Baked apples with Rosehips and Pecans

This is a delicious recipe that will please all the family. Once baked, the soft apple flesh can be served to weaning infants and the whole stuffed apple can be happily eaten by toddlers and their parents! This recipe is very quick to prepare but takes a little while in the oven (we cooked it alongside our baked Sunday lunch). I used rosehips because they are in season and freely available- I picked a handful from my local park- and they are packed with wonderful nutrients! I had some pecans and goji berries in the cupboard but you could use anything that you have to hand to stuff the apples. This recipe served 3 (2 adults and a toddler).

Ingredients

• 3 small eating apples (I used cox variety)
• 5 rosehips, de-seeded, cleaned and chopped finely
• 1 heaped tbsp sultanas
• 1 heaped tbsp pecans, chopped into small pieces
• 1 tsp goji berries (optional)
• sprinkle cinammon
• 1 tsp agave syrup

Instructions

1. Leaving the skin on the apples, remove the core (I did this with a small knife) and slit the skin by drawing the knife around the middle of each apple.
2. Place the apples in a ceramic/ oven dish that has a lid.
3. To make the stuffing for the apples, mix the rosehips, sultanas, pecans and goji berries (if using) in a bowl. Mix well and then add the cinnamon and agave syrup (pictured below).
4. Spoon the stuffing into the apple cores. Pour over 50ml of water. Cover the dish with a lid.
5. Bake in the oven for 40-45 minutes at 200c. The apples are ready when the apple flesh is soft and pulpy. Serve straight away with the juice poured over. We also ate ours with custard.

Nutritional Highlights: Rosehips are quite brilliant and the nutritional highlight of this dish. They are a very good source of many nutrients including: Vitamin C and A. Rosehips contain more Vitamin C per gram than oranges so give the immune system a boost. Rosehips are also a good source of Vitamin E, K, Calcium and Magnesium. First served at: 17 months A-L rating: She loved to eat this dish (and the ingredients) both before and after cooking! Freezer friendly? No Adult adaption: This is a perfect pudding for all the family