Clean Honey Apples

My family loves apples, and one of my favorite ways to make them is stewed on the stove top. Before I started clean eating, I had no problem chopping up some apples and throwing them in a pot with plenty of brown sugar and butter. Since I have mostly given up sugar and truly watch what I eat, I have had to find a new way to make the same dish. I truly believe that, made like this, it is much better than it was before.

4 medium apples, cored, peeled, and chopped
1/2 cup organic honey
1/4 cup skim milk
1 tsp vanilla
1/2 tsp ground cloves
1/2 tsp cardamom
pinch salt

Bring honey and milk to a slight boil on the stove top. Stirring constantly, adding the vanilla, cloves, cardamom, and salt. A trick I like to use is to spray a bit of olive oil or non-stick spray on a wooden spoon so that the honey doesn't stick during stirring.

Add the chopped apples and stir until coated. Leave the apples on the stove top until they reach the desired firmness. Our family likes them lightly softened, which takes about 10 minutes at medium-high heat. 

These apples are wonderful on their own, but also make a great addition to crepes or can be mashed and made into applesauce. For something really different, try using tomatoes instead of apples.