KOSHER RECIPES FOR GLUTEN-FREE LIVING



Tuesday, December 19, 2006

Homemade Cranberry Applesauce (and Traditional Applesauce, too)

Both of these applesauces go beautifully with potato latkes, or eat them by the spoonful like I do. Depending on what varieties of apple you use, your sauce can range from extremely sweet to very tart. I recommend using half sweet apples (I chose Braeburn) and half tart apples (Granny Smiths are perfect). This recipe has no sugar added, which lets the fruit shine on its own.



HOMEMADE CRANBERRY APPLESAUCE

3 pounds of apples, peeled and cored
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1 cups fresh cranberries
1 1/2 cups of water
2 thin slices of lemon
Juice of 1/2 an orange
1/4 teaspoon salt

Cut apples into approximately 1 inch cubes. Add all ingredients to pot, and turn heat on high. Bring to a boil, then cover and reduce heat to low. Simmer for 20-25 minutes or until the apples have softened significantly. Stir frequently, making sure that the apples are not sticking to the bottom of the pot. Add more liquid if necessary. Remove lemon slices. Mash with a potato masher or use a food mill for a smoother consistency. Serve warm or at room temperature.




HOMEMADE TRADITIONAL APPLESAUCE

3 pounds of apples, peeled and cored
1 teaspoon cinnamon
Pinch of nutmeg
1 1/2 cups of water
2 thin slices of lemon
1/4 teaspoon salt

Cut apples into approximately 1 inch cubes. Add ingredients to pot, and turn heat on high. Bring to a boil, then cover and reduce heat to low. Simmer for 20-25 minutes or until the apples have softened significantly. Stir frequently, making sure that the apples are not sticking to the bottom of the pot. Add more liquid if necessary. Remove lemon slices. Mash with a potato masher or use a food mill for a smoother consistency. Serve warm or at room temperature.

This recipe is part of the Antioxidant Rich Foods / 5-A-Day recipe roundup.

8 comments:

Susan Voisin said...

I'm definitely going to have to try the cranberry applesauce while cranberries are still in all the stores. Thanks for the great-looking recipe!

burekaboy — said...

sounds and looks wonderful, especially the cranberry version. great colours!

Lynn Barry said...

I am definitely going to make these recipes. I have made my own applesauce but never the cranapple variety. Thanks!

Vanessa said...

Gorgeous! I could eat this right out of the bowl!

Mike Eberhart said...

I really like how you've kept a nice coordinated series of recipes going. Excelent! And, quite seasonal.

cookiecrumb said...

I like it! (I have a sour tooth, so cranberries is a great idea.)

ByTheBay said...

Thanks Mike! (and everyone)

And Cookiecrumb - I've never heard the term "sourtooth" but it completely describes me! I actually only like sweet things if they're also tart or sour. And when I crave foods, it's not usually chocolate - It's pickles!

~M said...

Hi GFB,
From your latest post on sweet potato/leek latkes, I know that you are trying to eat healthier so I wanted to pass on my applesauce tips. I keep the skins on the [washed] apples, core and chop them, and put them in the crockpot for about 3 hours on high. I don't add any liquid or sugar; if you use a good mix of apples, it should be sweet enough. I then add spices and puree right in the crockpot with my immersion blender which results in a smooth texture that you'd never guess had all the nutrition that's in the skins. Over here, we've been mixing a chai-flavored applesauce with everything from quinoa flakes to latkes and Slacker Mom's coconut encrusted chicken tenders. Yumm!