SNACK: Applesauce

Applesauce is an extremely versatile food. Not only can it be eaten as a snack or dessert, it also works as a substitute for sugar, oil, and eggs in baking recipes.

As a sugar substitute, applesauce works best with muffins and breads. If liquid is included in the recipe, it should be reduced by about 1/4 of a cup to account for the liquid from the applesauce. Although it may take some experimenting to get the ratios right, substituting applesauce for sugar is a great option because it replaces processed sugar with natural ones, which are broken down more slowly by your body.

For oil, substitute 3/4 to 1 cup of applesauce for 1 cup of oil. It works best in muffins, cakes, and breads (not as well for cookies and brownies). Foods made with applesauce also tend to cook faster, so reduce the temperature of the oven by about 25 degrees and the time 5-10 minutes.

Lastly, one egg can be replaced 1/4 cup of applesauce in most recipes. Some sources say to mix it with half a teaspoon of baking powder, but I personally haven't tried this.

Now...onto the recipe!

Ingredients

- 4 apples (use ripe apples for sweeter applesauce)

- Water

*This made me a little less than two cups of applesauce.

Equipment

- Knife

- Pot

- Blender or food processor

Steps

1. Skin four apples and cut them into large pieces. Put the apples into the pot.

2. Add enough water to cover the surface of pot and to ensure that the apples won't burn while boiling.

3. Boil the apples for a total of 8-9 minutes, or until the apples are soft, stirring around 4-5 minutes. After stirring, reduce the stove to low heat. When finished, the apples should look like this:

4. Allow the apples to cool down. This took around 15 minutes for me, but it can be less if you're in a rush.

5. Use a food processor or a blender to turn the apples into applesauce. Tip: For less powerful blenders, pulse the apples before blending continuously. Adding water will also speed up the process.

6. That's it! Put your applesauce in an airtight jar and keep in the refrigerator.