Fall for apples!

In our most recent family trip to New Jersey, my wonderful sister-in-law prepared a dish for me of apple salad. It was so satisfying and refreshing that I've since been making it regularly, although tweaked slightly. I started using apple cider vinegar in lieu of Balsamic so that I can maintain the original coloration of the apples. To my great joy, I came across an article citing that "...vinegar before a meal reduces the digestion of carbohydrates" Johnson et al 2010)", suggesting that vinegar controls blood sugar. I also started adding a dash of cinnamon on top as a subtle reminder of apple pie, a true symbol of my favorite season, Fall... Not only do I enjoy the smell of cinnamon but I do appreciate its property to reduce inflammation and keep sugar levels at even keel. I'm always happy when my appetite for certain foods happen to fall on the right side of nutrition. This makes me feel like I'm having my cake and eating it, too.

In case you are interested, this is my version of apple salad:

Apple Salad (for 4)

3 large crisp apples (I like Fuji), peeled or unpeeled then cut into 1/2"-inch cubes

2 TB Extra Virgin Olive Oil

1-1/2 TB to 2 TB apple cider vinegar (depending on what level of tartness you desire)

salt to taste

dash of cinnamon

Toss all ingredients, except cinnamon, in large bowl relatively close to your meal to keep the apple color and texture as intact as possible.

Sprinkle cinnamon op top and keep refrigerated til serving.

Enjoy guilt-free!