Apples are now in season! The first fruit people typically assciate with the raw food diet is apples, but this does not mean that eating apples has to be boring! First of all, fresh local organic apples are a far cry from those shiny waxed and tasteless bundles you find in cafeteria check out lines and in the back of convenience stores. To me, apples epitomize the flavor of fall; particularly those multi-colored stripey ones I am able to find at the Farmer's Markets. Just about everyone likes apples- and I think that's because there is a variety for every taste or texture preference! There are sweet apples, sour apples, crunchy, smooth or slightly soft apples and everything in between.

Red Delicious apples (those that we most associate with school and New York City!) are sweet and smooth. They are America's most popular variety of apple. Their taste is rather mild. They are deep red in color and have a unique heart shape.

Granny Smith are bright green, tart and tasty. It's crispy texture and slightly sour taste make them great for juicing.

Golden Delicious apples are smooth and mellow tasting. The skin is very thin and the flesh is more soft than crispy.

Gala apples are the perfect combo of the Golden and Red delicious. They are yellow with red striping and are sweet and crisp.

Fuji apples are a combination of Red Delicious and Granny Smith. They are green with red highlights and tast somewhat spicy, crispy and a bit more tart than the sweet Gala apples.

(And these apples I listed are only the Very Beginning! There are infinite varieties of apples, large and small once you begin to explore...just remember to make sure they are organic or unsprayed from the Farmer's Market!)

**Note: To legally get official Organic Certification costs a tremendous amount of money. Oftentime, it is sadly too much for small family Farmers to afford. Therefore, just be sure to ask that the fruits and vegetables you buy at your Farmers' Market is unsprayed and pesticide free and Support our family Farmers!!!**

My favorite apple is the Gala and running in a close second, the Fuji (maybe that 's because this is the one I find most frequently at my local market). I can't emphasize how important it is to find out where your local Farmer's Market is and use it!
Just google in your state, county or city and "Farmer's Market's" and you are bound to find one. However, organic apples of all types run a close second, especially when blended into my staple food for this time of year, apple sauce. Fuji's work great in this!

~4 organic apples (whatever type you like)
~3 dates
~dash of cinnamon
~pinch of nutmeg

Blend all these until smooth or chunky (however you prefer it). I like to just pulse the mixture a few times so it is slightly chunky but still quite creamy. Satisfying Soul Food!

apples are great for adding to any green juice to make it taste more palatable.

~Juice up One bunch of Swiss Chard (a type of geen leafy vegetable similar to spinach, but better!) with Two hard Granny Smith apples.
This is a delicious and Easy-to-digest way to get your greens!

Another special Smoothie treat for the Autumn season that I like to bring with me in a Kleen Kanteen to work for lunch!

~2 organic apples (Fuji's my Favorite)
~1 pomegranite (seeds)
~1 tsp. Raw Honey
~Coconut Water from 1 coconut (young or old)

Blend until liquified. It comes out a beautiful rich pink color!

And you thought there wasn't much to learn about apples!...