SWEET! It’s apple season. We buy so many apples, it’s practically impossible to eat them all. If apples on your counter or in your fridge are beginning to wrinkle, soften and resemble the old lady down the block, take a few minutes to transform them from aging apples to applesauce. Be sure to make enough for leftovers, because once you discover how easy and fast it is to make fresh applesauce, you’ll be wishing apple season never ends. Bonus? The house smells like apple pie!

NOTE: Combine tart Granny Smith apples with a mixture of McIntosh, Fuji, Cortland, Gala, or Jonathan apples for a sweet applesauce that doesn’t need sugar!

WHAT’S IN IT

6 - 8 fresh apples peeled, cored and chopped into chunks
3/4 - 1 cup organic apple cider or water
1 t ground ceylon cinnamon
pinch nutmeg or cloves

HOW TO MAKE IT

In a medium saucepan, combine apples and water.
Cover and bring to a low boil.
Reduce heat to medium low and simmer for approximately 15 minutes, stirring occasionally. If mixture is too thick, add a smidge of liquid.
Add cinnamon, nutmeg and/or cloves, and cook until the mixture has softened - 10 or 15 minutes. Cool, then mash with a potato masher or fork until desired consistency.

WHY IT’S HEALTHY

Apples are so familiar to us (the second most popular fruit after bananas) they are often not given their due in terms of the awesome health benefits they provide. They have dozens of phenols and polyphenols that give us significant levels of antioxidant protection, and are a good source of daily fiber. Cinnamon has anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, antimicrobial, immune-boosting, and heart-protecting properties. Cloves have high amounts of antioxidants, are anti-inflammatory and anti-bacterial (can help with oral diseases like gingivitis) and help digestion.