Chicken Stew with Apples, Golden Raisins & Butternut Squash
This all-in-one- spring pan stew is loaded with nutritious flavor. It’s family-friendly and made with simple satisfying ingredients like chicken, apples, golden raisins and butternut squash. Mouthwatering on every level and easy to make.
An apple a day:
Apples have been grown for thousands of years in Asia and Europe and were brought to North America by European colonists. There are more than 7,500 known varieties of apples. Apples have religious and mythological significance in many cultures, including Norse, Greek and European Christian tradition.
A raw apple is 86% water and 14% carbohydrates, with negligible content of fat and protein. A raw apple with skin weighing 4oz provides 52 calories and a moderate content of dietary fiber. All parts of the fruit, including the skin, except for the seeds, are suitable for human consumption. Apples contain various phytochemicals, particularly polyphenols which are under preliminary research for their potential health effects.
Health benefits include:
Whiter, healthier teeth, Apples won’t replace your toothbrush, but biting and chewing an apple stimulates the production of saliva in your mouth, reducing tooth decay by lowering the levels of bacteria. This is the single thing that causes most teeth issues.
Avoid Alzheimer’s:
A study on the benefits of apples shows that eating at least one apple a day could keep Alzheimer’s away and fight the effects of aging on the brain. The mice in the study that were fed an apple-enhanced diet showed higher levels of the neurotransmitter acetylcholine and did better in maze tests than those on a regular diet.
Protect against Parkinson’s
Research has shown that people who eat fruits and other high-fiber foods may be protected against Parkinson’s disease, a condition characterized by a breakdown of the brain’s dopamine-producing nerve cells. Scientists have linked this to the free radical-fighting power of the antioxidants contained therein.
Curb all sorts of cancers
Scientists from the American Association for Cancer Research, among others, agree that the consumption of flavonol-rich apples could help reduce your risk of developing pancreatic cancer by up to 23 percent. Researchers at Cornell University have identified several compounds — triterpenoids — in apple peel that have potent anti-growth activities against cancer cells in the liver, colon and breast. Their earlier research found that extracts from whole apples can reduce the number and size of mammary tumors in rats. Meanwhile, the National Cancer Institute in the U.S. has recommended a high fiber intake to reduce the risk of colorectal cancer. These are the 10 cancer myths you need to stop believing stat.
Decrease your risk of diabetes:
Eating at least one apple a day — you are 28 percent less likely to develop type 2 diabetes than those who don’t eat apples. The reason this is a health benefit of apples is because this fruit is loaded with soluble fiber, the key to blunting blood sugar swings.
Reduce cholesterol:
The soluble fiber found in apples binds with fats in the intestine, which translates into lower cholesterol levels and a healthier you.
Chicken Stew with Apples, Golden Raisins & Butternut Squash
Serves 4
Ingredients:
2 tablespoons olive oil
8x boneless chicken thighs
1 onion, peeled and sliced
2 garlic cloves, peeled and minced
2 apples, cored and quartered
4 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
½ cup white wine
2 tablespoons golden raisins
2 cups low in sodium chicken stock
2 cups butternut squash, cut into cubes
2 cups green beans
2 tablespoon freshly chopped parsley
Pre-heat oven to 380’f
How to make:
Take a large oven proof frying pan and place over a medium high heat on the stove. Add the oil, when hot add the chicken thighs and cook until golden brown on all sides, approx. 5 minutes, remove from the pan and place on dish paper.
Add the sliced onions, apples and garlic to the pan and cook for 3 to 4 minutes, then add the vinegar, wine, golden raisins and stock, bring to a boil then add the butternut squash and chicken thighs.
Place the pan into the oven and cook for 15 minutes, then stir in the beans, cook for a further 10 minutes. Remove the pan from the oven and sprinkle over the chopped parsley and serve.