Things to do with a Granny Smith Apple

Pantry/Crisper Essentials

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The Granny Smith apple originated in New South Wales, Australia in 1868, when Maria Ann Smith propagated the cultivar from a chance seedling. Since then, it has spread around the world and is the third most popular apple in the United States. The Beatles used the image of a Granny Smith apple as the logo for their record label.

granny_smith_appleThe Granny Smith apple, also known as a green apple, is hard and firm, with a light green skin and crisp, juicy, bright white flesh which remains firm when baked. Its tart, acidic flavour means that it can be used in both sweet and savoury dishes. As the apple keeps well and resists browning, even when cut, it can be kept in a sealed container in the fridge for some time.

Baked and sweetened with a little sugar or honey, the Granny Smith apple is ideal for pies and cakes and can form the basis for a quick and healthy dessert. It can be used in salads such as garden salads and coleslaw, and in cooking for such dishes as Pork Normande. And, if you enjoy biting into a firm, tart apple, it can, of course, be eaten fresh.

As a versatile ingredient that keeps well and can be used as either a fruit or a vegetable, the Granny Smith apple doubly earns its place as a Crisper Essential  and is always handy to have on hand.

Granny Smith apple also features in several recipes in the entry Cold Salads from the Pantry.

If you enjoy fruit-based desserts, you could also check out the entry Things to do with a Banana.

 

Recipes:

Apple Sauce

Porridge with Apple

Fried Apple on Toast

Microwave Apple Crumble

Apple Cake-in-a-Mug

Apple and Sultana Muffins

Chicken Salad

Tuna Salad

Spinach and Apple Salad

Coleslaw Deluxe

Bean and Apple Salad

Carrot, Apple and Red Lentil Soup

Spicy Apple and Pumpkin Soup

Braised Red Cabbage and Apple

Pork Normande

 

Apple Sauce

  • ¼ Granny Smith apple, peeled and sliced
  • 1 tsp. lemon juice
  • Sugar
  • Cinnamon

 

  1. Place sliced apple in a small bullet blender cup with lemon juice, a little sugar and cinnamon
  2. Process to chop finely
  3. Cover and microwave on high for 60 seconds

Serving suggestions:

  • serve with grilled pork or chicken
  • use 1 tsp. sugar and serve with porridge or over waffles or pancakes

 

Porridge with Apple

  • ¼ Granny Smith apple
  • ¼ cup quick oats
  • 1 tbsp. almond meal
  • 1 tbsp. sultanas (optional)
  • Cinnamon
  • ¼ cup low-fat milk (optional)
  • 1 tbsp. natural yoghurt (optional)

 

  1. Peel and finely slice apple
  2. Place in a medium bowl with cinnamon, oats, almond meal and sultanas (optional) and stir
  3. Just cover with boiling water
  4. Cover and microwave on high for 2 minutes
  5. Stir in ¼ cup cold water, milk or yoghurt

 

Fried Apple on Toast

  • ½ Granny Smith apple
  • 1 tsp. honey
  • 1 tbsp. lemon juice
  • Cinnamon
  • 1 tbsp. butter or margarine
  • 1–2 slices wholegrain bread, toasted

 

  1. Peel (optional) and slice apple
  2. Beat together honey, lemon juice and cinnamon
  3. Melt butter in a small frying pan over low heat
  4. Add the apple with honey mixture
  5. Sauté over medium heat until apple is just tender
  6. Serve on toast

 

Microwave Apple Crumble

  • 1 Granny Smith apple
  • 1 tbsp. sultanas
  • 1 tsp. lemon juice
  • 1 tsp. sugar
  • Cinnamon
  • 1 tbsp. butter or margarine
  • 2 tbsp. quick oats
  • 1 tbsp. wholemeal flour
  • 1 tbsp. desiccated coconut
  • 1–2 tbsp. natural yoghurt (optional)

 

  1. Peel and chop apple
  2. Place in a mug or small bowl with sultanas and 2 tbsp. water
  3. Add lemon juice, sugar and cinnamon
  4. Cover and microwave on high for 5–6 minutes
  5. Place butter in another cup and microwave on high for 30 seconds to melt
  6. Stir in oats, flour and coconut
  7. Top apples with oat mixture and microwave on high for 60 seconds
  8. Let cool so that topping sets
  9. Serve with a dollop of natural yoghurt (optional)

Variation: substitute ¼ cup frozen mixed berries for the sultanas and water

 

Apple Cake-in-a-Mug

  • ½ Granny Smith apple
  • 1 tsp. sugar
  • ¼ tsp. cinnamon
  • 1 tbsp. canola oil
  • 2 tbsp. low-fat milk
  • 2 tbsp. plain wholemeal flour
  • 1 tbsp. quick oats
  • 1 tbsp. almond meal
  • ½ tsp. baking powder
  • Chopped nuts or desiccated coconut (optional)

 

  1. Peel and chop the apple
  2. In a wide mug or small bowl, mix together chopped apple, sugar and cinnamon
  3. Microwave on high for 60 seconds
  4. Stir in canola oil and milk
  5. Mix in flour, oats, almond meal and baking powder
  6. Smooth out and sprinkle with chopped nuts or desiccated coconut (optional)
  7. Microwave on high for 2 minutes

 

Apple and Sultana Muffins

  • 1 (Granny Smith) apple, peeled and chopped
  • ½ cup sultanas
  • 1½ cups wholemeal flour
  • ½ cup quick oats
  • ½ cup almond meal
  • ½ cup skim milk powder
  • 1 tsp. cinnamon
  • 1 egg
  • 3 tsp. baking powder
  • 1/3 cup canola oil
  • Oil spray (or paper cake cups)

 

  1. Place sultanas in a cup, cover with water and microwave on high for 60 seconds
  2. Sift flour and mix in dry ingredients
  3. In another bowl or cup whisk egg and add in oil and sultanas together with the water
  4. Add wet ingredients to dry ingredients
  5. Stir in chopped apple
  6. Stir only as much as you need to combine the ingredients, adding a little water at a time until you get a smooth consistency
  7. Spray a 12-cup muffin tray with oil (or place a paper cake cup in each cup)
  8. Divide the mixture between the 12 cups and sprinkle with additional coconut
  9. Bake in a pre-heated moderate (180°C) oven for approx. 20 minutes until golden and if you insert a skewer it comes out dry
  10. Turn out and cool
  11. Refrigerate in a sealable container for up to 5 days or wrap individually and freeze

 

Chicken Salad

  • 1 x 85gm can shredded chicken in water
  • ¼ Granny Smith apple, peeled and chopped
  • 1 tbsp. chopped onion (or red onion)
  • 1 tbsp. mayonnaise or natural yoghurt
  • Oregano and garlic granules
  • 3–4 cherry tomatoes, halved

 

  1. Drain water from shredded chicken
  2. Place in the small cup of a bullet blender with apple, onion, mayonnaise or natural yoghurt, oregano and garlic granules and process lightly
  3. Serve with cherry tomatoes

 

Tuna Salad

  • 1 x 95gm can tuna in oil
  • ¼ Granny Smith apple, peeled and chopped
  • 1 tbsp. chopped onion (or red onion)
  • 2 tsp. mayonnaise
  • Parsley and garlic granules
  • 2–3 cherry tomatoes, halved

 

  1. Place tuna with oil in the small cup of a bullet blender
  2. Add apple, onion, mayonnaise, parsley and garlic granules and process lightly
  3. Serve with cherry tomatoes

 

Spinach and Apple Salad

  • 1 cup spinach (or rocket) leaves
  • ¼ Granny Smith apple
  • 2 tbsp. chopped nuts (or diced bacon)
  • 1 tbsp. olive oil
  • 2 tsp. lemon juice
  • Garlic granules and dried onion
  • Shredded Parmesan cheese

 

  1. Leaving the peel on, finely slice the apple
  2. Mix apple, spinach leaves and walnut pieces
  3. Stir lemon juice and spices into olive oil
  4. Dress salad with oil mixture
  5. Sprinkle liberally with Parmesan cheese

 

Coleslaw Deluxe

  • 1¼ cups coleslaw mix
  • ¼ Granny Smith apple
  • ¼ cup red capsicum (or red onion) and/or celery
  • 1 tbsp. diced bacon (optional)
  • 2 tbsp. mayonnaise
  • 2 tsp. lemon juice
  • Pepper, parsley and chives

 

  1. Cut up any large pieces in the coleslaw mix
  2. Peel (optional) and finely slice the apple
  3. Slice the capsicum and/or celery finely
  4. Toss all the above together with the diced bacon (optional)
  5. Whip lemon juice into mayonnaise and add herbs and spices
  6. Dress salad in mayonnaise and mix well

 

Bean and Apple Salad

  • 1 x 125gm can four bean mix, drained and rinsed
  • ¼ Granny Smith apple, peeled (optional) and sliced
  • ¼ cup red capsicum (or red onion) and/or celery, chopped
  • 1–2 tbsp. mayonnaise
  • Garlic, pepper and parsley

 

  1. Mix together beans, apple and capsicum
  2. Sprinkle salad with herbs and spices
  3. Stir mayonnaise into salad

 

Carrot, Apple and Red Lentil Soup

  • 1½ cups carrot, chopped
  • ¼ Granny Smith apple, peeled and chopped
  • 1 tbsp. red lentils
  • 1 tbsp. chopped onion
  • 1 tsp. chicken stock powder
  • Cinnamon, ginger and mild curry powder
  • Canola oil
  • 1 tbsp. natural yoghurt (optional)

 

  1. In a small saucepan sauté onion with spices
  2. Add carrot and apple and sauté
  3. Add 1 cup boiling water with stock powder
  4. Bring to the boil and stir in lentils
  5. Simmer covered for 20–25 minutes until vegetables are very soft
  6. Allow to cool, empty saucepan into large cup of a bullet blender and liquidise
  7. Reheat and serve with a dollop of natural yoghurt (optional)

Variation: substitute pumpkin or sweet potato for the carrot

 

Spicy Apple and Pumpkin Soup

  • 1½ cups pumpkin, peeled and cubed
  • ¼ Granny Smith apple, peeled and chopped
  • 1 tbsp. chopped onion
  • 1 tsp. chicken stock powder
  • 1 x 165ml can light coconut milk
  • Cinnamon, ginger and mild curry powder
  • Canola oil

 

  1. In a small saucepan sauté onion with spices
  2. Add pumpkin and apple and sauté
  3. Add coconut milk with the stock powder
  4. Simmer covered for 15–20 minutes until vegetables are very soft
  5. Allow to cool, empty saucepan into large cup of a bullet blender and liquidise
  6. Return to saucepan and reheat gently to serve

Variations:

  • substitute carrot or sweet potato for the pumpkin
  • for a low-fat option, thoroughly blend 2 tbsp. almond meal with ½ cup water in a bullet blender and substitute for the coconut milk

 

Braised Red Cabbage and Apple

  • 1½ cups red cabbage, shredded
  • 2 tbsp. chopped onion
  • ¼ Granny Smith apple, peeled and sliced
  • Pepper and cinnamon
  • 2 tsp. lemon juice
  • Olive or vegetable oil

 

  1. In a small saucepan sauté onion with spices
  2. Add cabbage and sauté until wilted
  3. Add apple and lemon juice
  4. Cover and simmer for 20–25 minutes

 

Pork Normande

  • 100–125gm sliced lean pork
  • 2 tbsp. chopped onion (or leek)
  • ½ Granny Smith apple, peeled and chopped
  • 1 tbsp. lemon juice
  • ½ tsp. chicken stock powder
  • Cinnamon, pepper and chives
  • 1 tbsp. natural yoghurt
  • Olive oil

 

  1. Sauté onion with spices
  2. Add apple and sauté
  3. Add lemon juice and simmer for 5 minutes
  4. Add pork and sauté until browned
  5. Add stock powder and chives with a little water if necessary
  6. Simmer for a further 5 minutes
  7. Remove from heat and stir in yoghurt

Serving Suggestion: serve with 2 tbsp. instant mashed potatoes, reconstituted.

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