<h1 id="cbf53ed8-1c1c-4e5b-b70e-3518df893693" data-toc-id="cbf53ed8-1c1c-4e5b-b70e-3518df893693">Happy Holidays and Welcome to CoreHarmonic’s Weekly Newsletter!</h1>This week it is all about the mighty, powerful Apple.<h2 id="cf8fb9dd-0956-4312-8bf6-1ef77012461f" data-toc-id="cf8fb9dd-0956-4312-8bf6-1ef77012461f">The Love Letter</h2>It is super easy to find love for the apple. It is one of the first fruits many people remember as a child. It is crisp and often sweet. It is also responsible for such wonderful foods as apple sauce, apple cider, and apple pie. I feel like the love of apples is pretty universal so I didn’t spend a lot of time in this newsletter trying to prove my love. I spent more time learning about the not so humble apple.The apple is so rich in culture and tradition throughout the world. There are more than 7,500 known cultivars (cultivated varieties) of apples. Most of these cultivars are bred for eating fresh (dessert apples), though some are cultivated specifically for cooking (cooking apples) or producing cider. Cider apples are typically too tart and astringent to eat fresh, but they give the beverage a rich flavor that dessert apples cannot.Here is your weekly pic:<img src="https://f.ezycourse.net/3635/cm56gmplu014dsd8za4cf0hoc.jpg" alt="image" style="width: 100%; height: auto; cursor: pointer;" draggable="true">￼<a target="_blank" href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Apple">https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Apple</a><h2 id="ff9c6144-b13b-4ee2-8ce0-02fd117895c2" data-toc-id="ff9c6144-b13b-4ee2-8ce0-02fd117895c2">Christmas Trees Used to be Decorated with Apples. Why? The Bible.</h2>The holiday times is the perfect time to talk apples as the first Christmas tress were decorated with apples. In Catholic traditions, Christmas Eve is also The feast of Adam and Eve. The tree was a prop in the retelling of the Adam and Eve story. The tree was a “paradise tree” and the tree was decorated with apples (you know the whole Eve tempts Adam with the apple part), wafers (symbolizing the eucharistic host, the wafers were replaced with cookies in various shapes) and candles (symbolic of light).<img src="https://f.ezycourse.net/3635/cm56gqdyr0126so9n36yfdqid.jpg" alt="image" style="width: 100%; height: auto; cursor: pointer;" draggable="true"><a target="_blank" href="https://www.britannica.com/plant/Christmas-tree#ref106887">https://www.britannica.com/plant/Christmas-tree#ref106887</a><h2 id="99f478e5-9db5-44c3-875e-a24f27c55e19" data-toc-id="99f478e5-9db5-44c3-875e-a24f27c55e19">Apples &amp; Honey &amp; Rosh Hashanah</h2>Although at a different time of year, Judaism celebrates apples during Rosh Hashanah. Rabbi Shais Taub gives a beautiful explanation about ‘why apples and honey’ on Rosh Hashanah. I’m going to paraphrase his statement but you can find the video<a target="_blank" href="https://youtube.com/shorts/eHoxkX60ki8?si=gyLXLHitYrTRCbC2"> here</a>.Basically, there are two types of sweet. The first is an apple which is just sweet. The second is represented by honey which is also sweet but it comes from a bee which can sting. The tradition is a reminder that sweetness doesn’t always come easy sometimes sweetness can come from something that stings. The tradition accompanies a prayer for a sweet new year.<div class="iframe-wrapper"><iframe src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/29-4KKWcU_U?si=o80Z_yL8K3E4oMwR" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="true"></iframe></div><h2 id="0426321d-8e85-4df8-a1f8-eb2fe4558974" data-toc-id="0426321d-8e85-4df8-a1f8-eb2fe4558974">Healing Properties of Apples</h2>Further back, <a target="_blank" href="https://www.learnreligions.com/apple-and-honey-on-rosh-hashanah-2076417">ancient Jews thought apples had healing properties</a>. Rabbi Alfred Koltach writes in The Second Jewish Book of Why that whenever King Herod (73-4 BCE.) felt faint, he would eat an apple; and that during Talmudic times apples were frequently sent as gifts to people in ill health.<h2 id="f366f176-517b-4884-9e93-5eae54405e43" data-toc-id="f366f176-517b-4884-9e93-5eae54405e43">Nutritional Content</h2>Most of us are familiar with the idea of an apple a day keeps the doctor away but, is there any truth to this? Science-wise no study says more apples, less doctor’s visits but nutritionally, apples pack a punch. Apples have fiber, vitamins, minerals and antioxidants.One medium apple provides the following nutrients :* Calories: 95* Carbs: 25 grams* Fiber: 4.5 grams* Vitamin C: 9% of the Daily Value (DV)* Copper: 5% of the DV* Potassium: 4% of the DV* Vitamin K: 3% of the DVIn particular, vitamin C acts as an antioxidant to neutralize harmful compounds known as free radicals and protects against disease.Apples are also a great source of antioxidants like quercetin, caffeic acid, and epicatechin.<a target="_blank" href="https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/an-apple-a-day-keeps-the-doctor-away#benefits">https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/an-apple-a-day-keeps-the-doctor-away#benefits</a><h2 id="b77f468f-062c-4c3a-b8ed-ded9c5c524fa" data-toc-id="b77f468f-062c-4c3a-b8ed-ded9c5c524fa">Random Apple facts:</h2><ul><li>There are over 7500 different varieties of apples grown around the world. (US Apple Association</li><li>The apple originated in Central Asia, specifically in Kazakhstan, where the wild ancestor of the modern apple, Malus sleversii, is still found (Source: Smithsonian Magazine)</li><li>Honeycrisp Popularity: The Honeycrisp apple is one of the most popular apple varieties in the US and its known for its sweetness and crisp texture. It was developed in the 1960s at the University of Minnesota (Source: The Packer)</li><li>Cultural Significance: In many cultures, apples symbolize knowledge, temptation, and immortality (Source: Encyclopedia Britannica)</li><li>Apple Varieties: Some of the most popular apple varieties include Red Delicious, Granny Smith, Fuji, and Gala. (Source: Orange Pippin)</li><li>Apple Production in the US: The United States produces around 250 million bushels of apples each year, making it one of the leading apple producers in the world. (Source: USDA)</li></ul><h2 id="7c7f7f23-f92c-4460-ab03-5e2ca19737ce" data-toc-id="7c7f7f23-f92c-4460-ab03-5e2ca19737ce">Apple Sayings:</h2><ul><li>You are the apple of my eye.</li><li>An apple a day keeps the doctor away</li><li> The Big Apple (nickname for New York City)</li><li>Comparing apples to oranges (like oranges are the strange bedfellow)</li><li>Apple doesn’t fall far from the tree</li><li>A bad apple spoils the bunch</li><li>Don’t upset the apple cart</li></ul><h2 id="0a8c10dc-b923-49d7-b7fc-858c35a82016" data-toc-id="0a8c10dc-b923-49d7-b7fc-858c35a82016">This week’s recipe: <a target="_blank" href="https://simple-veganista.com/apple-nachos/">Apple Nachos</a> (from simple-veganista)</h2>This is not our idea and they are not nachos but it is a fun way to eat apples.I love this recipe because it is a bit of ‘add your own magic’ to the recipe. I love to add cinnamon and cardamom to warm sugar-free peanut butter. I add coconut and usually crushed nuts for crunch.Serves 1 or 2.<ul><li>2 apples of choice</li><li>1/4 – 1/3 cup natural nut butter (peanut, almond, sunflower, etc.)</li><li>small handful chocolate chips (I used Enjoy Life Mini Chips)</li><li>small handful shredded coconut</li><li>small handful slivered almonds, optional</li><li>sprinkle of cinnamon</li><li>1 tablespoon lemon juice</li></ul>Apples: Wash, core and slice apples. I prefer thin slices. I also peel my apples (just my preference). Toss in lemon juice to stop the apples from turning brown.Nut butter: Heat your nut butter just until warmed and somewhat runny. I like to heat mine in the microwave for 20 – 30 seconds.Assemble: On a serving plate, lay your apple slices in a single layer around the outside edge, then layer another small layer over those but towards the inside center of the plate (like shown in the picture above). Drizzle the nut butter. Top with chocolate chips, coconut flakes, almonds and sprinkle of cinnamon (or whatever you’ve chosen to use as your toppings).Go to the website for full details and more ideas to create your own delicious treat.<a target="_blank" href="https://simple-veganista.com/apple-nachos/">https://simple-veganista.com/apple-nachos/</a><img src="https://f.ezycourse.net/3635/cm56h7uuh015gum9n7g22fa5i.jpg" alt="image" style="width: 100%; height: auto; cursor: pointer;" draggable="true">Finally, our celebration of the apple in video form.<div class="iframe-wrapper"><iframe src="https://iframe.mediadelivery.net/embed/29280/a756ae67-f360-4c2f-ad68-ff304a014158?autoplay=false" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="true"></iframe></div>That’s it for this week. Next week’s fruit or veg has not been selected yet. If you want to help choose, join the <a target="_blank" href="https://food.coreharmonic.com/about-coreharmonic-community">CoreHarmonic Community</a> and respond to this week’s poll.

My Weekly Love Letter to produce. This week features the Apple.

The Mighty Apple

Happy Holidays and Welcome to CoreHarmonic’s Weekly Newsletter!

Christmas Trees Used to be Decorated with Apples. Why? The Bible.

This week’s recipe: Apple Nachos (from simple-veganista)

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The Mighty Apple

The Mighty Apple

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