I’m not sure when pumpkin spice became such a national addiction, but these days you’ll find that flavor in everything— and I mean everything from frappucino’s to pumpkin spiced sunflower seeds. The minute October rolls around, pumpkin spice season is in full swing. You can bet that with just about anything pumpkin spiced, it’s going to have some calories. I am sharing an exception with you this week! I created a healthy, low calorie dessert for the clients at Red Mountain Weight Loss who are trying to find delicious things to eat while shedding the pounds. This recipe for Pumpkin Spiced Caramel Apples is the perfect tasty treat for anyone who doesn’t want to give up dessert while losing weight. The best part is, the only calories in the entire recipe come from one crisp apple! The ingredient used for sweetening the apple is Swerve Sweetener Brown Sugar Replacement. The caramel drizzle is from Walden Farms, a company known for its zero calorie, zero carb and fat free product line. The recipe calls for just a small amount of pumpkin spice, but it’s just enough to flavor the apple and yet give you the fabulous taste of fall. Finally, you’ll notice that I’ve opted for a crisp organic apple for this recipe. That’s because, in doing some research about which apples are the crispiest, I stumbled upon some disturbing information about apples. EWG (Environmental Working Group) is a non-profit organization that focuses on researching and rating a wide range of consumer products from sunscreens, cosmetics to food items in order to promote healthier consumer choices. Guess what always turns up on EWG’s Dirty Dozen List? Apples. EWG’s List describes food additives and pesticides that on certain products that may have a health risk to consumers. Non organic apples consistently land on the list, year after year. So, I say opt for organic apples when you can, and enjoy this delightful dessert that may end up being a new fall favorite!
Watch my How To Video for Pumpkin Spiced Caramel Apples here!