My Market Kitchen episode 4: She'll be apples superfood salad

Watch the episode, meet the grower, get the recipe, check out the nutritional facts, and discover research projects relating to apples and other featured produce

In episode 4 of My Market Kitchen, Hort Innovation’s Research and Development Manager, Dietitian and Nutritionist Jemma O’Hanlon heads to Prahran markets to create a delicious and nutrient-dense apple superfood salad. We also speak to Michael Henry of Henry of Harcourt about the levy-funded Future Orchard walks and how they provided him with the practical tools to improve productivity on his orchards.

Recipe: She'll be apples superfood salad

Serves 2

Ingredients  

1 Australian apple
1 Australian sweet persimmon
3 tbsp pepitas
2 cups Australian baby spinach
½ cup Australian purple cabbage
1 tin chickpeas
1 tbsp baby capers
1 tbsp goji berries
1 tbsp Australian raisins
1 tbsp Australian currants
¼ cup Australian walnuts

Dressing 

2 tbsp Australian extra virgin olive oil
1 tbsp freshly squeezed juice from an Australian lemon
½ tsp Dijon mustard
Cracked black pepper

Method

1. Slice the apple and persimmon finely, into wedge-shaped slices.
2. Toast the pepitas over high heat for a couple of minutes in a dry pan until they become aromatic, go golden in colour and start to pop. Remove from heat immediately and allow to cool.
3. In a large bowl, place the apple persimmon slices, baby spinach, sliced purple cabbage, drained and rinsed chickpeas, capers, goji berries, raisins, currants, walnuts and toasted pepitas.
4. Prepare the dressing by placing the olive oil, lemon juice, Dijon mustard and pepper into a jar. Shake.
5. Pour dressing over the salad ingredients and gently toss to combine.

Tip: The best salad dressing ratio is 2 parts oil to 1 part lemon juice. Make up dressing in bulk, store in your fridge and shake prior to using.

Download the recipe

Nutritional facts

• Cabbage is a cruciferous vegetable which contains nutrients like vitamin C, K and manganese to help reduce inflammation and risk of heart disease.
• Cabbage is high in sulforaphane to support a healthy gut.
• There is strong evidence that green leafy veg including spinach can reduce the risk of heart disease by up to 16%. It’s also one of our higher iron plant foods to help prevent fatigue, as well as containing lutein, vitamin C and beta carotene to improve skin health and appearance.
• A large study with 38,000 women found that eating an apple a day reduced their risk of diabetes by 28%.
• Apples contain polyphenols, which are powerful antioxidants as well as vitamin C to support immunity. They also have a low GI for sustained energy.
• Don’t peel apples, antioxidants like quercitin are found in the peel. Other antioxidants in apples include anthocyanins, catechin and chlorogenic acid.
• Apples are 85% water, so they provide skin boosting nutrients as well as hydration.
• Persimmons are full of nutrients, including half your vitamin A intake and 80% of your vitamin C intake.
• Walnuts are one of the few plants that contain omega 3s, and have been linked with improved memory.
• Nuts provide protein for growth, iron to transfer oxygen around the blood, zinc for immunity, calcium for strong teeth and bones, fibre for healthy digestion, antioxidants for energy production, and research has also found they support learning and memory.
• Nuts have been found to reduce cholesterol and can help reduce the risk of diabetes.
• Nuts do not lead to weight gain, in fact studies have found that they help keep us fuller for longer due to the protein, fibre and good fats.

Investing in the future of the apple and pear industry

Hort Innovation invests levy contributions from the apple and pear industry, together with Australian Government contributions in the case of R&D, into Hort Innovation Apple and Pear Fund initiatives to improve and grow the industries.

You can read about these investments in R&D at the Apple & Pear Fund grower pages.