Lunch: Fried Apple Hand Pies

Delightful little cinnamon-spiced apple pies are fun and portable.

This recipe includes superfoods such as:

Cinnamon, Lemon, Apples

Health benefits of Fried Apple Hand Pies

Cinnamon is one of the best ingredients that someone with insulin sensitivity can eat. Half a teaspoon of cinnamon per day has been shown to be very effective at normalizing blood sugar levels. Cinnamon contains hydroxychalcone, which is thought to enhance the effects of insulin. It has also been suggested that Cinnamon prevents post-meal blood sugar spikes by slowing the gastric emptying rate - meaning that food digests slowly. (Reference: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/11506060). Lemons can help to prevent oxidative damage to the body, which women with PCOS are often susceptible to. Lemons are also rich in vitamin C, flavonoids, and other antioxidants. They can potentially support the immune system and have other health benefits. Lemons also have a low glycemic index, so they should not cause a rapid rise in blood sugar when consumed in natural form. Apples will improve your body's sensitivity to insulin (Reference: http://care.diabetesjournals.org/content/27/1/281.full)

Ingredients

1 package refrigerated pie crusts, cut into 4 1/2-inch circles
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
2 Braeburn apples, peeled, cored and cut into 1/2-inch chunks
2 Granny Smith apples, peeled, cored and cut into 1/2-inch chunks
1/4 cup granulated sugar
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1 pinch ground nutmeg
2 teaspoons lemon juice
oil, for frying
1 egg
1 tablespoon water

Instructions

Preheat a deep fryer or pot of oil to 365 °.
In a large sauté pan over medium-high heat, melt butter, then add apples, sugar, cinnamon, salt, and nutmeg. Cook, stirring, until some of the apples start to break apart (but most are still whole), about 4 minutes.
Stir in the lemon juice and remove from the heat. Set aside to cool completely, about 30 minutes.
Roll the dough out 1/8-inch thick on a lightly floured surface. Cut out 10 circles (4 1/2-inch diameter), gathering and re-rolling the dough if necessary.
Beat the egg in a small bowl with 1 tablespoon of water.
Place about 1 heaping tablespoon of the apple filling into the center of each dough round. Brush the edge with some egg mixture and fold the dough over to make a half-moon shape.
Press out the air and seal the edges with a fork. Repeat with the remaining filling and dough.
Place 4 to 6 pies at a time into the hot oil and cook until golden brown, flipping as needed, about 5 minutes. Transfer to a paper towel-lined plate. Serve warm or at room temperature.