“No sugar added” crock-pot applesauce.

If you don’t own a crock-pot, this recipe is reason #52 why you need one:

This applesauce requires 5 minutes hands-on time, then about 3 hours in the crock-pot. What you get is unbelievably flavorful and satisfying treat snack. After you make it, you will be asking yourself why you had been buying applesauce at the store. I don’t know what they do to the stuff in a jar, but after trying this home-made applesauce, even all-natural brands taste like hospital food.

Apart from being easy and delicious, this applesauce is a fantastic healthy snack option mixed with Greek Yogurt and some low-fat granola: a guilt-free version of apple pie that you can eat every day!

Here is what you need to make it:

• 4-5 large apples (the sweeter the apples, the sweeter your applesauce, naturally. I like Cameo apples or similar.)
• 1 tsp each cinnamon and vanilla, or to taste (you can leave these out, but they take the applesauce to the top)

1. Place peeled, cored, and roughly chopped apples in the crock-pot. Add cinnamon and vanilla, if using. Sometimes I add a splash of water (a couple tablespoons), other times I skip that– haven’t noticed any difference.

2. Turn your crock-pot on High. My crock-pot has only two settings for High– 4 hrs and 6 hrs. I start checking after 3 hours, and it is usually ready by then.  Note: crock-pots vary, so play around with cooking times a bit. You want the apples to easily fall apart if stirred.

3. Once cool enough to handle, move the applesauce to a container. Clean spaghetti sauce jar works perfect for this! You can leave it chunky, or mash with a fork for more uniform texture.

Keep in the fridge for up to 2 weeks (if it’s not already eaten by then:).

Off to buy some apples…