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    Oh My Veggies » Sponsored

    Sneaky Green Apple Fruit Leather

    Published: Aug 12, 2019 · by Nicole · Updated: Sep 15, 2021 · This post may contain affiliate links.

    Jump to Recipe - Print Recipe

    Sneaky Green Apple Fruit LeatherSponsored RecipeYou know how sometimes you have a really good idea, but you sort of know it just won't work out? I kind of felt that way about this Sneaky Green Apple Fruit Leather recipe. I loved the idea of sneaking a little bit of spinach into apple fruit leather, but it just seemed like the idea was too good to actually work in practice. So I made it…

    …and it was good! Like really, objectively good. Not good for fruit leather with spinach in it, but good good. You don't taste the spinach at all. To make sure it wasn't a fluke, I made it again and it was still tasty. I wanted to be absolutely sure it worked out, so I tried it a third time. By the time I got to the fourth trial, I knew the recipe worked, I just wanted more fruit leather.

    Sneaky Green Apple Fruit Leather
    Not only does this fruit leather recipe sneak in some spinach, it's also sugar-free. A lot of fruit leather recipes will have you add a ton of sugar. But if you start with flavorful, sweet apples, you don't need any sugar at all. You can bake the fruit leather on parchment paper, cut it into strips, roll it up, and you have a healthy back-to-school lunchbox snack that's not neon green or loaded with sugar and preservatives. (Want some more healthy fruit leather recipes? I have Banana, Strawberry Banana, Mango, and Raspberry Peach too!)

    The Real Deal Veggie Chips

    On a shallow note, I'm pretty thrilled that this post has given me the opportunity to use my Banao lunch bag again. Before I started working from home, I used to bring my lunch to work in that bag every day. (The weird looks I got from my co-workers were obviously out of jealousy. Obviously!) And not only did I bring my lunch to work in a children's lunch bag, my lunch was usually a grown-up version of what I used to eat when I was a kid too—a PB&J on whole grain bread, fruit leather, and healthy chips or crackers.

    The Real Deal All Natural Veggie Chips
    When I was a kid, if you had chips in your lunch, it was probably something that left your fingers orange and/or greasy. If your parents were really crunchy and health-conscious, maybe you'd get pretzels. Today, we have more options. Options that are healthy and tasty—imagine that! The Real Deal Baked Veggie Chips are one of my favorites. They're all-natural, vegan, gluten-free—oh, and they're made with peas. Peas! An ounce of Veggie Chips provides a serving and a half of vegetables, which is good news for those of you who struggle with kids that flat-out refuse to eat their veggies. The 100-calorie bags are perfect for sticking into lunchboxes (or Banao lunch bags), but I'm partial to the Sriracha flavor myself. I'm a complete sucker for that crispy and spicy combination and these chips have just the right amount of heat.

    To find The Real Deal snacks at a retailer near you, enter your zip code into the store locator on their website. And then you'll have sneaky, tasty chips to go with your sneaky, tasty fruit leather!

    Sneaky Green Apple Fruit Leather Recipe

    Sneaky Green Apple Fruit Leather

    This tasty, sugar-free apple fruit leather is hiding a secret--it's made with spinach!
    Print Recipe Pin Recipe Email Recipe
    Prep Time: 10 minutes
    Cook Time: 6 hours
    Total Time: 6 hours 10 minutes
    Course: Dessert
    Cuisine: American
    Diet: Vegetarian
    Keyword: fruit leather recipe, how to make fruit leather, Sneaky Green Apple Fruit Leather
    Servings: 1 baking sheet of fruit leather
    Calories: 577kcal
    Author: Oh My Veggies

    Ingredients

    • 6 small apples about 2 pounds—I used Fuji, peeled, cored, and diced
    • ½ cup water
    • ½ tsp ground cinnamon optional
    • 1 cup packed baby spinach
    US Customary - Metric

    Instructions

    • Combine the diced apples, water, and cinnamon in a large saucepan. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to low. Simmer for 30–45 minutes, until apples are softened, stirring and mashing occasionally. (I use a potato masher, but if you don't have one, you can use a big wooden spoon and crush the apples against the side of the saucepan.)
    • Allow the apples to cool slightly, then transfer them to a blender or food processor. Add the spinach and process until completely smooth.
    • Preheat oven to 175°F and line a large rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper. Pour the apple mixture onto the center of the sheet and use a spatula to evenly spread it over the paper. (If you have an offset spatula, it works well for this!)
    • Bake the fruit leather for 3 to 5 hours, until it's dry to the touch but still pliable. Sometimes the edges will be dry before the center—if this happens, use kitchen shears to trim off the done parts and return the rest to the oven. It's hard to give an exact time for baking fruit leather, so be sure to check on it every 20–30 minutes so it doesn't overcook!
    • Once the fruit leather is finished baking, remove it from the oven and let it cool, then use kitchen shears to cut it into strips. (Keep the parchment paper backing—this will keep it from sticking!) Roll the strips and store them in a plastic bag or airtight container.

    Nutrition

    Calories: 577kcalCarbohydrates: 153gProtein: 4gFat: 2gSaturated Fat: 1gPolyunsaturated Fat: 1gMonounsaturated Fat: 1gSodium: 41mgPotassium: 1340mgFiber: 27gSugar: 114gVitamin A: 3406IUVitamin C: 59mgCalcium: 109mgIron: 2mg
    Craving more veg-friendly recipes? Shop our collection of vegetarian and vegan cookbooks, including our new Vegan Thanksgiving and Vegan Christmas cookbooks!

    Disclosure: The Real Deal compensated me for the time spent developing and photographing this recipe. Sponsored Recipes are a once-a-month feature on Oh My Veggies--my sponsors help make this blog possible!

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    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Anne|Craving Something Healthy says

      August 16, 2013 at 5:25 pm

      Thanks for another great idea Kiersten! Fruit leather has been on my "to-try" list for a while and it's just about apple season...

      Reply
      • Kiersten says

        August 18, 2013 at 8:08 pm

        You should definitely make it! I'm so obsessed with fruit leather. If I have fruit that's starting to go bad, I whip it up into a batch of fruit leather. 🙂

        Reply
    2. Kim @ What's That Smell? says

      August 16, 2013 at 5:45 pm

      I need to make this! It looks wonderful and I love the "sneaky" part. Shhhhhh.....

      Reply
    3. Laura (Tutti Dolci) says

      August 16, 2013 at 6:37 pm

      Perfect snack to make during apple season!

      Reply
    4. Heidi @ Food Doodles says

      August 16, 2013 at 9:08 pm

      Oh my goodness, I LOVE this idea! Totally making this for my kids!

      Reply
    5. Kare @ Kitchen Treaty says

      August 17, 2013 at 9:56 am

      This is exactly the kind of food I need right now for my veggie-averse toddler! She turns her nose up at veggies but loves crunchy things. And the fruit leather is totally brilliant. And the fact that it's green doesn't have to make it weird because it's green apple! So smart!

      Reply
      • Kiersten says

        August 18, 2013 at 8:02 pm

        It must break your heart as a vegetarian blogger to see your daughter not wanting to eat veggies. Sad!

        Reply
    6. Shannon says

      August 18, 2013 at 6:00 pm

      Speaking of back to school lunch box ideas, I would be eternally grateful if you put together a post on that! Like you know, complete lunch ideas. I love this post by the way, can't wait to try it.

      Reply
      • Kiersten says

        August 18, 2013 at 7:46 pm

        I've been thinking about doing that, so it's definitely a possibility. 😉 But in the meantime, my friend Rachel at Following in My Shoes has lots of great lunch ideas, so definitely check out her blog too! http://followinginmyshoes.com/category/bento-2/

        Reply
    7. Kelly @ Texas Type A Mom says

      August 18, 2013 at 10:56 pm

      I have the hardest time getting fruit leather right. Mine never dries evenly in the oven. I'm going to try this in the dehydrator and see if I can get it right.

      Reply
      • Kiersten says

        August 20, 2013 at 9:23 pm

        It can be tricky to get it to dry evenly. Usually I just cut the dried parts off and put the rest back in the oven!

        Reply
    8. Jai says

      August 19, 2013 at 12:42 am

      I've always liked fruit leather and I've always wondered how it was made. It sounds easier than I had imagined.

      Reply
      • Kiersten says

        August 20, 2013 at 9:22 pm

        It's way easier than people think it is!

        Reply
    9. Lisa @ Oh Boy Oh Boy Oh Boy says

      August 19, 2013 at 10:59 am

      I used to love fruit leather as a kid, and apple sounds yummy

      Reply
    10. Beeb says

      August 20, 2013 at 12:21 am

      I'm so impressed with the whole lunch, from the adorable lunch bag to the yummy chips to the spinach in a fruit roll up - so clever!

      Reply
      • Kiersten says

        August 20, 2013 at 8:41 pm

        Thank you! 🙂 I have all these fun little lunch bags and containers, I need to use them more often.

        Reply
    11. Melanie @ Just Some Salt and Pepper says

      August 21, 2013 at 11:09 am

      Such a great idea! I love how spinach is so mild tasting that you can sneak it into almost anything. I've never tried fruit leather, but it sounds really good!

      Reply
      • Kiersten says

        August 22, 2013 at 5:17 pm

        Yup, it's perfect that way! I don't like it on its own, but I love adding it to other foods. 🙂

        Reply
    12. Beth @ Tasty Yummies says

      August 21, 2013 at 3:54 pm

      I love this. Such a great idea. I have made fruit leather before with the leftover pulp from fresh juice, (both fruit and veggie) but I still haven't tried making it just from scratch. I cannot wait to try this recipe! Thanks!

      Reply
      • Kiersten says

        August 22, 2013 at 5:14 pm

        Ooh, I just got a juicer and I've been composting the pulp--fruit leather is a MUCH better idea! Thank you!

        Reply
    13. Nicole B says

      August 25, 2013 at 4:51 pm

      Don't the apples lose much of their nutritional value when you cook them for so long before dehydrating them?

      Reply
      • Kiersten says

        August 25, 2013 at 5:13 pm

        Apples need to be cooked in order to make fruit leather. My other fruit leather recipes start with raw fruit if that's what you're looking for.

        Reply
    14. kristy @ gastronomical sovereignty says

      September 16, 2013 at 10:49 am

      Kiersten! I ADORE your blog and your fresh, natural, healthy appley fruit leather! More fruit leather!! 🙂

      P.s. found you via a recipe highlight at Mother Nature Network - love your blog!! ...did I say that already? 😉

      Reply
      • Kiersten says

        September 16, 2013 at 7:26 pm

        Thank you for stopping by (and for the kind words too)! 😀 Fruit leather is the best, right?!

        Reply
    15. Allis says

      October 08, 2013 at 11:56 am

      Hiya! : ) I'm wondering why apples must be cooked for fruit leather as opposed to other fruits which can be raw. I'm curious if you have tried it without cooking them and what was the result. I have a vitamix that I intend to use to process them, so I'm trying to understand what makes cooking necessary...thanks for any info you can offer.

      Reply
      • Kiersten says

        October 09, 2013 at 7:35 pm

        No, I haven't tried it because I've always heard that apples should be cooked before making fruit leather. If you want to try it without cooking the apples first, go for it!

        Reply
    16. Catherine says

      October 30, 2013 at 11:57 am

      Hello,
      Is it necessary to cook the apples or could one just puree them in a food processor raw?
      Also- could you just microwave the apples for a 1 minute cooking time instead of boiling them for 40 minutes? Just looking for time savers here.
      Thanks,
      Catherine

      Reply
      • Catherine says

        October 30, 2013 at 11:59 am

        Sorry, disregard, duplicate comment! Everyone already asked about cooking the apples and I didn't see.

        Reply
    17. Phae says

      January 09, 2014 at 9:42 am

      Yes! Thanks so much- my veggie-averse daughter ate about half of the pan before I could even roll the strips up. I'm curious about how much of the nutrition cooks out of the spinach during the dehydration- do you know?

      Reply
      • Kiersten Frase says

        January 09, 2014 at 7:56 pm

        Spinach is actually better for you when it's cooked--the nutrients are more easily absorbed by the body. 🙂 I'm glad the fruit leather was a hit!

        Reply
    18. Tiffany says

      February 24, 2014 at 7:47 pm

      FYI, there is a difference in "sugar free" and no sugar added/all natural sugars. This recipe only contains natural sugars (fructose) found in the fruit. Just keep this in mind 🙂

      Reply
    19. Patricia M says

      April 18, 2014 at 9:51 am

      Do you need to use parchment? None of your other fruit leathers use parchment. Am making a batch of banana right now!!

      Reply
      • Kiersten Frase says

        April 18, 2014 at 2:43 pm

        I like using parchment now because I think it makes the fruit leather easier to remove. But if you oil the baking sheet, you can skip it. 🙂

        Reply
    20. Sunshine says

      December 03, 2014 at 12:53 am

      Cannot wait to try this! 🙂 How long are these good for?

      Reply
    21. Leeanne says

      January 22, 2015 at 5:29 am

      I like green smoothies (frozen fruit berries and a mix of spinach, kale and swiss chard). Could I blend it up as I normally would but instead make it into a fruit leather? I don't want to use any sugar at all but I'm hoping the fruit leather will taste as delicious as the smoothie!

      Reply
      • Kiersten Frase says

        January 23, 2015 at 3:21 pm

        I think it would work, I'd just make sure the smoothie is on the thick side--otherwise, it will take a really long time to bake in the oven.

        Reply
    22. Tara says

      February 25, 2015 at 12:00 pm

      It's in the oven as we speak! Thanks for a great idea, I'm excited to see if my son likes it. It'd yummy just as a sauce! 😉 I didn't peel the apples, and it still blended up nice and smooth - and with some added vitamins! 🙂

      Reply
    23. Beth Taylor says

      April 30, 2015 at 10:11 am

      Hi there! Do you use frozen spinach and pack it? Thank you!

      Reply
      • Kiersten Frase says

        April 30, 2015 at 1:40 pm

        No, you should use fresh. I think frozen has a stronger taste to it and it's also going to introduce a lot more moisture, which will make the fruit leather take longer to dry.

        Reply
    24. Beth says

      September 30, 2015 at 12:35 pm

      Is there any reason why you wouldn't be able to use homemade Apple sauce in place of fresh apples? I have a bunch and am looking for different ways to use it. Thanks!

      Reply
    25. WelaJoèy says

      May 07, 2016 at 1:43 am

      Have you tried this with red apples or Mirabelle plums?
      (soon too have an abundance!).
      Currently living in Germany,do you have site where I might order those chips,please?

      Reply
      • Kiersten says

        May 10, 2016 at 7:30 pm

        Red apples would definitely work, but the plums would probably require longer cooking time as they tend to have more liquid - I'm not sure how that would work, so you might have to experiment a little.

        I'm not sure if those chips are available overseas - sorry!

        Reply
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    Nicole is a life long vegetarian and the author of the popular vegan cookbook, Weeknight One Pot Vegan Cooking. She loves sharing her recipes and showing the world just how easy and delicious meatless meals can be!
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