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A stuffed apple for Justine

...and anyone else who needs a fast, hearty breakfast.


Breakfast on the Go

We all have days when we don't have time to sit down and eat a bowl of oatmeal. I used to have them all the time, days when all I had time for was an apple in the car, but needed more than an apple to keep me upright until lunch. This stuffed apple was one of my grab and go breakfasts back then, or I'd wrap it up and eat it for lunch on the days when I didn't have time to pack something balanced. The peanut-butter provided a kick of protein and good fats. The dried fruit provided a bit of sweetness and chew. And the apple provided crunch, fiber, juiciness and clean hands.

It's a simple and versatile meal. Just slice the apple in half and use a pairing knife, grapefruit spoon or melon-baller to carve out the seeds, stem and flower, then fill with peanut-butter and dried cranberries as above. Or use raisins, chopped dried apricots, currants, dried blueberries, dried cherries. Swap out the peanut-butter for any other nut or seed butter, or skip the dried fruit and use a nice cheese spread as a filling. You could also use cream cheese, but cream cheese has no nutritional value, so go into that with your eyes open. Add some cinnamon and brown sugar and call it dessert.

To store, smoosh the apple back together and wrap up in plastic wrap, foil or a napkin and shove into your coat pocket.  Be careful not to overfill, or you'll be forced to lick off the extra that leaks out the side, and that would be terrible.  The apple will keep happily all day that way, or you can make it a night ahead and keep it in the fridge until morning.
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Comments

  1. Justine LOctober 22, 2010 at 10:57 PM

    Hey! *grin* Thanks. :)

    (Though a bowl of oatmeal really *would* be lovely.)

    And funny ... Ian had apples and peanut butter for breakfast this morning (in addition to his usual bowl of cereal/waffle/whatever)! I've never "stuffed" one like this, but it's a fun idea.

    ReplyDelete

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