Home-made Applesauce

It is apple season in Ohio and our apple tree has given us quite the hall this year. This past weekend we harvested about a whole wheelbarrow full of apples and this only from the low-hanging branches. Even though li'l Coder used a ladder, he is all of 4 feet tall and didn't get much higher than I did. 

Anyhow, I gave away loaded grocery bags full of apples to at least 4 different families and I used a bunch myself. One of the things I made and set aside in the freezer was applesauce. 

Prep Time: 30 min (or so).

Ingredients:

1. 6 cups Apples, peeled, cored, quartered.
2. 1 cup Water
3. 2 tsp Cinnamon

Directions:

In a non-stick pan, bring water to a boil and add apples. If you prefer, leaves the skins on. Since our apples were never sprayed or really taken care of, the skin on my apples was quite pockmarked and blemished so I removed it completely. 

Bring to a boil, cover and allow to simmer for 15-20 min until the apples begin to disintegrate. Mix frequently as the apples are cooking to prevent the bottom from sticking. Mix well with a rubber spatula to break down any large chunks. If the consistency is too thick, add more water until it achieves the right thickness. Always start with less water than you think you needed. Its hard to make something less-soupy!! Add cinnamon and mix well. 

If you're planning on eating it 'as is' add some brown sugar or maple syrup to taste. I'm planning on using it in Oatmeal and baking, so I didn't use any sugar. 

Freeze (or can) in several serving size containers, as appropriate for your household. I froze it in about 1/3 cup servings, one for each single serve Oatmeal recipe. Enjoy!!!

Uses for Applesauce:

1. Baby food - a gentle wholesome food to wean a baby with.
2. Adult food :) its excellent as a snack, warm or cold, and as a side dish. Ever try peanut butter and applesauce on toast? You'll eat it every day. Its a lot healthier than sugar-loaded jellies too.
3. As an oil substitute and egg-substitute in baked goods (1 egg = 1/4 cup applesauce). Avoid using more than 1 cup/recipe. 
4. As a natural fiber-filled sweetener in breakfast cereals, oatmeal etc. 
5. As a sauce - combine sauteed onions, apple cider vinegar, ketchup, soy sauce and light brown sugar and use it to smother pan-seared tofu or seitan (or pork chops, if you're an omnivore!). 

Apple Cinnamon Oats

So Tony consumed the last banana this morning :) after he asked me!!! Since I didn't have a banana for my usual Everyday Oats I decided to venture out into another recipe for my usual breakfast of oats. I had apples, peaches and pears in the fridge. So I decided on Apple Cinnamon as the flavor of the day. Simple and easy, about as easy a recipe as my usual recipe. 

Apple Cinnamon Raisin Oats

Prep Time: 5-12 min

Ingredients (Serves 1):

1. 1 Large Red Apple, diced, with skin on
2. 1/2 cup Old-Fashioned or Steel-Cut Oats
3. 1 tbsp Raisins
4. 1 tbsp Chia Seeds
5. 1 cup Almond Milk (Unsweetened, Plain)
6. 1-2 drops Vanilla extract
7. A dash of Cinnamon powder
8. Raw Honey (or other sweetener), to taste (optional)

Directions:

Add diced apple, old fashioned oats, raisins, chia seeds and almond milk to a microwave safe bowl and cook on high for 3 minutes. Remove, add remaining ingredients, stir and enjoy!!! If using steel-cut oats, simmer oats in almond milk for ~8-10 minutes, then add diced apple, old fashioned oats, raisins, chia seeds and cook for a couple of minutes before adding the remaining ingredients. Stir and serve warm. 

Nutrition Facts (Per Serving): Calories 368 (Fat Calories 80)
Total Fat 8.9 g; Carbohydrates 69.7 g; Fiber 14.4 g; Sugars 29.5 g; Protein 8.5 g

Oven Poached Star Fruit & Apples

Fresh Star Fruit (Kamrakh; कमरख) is sold on street corners, and by street vendors during the summer, pretty much all over India. I've only probably had it a half a dozen times in my life. I remember it being a crisp tart fruit which was eaten most often with Chaat Masala, which add a savory, chili peppery zing to the fruit. I saw some at the store yesterday and decided to pick a couple up. I figured if I didn't end up using it in a prepared dish, I'd still be able to enjoy it as we did in India.  A Google search revealed recipes for drinks, chutneys, salsas and upside down cakes. I wasn't in the mood for the first few and wasn't in the mood to improvise and modify an omnivore cake recipe to my style (no eggs, no oil). So, after a few unsuccessful searches on the internet, I improvised and decided on an oven poached version with flavors borrowed from Indian desserts.

Oven Poached Star Fruit & Apples

Prep Time: 30 min

Ingredients:

1. 1 Star Fruit (edges peeled, thinly sliced & seeds removed)
2. 1 Honey Crisp Apple (peeled, thinly sliced & seeds removed)
3. 2-3 tbsp Raw Sugar
4. A Dash of Allspice
5. A couple dashes of Ground Cardamom
6. 2 tbsp Slivered Almonds
7. A splash of Almond Milk

Directions:

Preheat oven to 400F. Spread the apples in a thin layer in an "ungreased" (lidded) casserole dish. Cover apples with a layer of sliced star fruit. 

Sprinkle raw sugar, allspice, cardamom and slivered almonds and almond milk. 

Bake, covered, for about 20 minutes. Consider it done when the lovely aroma of cardamom begins to waft out of the oven and fill the house!! 

Remove from the oven, let stand for a few minutes and serve warm. For an absolutely new experiment, this came out really good. The almond milk at the bottom of the pan was poured into each serving. I thought the little sprinkle of almond milk gave the fruit, and the dish, just a little bit of creaminess. The Star fruit and the apples both retained just a touch of crispness. The cardamom flavors evoked a sense of nostalgia :)