Applesauce

Applesauce is a very popular ingredient in our kitchen, always keeping a jar in the fridge. Once a year, we buy a large box from the BC fresh fruit truck and can a big batch for winter supply.

Our toddler loves to eat it for a quick snack, often flavoured with additional purees. We use it in all our baking as a substitute for oil, butter, or eggs. It adds a natural sweetness to a recipe while being lighter in calories and fat, with additional fiber. For a very simple treat, serve a spoonful of warmed applesauce over dairy-free vanilla ice cream.

Ingredients:

• 9 apples, any variety (Ambrosia, McIntosh and Sunrise are great picks)
• Juice from 1/2 a lemon
• 1/3 cup water
• 1 tsp. cinnamon

Directions:

1. Peel, core, and chop the apples. Place in a large pot with the lemon juice, water, and cinnamon.
2. Cook over medium heat until apples are soft and have broken down, about 15-20 minutes. 
3. Either transfer to a blender, or use an immersion blender to puree until smooth. 

Keeps well in fridge up to 2 weeks. Can be frozen or canned for extended storage.

Alternatively, you can place all of the ingredients into a slow cooker. Cook on high for 4 hours, then puree.

Depending on the size of your apples, one recipes yields 8 cups of applesauce.

Simple. Versatile. Delicious.

Canning Directions:

1. Place clean glass jars on a cookie sheet and place in the oven while it preheats to 300*F (about 10 minutes).
2. Place inner lids for the jar (with the seal) into a pot with water, bring to a boil.
3. Once the oven is preheated, remove the warm jars, and quickly fill with cooked applesauce. Use tongs to remove the lids from boiling water and place onto the jar, screwing the ring on tightly.
4. Place jars back into the oven for 10 minutes. The applesauce should start bubbling in the jars.
5. Remove from the oven and let cool completely on the counter before storing. The lids will pop and seal over the following hour.