally, one study in women reported that eating apples were linked to lower rates of death from cancer.
Scientists believe that their antioxidant and anti-inflammatory effects may be responsible for their potential cancer-preventive effects.
7. Apples Contain Compounds That Can Help Fight Asthma
Antioxidant-rich apples may help protect your lungs from oxidative damage.
A large study in more than 68,000 women found that those who ate the most apples had the lowest risk of asthma. Eating about 15% of a large apple per day was linked to a 10% lower risk of this condition.
Apple skin contains the flavonoid quercetin, which can help regulate the immune system and reduce inflammation. These are two ways in which it may affect asthma and allergic reactions.
8. Apples May Be Good for Bone Health
Eating fruit is linked to higher bone density, which is a marker of bone health.
Researchers believe that the antioxidant and anti-inflammatory compounds in fruit may help promote bone density and strength.
Some studies show that apples, specifically, may positively affect bone health.
In one study, women ate a meal that either included fresh apples, peeled apples, applesauce, or no apple products. Those who ate apples lost less calcium from their bodies than the control group.
9. Apples May Protect Against Stomach Injury From NSAIDs
The class of painkillers known as nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) can injure the lining of your stomach.
A study in test tubes and rats found that freeze-dried apple extract helped protect stomach cells from injury due to NSAIDs.
Two plant compounds in apples — chlorogenic acid and catechin — are thought to be particularly helpful.
However, research in humans is needed to confirm these results.
10. Apples May Help Protect Your Brain
Most research focuses on apple peel and flesh.
However, apple juice may have benefits for age-related mental decline.
In animal studies, juice concentrate reduced harmful reactive oxygen species (ROS) in brain tissue and minimized mental decline.
Apple juice may help preserve acetylcholine, a neurotransmitter that can decline with age. Low levels of acetylcholine are linked to Alzheimer’s disease.
Similarly, researchers, who fed elderly rats whole apples found that a marker of the rats’ memory was restored to the level of younger rats.
That said, whole apples contain the same compounds as apple juice — and it is always a healthier choice to eat your fruit whole.*source
So let's jump to the recipe!
Prep: 15 min
Cook time: 25 min
Level: easy
Servings: 12 pieces
Calories per serving: 220 kcal
Find the recipe & nutrition facts below :
Ingredients:
1 1/2 cups of all-purpose flour
1/2 cup of any sweetener (better works with sugar) (100gr.)
2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
2 teaspoon cinnamon
1 tsp ginger
1/2 tsp nutmeg
1 tsp instant coffee (optional)
1 cup apple puree
1/2 cup plant milk
1/4 cup oil
1 tsp lemon juice
1 small chopped apple
For the streusel:
1/2 cup chopped walnuts(or almonds)
1/3 cup + 1 tbsp flour
1 tbsp sugar
1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp cinnamon
3 tbsp melted coconut oil
For the Toffee Caramel:
Method:
Step 1: Preheat oven to 180C.
In a large bowl mix all of the dry ingredients (flour, baking powder, sugar, coffee, salt, and spices).
Step 3: Mix in the wet ingredients (apple puree, plant milk, oil, lemon juice).
Step 4: Add the chopped apple. Whisk once again.
Step 6: Pour the batter into the 18x18 form.
Step 5: To make the streusel simply mix all of the ingredients for it.
Step 6: Sprinkle on top of the batter.
Step 8: Bake for 25 minutes.
Step 9: Meanwhile you can prepare the Toffee Caramel.
Step 10: Let the apple bars to cool down almost completely. With a fork cover partly the bars with caramel. Cut in bars. Keep in the fridge for up to 5 days.