Baked apples stuffed with turkey bacon
When I was a kid, baked apples with walnuts and honey were my favorite treat. Well, they still are.
Not long ago I suddenly remembered that recipe and began cooking it a few times a week. My boyfriend has never heard of baked apples so he’s also excited every time we make it. The best thing about this dessert: it’s a super healthy low-calorie and easily digestible food.
I definitely have the tendency to spend a ‘honeymoon’ with food I like, though after it ends I barely want to see that dish again. Thus, I had a honeymoon with Mexican food in San Francisco ’cause I stayed for a month in Mission district, I ate almost only Asian food in Boston ’cause my office was located near Chinatown, and now I’m hooked by Peruvian cuisine (ceviche mixto is my fav) ’cause here in New York City we have a great restaurant nearby. Most likely you don’t want to modify the dish when you order it elsewhere, and the opposite happens when you cook something over and over again. That’s where your imagination sparks and comes to life!
A few times we baked apples with pineapple, nuts, dried fruits and spices. Finally, I’ve got an idea to put a slice of turkey bacon inside and that’s exactly the reason why you read this post.
Here’s what you need
- big apples;
- turkey bacon (one slice per each apple);
- pinch of brown sugar;
- spices (Apple spice or Pumpkin Spice, you can put a bit of cinnamon, nutmeg, allspice and ginger);
- unrefined organic coconut oil or butter.
Step by step
- Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C)
- Scoop out the core from top of the apple, leaving a well. Do not cut all the way through. Slice those pieces of apple which you scooped out (the top part).
- Roll a piece of bacon up carefully like a swiss roll, putting slices of apples inside.
- Stuff each apple with a tiny piece of coconut oil and rolled up bacon. Add a pinch of brown sugar and spices.
- Stand up the apples, side by side, in a shallow baking dish. Pour some water into the bottom of the dish.
- Bake in preheated oven for 45–60 minutes, until sugar begins to caramelize, bacon is crispy on top and apples are tender.
I’m still bad at describing how good it was! Crispy and soft, sweet and sour at the same time.
We choose organic turkey bacon because it doesn’t contain much fat. I know that there are recipes of pork Bacon-Wrapped Apple Slices and that might be delicious too but for me the less fat, the better (14 grams vs. 22 grams). Anyway, both options are high in saturated fat and sodium — two substances that put you at greater risk of developing heart disease. But I believe, one serving per week is allowed. And you can always shift to baked apples with nuts and serve them with a scoop of ice cream on the side ;)
