Not only is cinnamon incredibly versatile, but it is also healthy as it is one of the highest antioxidant spices around, and it increases the body’s metabolic efficiency. It also is a great source of manganese, which is a trace mineral that helps regulate blood sugar and neutralizes free radicals. As a result, it is a natural mood enhancer. Including cinnamon in your diet can help increase attention and enhance cognitive processing, which are both mood lifters. It's also a great solution for calming sugar cravings. If you have bought your pre-ground cinnamon at the supermarket, chances are that it is actually cassia. Cinnamon and Cassia are related (both are in the same family as bay leaves and avocadoes!), but cassia is naturally stronger and sweeter than cinnamon, so is the one used more for sweet dishes. Many bakers use cassia in their “cinnamon” scrolls, “cinnamon” doughnuts, apple strudel etc, as it is also much cheaper. Cinnamon is traditionally used more in savoury dishes or in soft fruit compotes. It is traditional in Moroccan tagines, Indian curries and even Mexican meat dishes. In their whole form you can tell the difference as cassia is a thicker quill with the wood curling up from both sides like a scroll. Cinnamon has thinner layers that roll in more tightly from one side of the quill only. That said, I use both cassia and cinnamon in both sweet and savoury dishes, just be aware that cassia is stronger.

Cassia and Cinnamon quills

Here are a few easy ideas for adding cinnamon to your diet:

• Sprinkle cinnamon into your coffee, or add it to your coffee grounds before brewing. Or do as the Mexicans do and have Te de Canela- steep broken quills in boiling water and drink as a tea.
• Add a dash or two of cinnamon to hot porridge, or cold muesli or cereal.
• Fold cinnamon into yoghurt, along with chia seeds and leave overnight. In the morning add fresh cut fruit, and nuts or seeds.
• Add to your winter lamb shanks
• Season stone fruit with a sprinkle of cinnamon before roasting or grilling.
• Add a pinch of cinnamon to lentil or black bean soup, or to vegetarian chili.
• Season roasted cauliflower, kumara, pumpkin, and butternut squash with a pinch of cinnamon.
• Sprinkle a little cinnamon onto popped popcorn.
• Stir a little cinnamon into melted dark chocolate and drizzle over whole nuts to make spicy ‘bark’ or use as a dip or coating for fresh fruit.

Cassia and Cinnamon

Try this wonderful recipe using cinnamon or cassia.

Cinnamon-Baked Apples

Prep time: 20 minutes. Cooking time: 55 minutes

Serves 6

6 apples

1½ teaspoons ground cinnamon or cassia

½ cup sultanas

1 tablespoons brown sugar

50g soft unsalted butter, chopped

2 tablespoons almonds, chopped

750mls dry white wine

1/3 cup caster sugar

2 cinnamon sticks

1 vanilla bean, split lengthwise

1 large strip orange rind

2 tablespoons melted butter

Whipped cream, to serve

Core the apples then remove vertical strips of peel at 3cm intervals to give a striped effect. Combine ground cinnamon, sultanas, brown sugar, butter and almonds in a small bowl and stir until well combined. Press cinnamon mixture into the cavity of each apple and put apples in a baking dish just large enough to hold them.

Combine wine, caster sugar, cinnamon sticks, vanilla bean and orange rind in a bowl and mix well, then pour into baking dish around apples and bake at 180°C, basting frequently with wine mixture, for 40 – 50 minutes, or until apples are tender.

Remove apples from dish, transfer liquid to a saucepan and simmer over medium heat for 5 minutes until reduced and slightly thickened. Strain.

To serve, put apples in serving dish, drizzle with wine syrup and accompany with whipped cream.