YAY…it’s apple season! Sweet, juicy, portable and delicious dried or fresh. An apple is about as good as it gets for a heart-healthy snack for you and your kids. For a mere 90 calories one medium apple (with the skin) gives you a whole lot of nutrition: most notably 5 grams of dietary fiber (much needed in our kids’ diets) and vitamin C. Add to that a host of disease-fighting plant antioxidants plus zero cholesterol and extremely low in saturated fat and sodium.

So follow that old adage and eat your apple (and get your kids to eat their apple) a day to keep the doctor away!

Halloween Baked Apples (with worms)

Healthy low cholesterol recipe, perfect for the holiday and a great way to get your kids to eat fruit and fiber!

Yield: 6 servings

• 6 red baking apples, cored and sliced
• ¼ cup raisins
• 1 Tbsp light Benecol or Promise Take Control margarine
• Juice of 1 lemon
• 1 tsp cinnamon
• Pinch nutmeg
• 1 Tbsp brown sugar
• 6 candy gummy worms

Preheat oven to 350. Combine apples, raisins, lemon juice, spices and sugar in a large baking dish. Cover and bake until apples are tender (about 35 minutes). Place in separate bowls and garnish with one gummy worm.

Nutritional Information per Serving:

• Food weight: 1.5
• Carbohydrate 31 g
• Dietary Fiber: 4 g
• Protein: 0.5 g