In the spotlight - apples

With bobbing for them at Halloween and coating them in toffee for Bonfire Night, this is another one for the Autumn. Look out for British varieties to reduce food miles and support local growers.

We've all heard the saying "An apple a day keeps the doctor away", but is there any truth in it?

• Apples are a good source of Vitamin C and while this won't prevent colds, it may reduce the duration and severity of a cold.
• They are rich in soluble fibre, the type of fibre which may help improve blood sugar control in diabetes and cholesterol levels. Eat the skin to increase your fibre intake.
• Like all fruits they are a good choice for a low calorie snack. You might have heard the one about eating an apple before each meal to lose weight? Unfortunately apples have no super-powers - this may work by filling you up, so less is eaten at the meal.

Feast your eyes on a few apple facts:

• They actually belong to the Rose family.
• The Granny Smith apple is named after Maria Ann Smith, who was born in England in 1799 and emigrated to Australia. It's her we have to thank for this lovely crunchy variety.
• Although about 5 apples are needed to produce 1 pint of cider, it won't count towards your 5 A Day!
• Cider vinegar can be used as a natural cleaning product. As it is acidic, it can cut through dirt, acts as a disinfectant and can be used to remove odours. Use it to clean surfaces in the kitchen, bathroom and windows.
• The 4th weekend in September is the County Apple Festival held in Liberty, Kentucky. Here visitors can enjoy a portion from a 10 foot apple pie - let's hope they have enough custard, cream or ice cream to go around!
• Apples don't just have to be limited to a snack. Try grating apple and stirring it through yoghurt or porridge; add chunks of apple to a salad or coleslaw; perhaps stew or bake them with raisins and cinnamon. 

While an apple pie or crumble would have been the obvious choice for a recipe, here are hopefully some new ideas for you to try.

Apple and oatie pancakes
These make a tasty breakfast topped with sliced fruit and natural yoghurt. Or make a dessert with a scoop of ice cream and a drizzle of toffee sauce.

• Mix 120g flour (4oz), 10tbsp oats, 5tbsp sugar, 0.5tsp bicarbonate of soda and 1tsp cinnamon in a bowl.
• In another bowl mix 250ml (8 fluid oz) milk, 1 egg, 7tbsp melted margarine and 0.25tsp vanilla extract.
• Form a well in the dry mix and stir in the wet ingredients.
• Peel, core and cut 2 apples into small pieces.
• Add 1tbsp oil to a pan and add 75ml (2.5 fluid oz) mix for each pancake. 
• Add some of the chopped apple to the top of each pancake.
• Turn the pancakes once during cooking and dust with cinnamon to serve.

 Spicy apple warmer

• In a pan warm 1litre (34 fluid oz) apple juice, 500ml (17 fluid oz) tea, 2tbsp sugar, juice from 2 lemons, a cinnamon stick, 1 sliced orange and 2 cloves.
• Simple as that!