Lunch: Peanut Caramel Apple Crisp

Recipe by Brooke Elizabeth I LOVE caramel apples during the fall, especially covered with peanuts! This recipe came about while I was making caramel apples and my husband was making an apple pie.. and the two came together into a perfect combination! I h

This recipe includes superfoods such as:

Cinnamon, Apples, Nuts

Health benefits of Peanut Caramel Apple Crisp

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). Apples will improve your body's sensitivity to insulin (Reference: http://care.diabetesjournals.org/content/27/1/281.full) Nuts are a natural source of Inositol, a derivative of Vitamin B (which is often prescribed in the form of supplements for women with PCOS). Inositol can effectively control the symptoms of PCOS by reducing insulin resistance and improving insulin sensitivity.

Ingredients

1 cup butter, softened
2 cups packed brown sugar
1 (14 ounce) can sweetened condensed milk
1 cup light corn syrup
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 cup chopped roasted peanuts
10 Gala apples - peeled, cored and sliced
1/2 cup butter
3/4 cup packed brown sugar
1/4 cup white sugar
2 tablespoons flour
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/4 cup chopped peanuts

Instructions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Lightly grease a 9x13 inch baking dish.
Place 1 cup butter, 2 cups brown sugar, condensed milk, corn syrup, and vanilla extract in a pan over medium-high heat. Stirring constantly, bring mixture to a boil. Lower heat to medium, and continue to stir while mixture simmers for about 12 minutes. Remove from heat, and stir in 1/2 cup peanuts.
Place apples in a mixing bowl. Pour in the caramel sauce, and toss gently to coat apples. Pour into the prepared pan.
To make the crumb topping, use a pastry blender or two forks to mix 1/2 cup butter with 3/4 cup brown sugar, white sugar, flour, cinnamon, and nutmeg in a mixing bowl until crumbly. Stir in 1/4 cup peanuts. Sprinkle over the top of the apples. Place baking dish on a cookie sheet to prevent spills while baking.
Bake in preheated oven until top is crisped and apples can be pierced with a fork, about 45 minutes.