Homemade Applesauce- The Perfect Healthy Snack

You know it’s Fall when you see those delicious apples! Of course apples are great for snacking, but they’re also a sign that it’s time to break out those cold weather recipes.

Applesauce is one of our favorite ways to enjoy the season. It is simply a puree made of cooked apples and it’s really easy to make at home. It can be made with several types of apples — some green, some red, either peeled or unpeeled, — and a variety of “sweet” spices such as cinnamon, ginger (freshly grated or ground), cloves, nutmeg, allspice and cardamom.

Sometimes a squeeze of lemon or a bit of sugar, brown sugar, honey, agave or maple syrup can be added. Applesauce can be chunky or completely pureed.

Applesauce can be enjoyed for breakfast, lunch, dinner, snacks and desserts. Here are some terrific ways to use applesauce:

•    Top cooked hot cereals such as Oatmeal, cream of wheat, cream of rice or barley with applesauce instead of sugar. For more sweetness, add chopped dried fruits or raisins.

•    Stir roasted nuts into applesauce.

•    Add applesauce to your morning smoothie.

•    When you use applesauce in baking, you can get by with adding less oil. Try substituting applesauce for some of the fat/oil in your favorite muffin and cake recipes.

•    Eat applesauce with granola

Here’s a simple recipe for Homemade Applesauce. It simple and yummy!

Ingredients:

•    1 1/2 pound Granny Smith or Pippin apples, peeled, cored, and sliced

•    1 1/2 pound Gala or McIntosh apples, peeled, cored and sliced

•    1/2 cup water

•    1 tablespoon sugar, or to taste (optional)

•    1 tablespoon freshly squeezed lemon juice, or to taste

Directions:

Combine apples and water in a large saucepan over medium-low heat.

Cover and cook until apples are very soft, about 20 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Transfer apples to a bowl and mash with a fork or potato masher.

Taste the sauce and add sugar and lemon juice to taste, depending on the flavor of the apples.

Serve warm or at room temperature.

To store the sauce, remove it from the heat and allow it to cool for about two hours. Transfer the applesauce to a glass container with a tight-fitting lid and refrigerate for up to one week.

Share your apples idea with us! We would love to hear from you!