How Do You Keep Apples From Browning? 1. Add them to fruit salad As long as there is something acidic in it, such as grapefruit or oranges, the apples won’t brown. And fruit salads don’t need to be complicated. Cut up an apple and toss it with canned pineapple (sugar-free) chunks. Done. 2. Do some acid Same concept as the fruit salad, but even easier. Cut the apple into chunks (big or small) and toss with lemon juice, lime juice, orange juice, pineapple juice, whatever. Vinegar works, too, but kids may not like it. Drain, then pack. That’s it. 3. Salt ‘em! Seriously. Salt water has the same anti-browning effect as acid. I cut my apple into chunks, then mix a teaspoon of salt with 1/2 cup or so of water in a bowl. Add the apples, toss, then drain. I love the taste of salted apples (my great grandmother used to prepare them for me that way — so delicious). So does my son. If you don’t, just rinse them before packing. 4. Slather them Cut apples turn brown when exposed to air. So don’t let me be exposed. Slice an apple in half top to bottom. Use a melon baller to scoop out the core. Now smear peanut butter into the cavity and over the entire cut side of each half. You could stop here, but to make it even yummier, dunk the peanut butter sides into granola or breakfast cereal. Maybe even chocolate chips. 5. Get sauced! It takes just minutes (all of it unattended) to turn apples into applesauce. And while you could plan ahead and make a big batch at night, it’s also easy to make a single serving. Just slice up an apple or two at breakfast, pop them in a saucepan or skillet, add a splash of water, a sprinkle of cinnamon and cover. Bring to a simmer. Done. 6. Brown ‘em! File this under “if you can’t beat them, join them.” Slice the apple in half and scoop out the core. Melt a little butter in a skillet (use the same one you cooked your egg in — nobody will notice). Sprinkle in some brown sugar, then set the apples in cut side down. Turn the heat to low, then walk away. When the apples are tender and lightly browned, pop them in a thermos. 7. Bake ‘em! If you have the time at dinner the night before, core a couple apples and sprinkle the insides with brown sugar, cinnamon and whatever else inspires you. Put them in a baking dish with a splash of juice, then bake at 400 F until browned and tender. Refrigerate and pack cold, or nuke briefly and pack hot in a wide thermos. 8. Salad them Fresh apples are delicious chopped into a salad. But they’d brown if you added them straight up when packing in the morning. The acid in a vinaigrette will protect them, but you shouldn’t dress a salad with vinaigrette until ready to eat it (the same acid that will protect the apples will also wilt the greens). So instead, finely chop your apple and pop the pieces in a container with your vinaigrette. Assemble the rest of your salad, then toss with the apples-vinaigrette just before eating at lunch.
Posted on: Mon, 03 Feb 2014 19:14:15 +0000