Dried Apples

                                       

Got Apples? Most dried fruits have sugar added to them and sulfites to prevent browning.  If you have a dehydrator (if you don't see directions below) in your house, you can make your own delicious apples easily without added all the extras you don't want to consume.  So go ahead, pick or buy in large quantity right now and you'll be so excited in January to munch on these!

Instructions For Drying Apples:

1. Pour 1 cup of orange juice and 4 cups of water into a bowl.
2. Peel and slice apples (this process is much faster if you have one of these apple peelers).  If not-be sure to slice apples very thin (or they'll take forever to dry)
   
3. Place apple slices into the bowl with the juice mixer.  The citric acid in the orange juice will treat the apples to prevent browning (the same thing sulfites do) while providing a boost of Vitamin C!
4. Let soak for 2-3 minutes
   
5. Place into a dehydrator (we use a Nesco-check out our favorite things page) at 135 degrees for about 7 hours.  If you don't have a dehydrator, put your oven at its lowest setting, which on ours is 140 degrees.  Check often, since this will be a more concentrated heat that provided in a dehydrator.
6. Enjoy!
   

   

   We store ours in canning jars and vacuum sealed bags

Nutritional Benefits of Apples:

High in fiber soluble fiber helps to improve heart health by lowering cholesterol levels in the blood.  In 1 small apple there is 17% of your daily fiber
High in Vitamin C, a vitamin that aids in healing and disease prevention (anti-oxidant),  1 small apple provides 14% of Vitamin C needs