When Life Gives You Apples...Make Applesauce!
Homemade applesauce is so easy and much more delicious than store bought. Start with any variety of apples you like, depending on your taste preference. I don’t even bother peeling the apples, just core and rough chop, then place in a saucepan and just barely cover with water. Bring to a boil, reduce heat, cover and simmer until fork tender. Remove from heat and drain any excess water. Mash with a fork for a chunky texture, including skin. If you want a smoother texture, use an immersion blender or food processor. Add a little cinnamon and/or nutmeg and you’re good to go. You can add to oatmeal for breakfast, yogurt for lunch, or eat warm for a snack. It’s the ultimate comfort food!
What’s more, I like to call applesauce the “master of versatility.” You can use it as a healthy substitute for eggs, oil and sugar when baking.
Try my healthy swaps:
Applesauce for butter or oil
Unsweetened applesauce can be used to replace part or all of the butter or oil in a recipe. It can be swapped in equal quantities, so if a recipe calls for 1 cup of oil, you could replace as much of it as you'd like with applesauce. Using all applesauce in a cake or bread will give it a lot of moisture, but also a lot of density. As a rule, start by replacing half (or ¼) of the oil or butter with applesauce to test for your preference.
Applesauce for eggs
Unsweetened applesauce can also be used as substitute for eggs. Use ¼ cup of applesauce for 1 egg.
Applesauce for sugar
You can swap unsweetened applesauce for sugar in a 1:1 ratio in recipes, but you'll also need to reduce the amount of liquid in the recipe. Usually reducing the liquid (milk, water, etc.) by ¼ cup will work. If there's no added liquid, then there's no need to adjust.What are you waiting for? Start cooking and you’ll be on your way to an apple a day!!
LAURA KLEIN, Culinary Wellness Coach is an ACE certified Health Coach, Wellcoaches certified Wellness Coach, and CHEF Coach, Institute of Lifestyle Medicine.
As a CHEF coach, Laura focuses on helping her clients cook healthier, eat healthier and live healthier through a combination of nutrition education, healthy goal setting and home cooking skills. You can find our more about Laura at her website www.wellseasonedcoaching.com.