Homemade Applesauce: Healthy and Guilt-free Dessert

Apples have been on sale recently at Earthfare and Greenlife, so I bought a few pounds and made a easy applesauce, mmm, mmm. My grandmother used to make this and I still remember how much I loved eating it. We used to eat it with cinnamon graham crackers. It's also tasty over ice cream. Though, as an acupuncturist, I avoid frozen, sugary concoctions, such as ice cream.

I've been enjoying the applesauce over millet and walnuts in the morning for breakfast, or as an after-meal snack.

I used my version of my grandmother's recipe. She used to can it in jars. I haven't yet learned canning.

7lbs apples - I used a blend of macs and granny smith: they were both on sale. The granny smith added a tang, so I would continue with 50% green apples.

Whole spices: cinnamon [1 stick], anise [maybe 1t], nutmeg [1/2 nut], cloves [maybe 7 or so]

filtered water


Core the apples and cut into 3" chunks. (Quarter, then halve the quarters). I pressure cooked them on low pressure for about 5min with 1/4 pot of water and the spices [put these in a cloth teabag or a tea ball]. Alternatively, you could simmer them until they get soft. Then I pulled out the spices and pureed the apples with an immersion blender. You could use a food processor. My grandmother pushed them through a sieve with a wooden mallet. Using the modern appliances you get to use the skins, which have beneficial nutrients.

If the sauce is too wet, simmer it down a little longer. No sugar necessary, and boy is it tasty.

The cinnamon levels out the sugar spike, providing a slow release which is easier for the body to utilize. KB