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.