This is a great autumn snack when apples are at their best. It packs a salty-sweet crunch-punch that has always been a fave flavor combo of mine… ever since I discovered Payday bars. Choose hard, tart apples such as Gala, Red Delicious or my current favorite – Jazz.
Jazz apples are hard as a rock with a really crisp snap and a semi-tart flavor. They last a long time with or without refrigeration. They do not brown quickly after cutting them and I have never had one that had gone mealy on me. If you can’t find Jazz, Gala is the next best thing.
When you go to buy apples give them a super hard squeeze. If they dent, even just a little, under your fingers they’re no good.
You can use any kind of salted pretzel but I recommend the bite-size “prayer”* pretzels which are a good size match against the cut up apples.
Kids generally like these and a it’s a whole heck of a lot healthier for them than Chex Mix. Give it a try.
Need This
2 rock-hard apples (preferably Jazz or Gala)
1 bag of mini “prayer” pretzels (supermarket brand is fine)
1 lemon (optional)
Do This
Wash the apples under very hot water, rubbing the skin vigorously with your fingers for at least 3 minutes. This will loosen some of the pesticides from the skin.**
Slice the apples into halves lengthwise then slice the halves lengthwise into quarters. Skim off the core and any seeds from the quarters.
Slice each quarter lengthwise into 3 roughly equal slices then cut the slice segments in half width-wise. Cut this way, each apple should yield approximately 24 apple pieces.
Put the sliced up apples into a bowl. If you are not serving right away you can squeeze the juice from 1/4 of a lemon over the cut up apples. This will keep them from browning.
Dump some pretzels into another bowl.
Serve as an after school or between-meal snack.
Serves 4. My cost approx $ 1.75 total – about 45 cents per serving.
* A 100 year old Pennsylvania Dutch man once told me that the traditional pretzel shape was modeled after children in prayer – with their arms crossed over their chests. GMN
**Or you can purchase organic apples, but of course, you’ll pay more for them. GMN