Healthy Home-made Apple Sauce

Even though apple season is 5 months away, I had a hankering for some fresh homemade apple-sauce. So over the weekend I whipped up a batch and it turned out amazing! Here’s an easy recipe for you to try. Home-made apple sauce is a great low-calorie, nutritious snack. Although the apples are peeled and cooked, losing much of their nutritional value, apple sauce is still an excellent source of potassium, manganese and vitamin C. 

Potassium is known as a `health insurer’ mineral, keeping the heart, brain, kidney, muscle tissues and other important organs in good condition. Vitamin C, as we all know, is one of the best antioxidants around, destroying those nasty free radicals that cause ageing. Manganese is an important mineral for brain, bone and nerve health, and facilitates calcium absorption. In addition, it also helps regulate thyroid function, sex hormones, blood sugar and metabolizes fats and carbohydrates.

Healthy Home-made Apple sauce

Ingredients

• 1 (3 lb) bag of local, unsprayed apples
• 6 oz filtered water
• 2 tbsp natural maple syrup
• 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
• pinch of ground nutmeg

Preparation

1. Scrub the apples, then peel, quarter and core them. For chunky applesauce using small to medium apples, halve the quarters. For less chunky applesauce, cut the quarter pieces into fours. Place prepared apples into a large, heavy-bottomed pot.
2. Add the rest of the ingredients to the pot and bring to a boil over medium heat. Reduce heat, cover and simmer until the apples are tender.
3. Some apple varieties, like McIntoshes, will be soft in about 15 minutes. Others, like Jonathans, may take up to 40 minutes.
4. If necessary, add more water to the apples while cooking to prevent sticking.
5. Stir often and avoid cooking the apples until they’re mushy.
6. Sprinkle cinnamon on top for added spice.