WIC Kitchen: Happy Johnny Appleseed Day!
Sep. 26, 2025
By Mary Wade Burnside and Sarah Moore
When it comes to apples, it used to be that people had to be reminded that there were varieties other than Red Delicious, which tends to be on the bland side in spite of its shiny crimson appearance.
But now a visit to the supermarket offers so many choices: Gala, Fuji, Gonagold, Granny Smith, West Virginia’s own Golden Delicious, and, in the case of the second of this month’s WIC Kitchen’s recipes, Honey Crisp. And many more!
That means when it comes to the Healthy Stewed Apples, you can make this dish your own, selecting any sweet or tart apple variety that you would prefer.
In addition to being extremely versatile in flavors, apples contain vitamin C and are fat-free, sodium-free and cholesterol-free. They’re rich in fiber, potassium and antioxidants, helping to lower cholesterol, stabilize blood sugar and reduce inflammation.
Plus, there’s nothing like that first bite of a crisp apple, any time of year, but especially as fall begins.
Speaking of West Virginia apples, according to the West Virginia Encyclopedia Online, the Golden Delicious was actually the second of the popular pome fruits to be cultivated in the Mountain State. The first is said to be the Grimes Golden, grown from a seedling planted by John Chapman, aka Johnny Appleseed, in Wells County in the early 1800s. The Grimes Golden is thought to have been a cultivar for the Golden Delicious, which was grown for the first time in Clay County in 1912.
Thus concludes the history lesson for the day. And if history makes you hungry, here are two new apple-based recipes to try!
Healthy Stewed Apples
Ingredients:
2 cups apples, cored and diced*
¼ cup apple cider vinegar
2 tsp vanilla extract
2 tbsp maple syrup
1 tbsp brown sugar
1 tsp cinnamon
½ tbsp cornstarch
Instructions:
Add all ingredients to a saucepan over medium heat. Cook covered. Stir occasionally, until the apples are tender, approximately 15 minutes.
Serve over yogurt and enjoy!
Healthy Apple Crisp
Ingredients:
4 cups of apples (about 1 pound) peeled and sliced in ¼-inch thick pieces. Honeycrisp works best.*
1 tablespoon coconut oil melted
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
For the topping:
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
1 cup old fashioned oats
1/3 cup pecans chopped
2 tablespoons coconut oil
1 tablespoon maple syrup
Instructions:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees and prepare a greased 8×8 baking dish.
Peel and cut apple slices into ¼ inch thick slices.
Melt coconut oil. Toss apples with coconut oil, cinnamon and ginger. Set aside.
Mix together crisp topping.
Pour apples into the bottom of the baking dish. Layer crisp topping evenly on top of apples.
Cover apple crisp with aluminum foil and bake at 350 for 20 minutes. After 20 minutes, remove cover and bake for another 10-20 minutes until apples are fork-tender and crisp topping is golden brown.
Serve and enjoy!
*Ingredients with an asterisk next to them are available through Monongalia County Health Department WIC. Call us at 304-598-5181 for more information.