Classic Apple Waldorf Salad

Apples are a delicious healthy food, easy to carry for snacking, low in calories, a natural mouth freshener, and they are still very inexpensive.

The old saying of “an apple a day, keeps the doctor away” has a good deal of merit. Eating one or more apples a day may lower your risk for Alzheimer’s disease and cancers of the breast, colon, and prostate as well as numerous other conditions. To get the full benefit you must also eat the skin.

The health benefit of apples include;

•Lower blood cholesterol
•Improved bowel function
•Reduced risk of stroke
•Help in weight control
•Reduced risk prostate cancer
•Reduced risk type II diabetes
•Help prevent asthma, heart disease, and cancers
•Provide soluble and insoluble fiber
•Providesource of flavanoids and antioxidants


This is a crunchy, sweet and hearty salad of apples, celery, nuts and mayonnaise that was first served in the Waldorf-Astoria Hotel in New York City around 1891. You can make it a delicious summer luncheon main dish by adding cooked, diced chicken and another 1/3 cup mayonaise. My mother also added halved red or green seedless grapes in addition to the apples.

Ingredients

4 medium red apples or green apples or mixture of both, washed and diced.
1 teaspoon sugar
1 teaspoon lemon juice
1 cup celery, chopped
1/2 cup pecans or walnuts
2/3 cup mayonnaise
1 cup mini marshmallows (optional)
1 cup halved grapes (optional)

Directions

•Wash, core and dice unpeeled apples.
•Sprinkle lemon juice over them and toss together gently to coat, then sprinkle sugar over the apples and toss again.
•Chill for at least 20 minutes.
•Add celery and nuts then stir in mayonnaise, adding only enough for desired consistency.
•Serve on a bed of lettuce.