Spiced Applesauce
Spiced Applesauce–sounds mundane and too simple right?
When it comes to strengthening the digestive system and the immune system, mundane or simple is the best place to start. A staple in the Amish diet, applesauce is served with nearly every meal and it is one of the foods that I frequently recommend for young and old. It is easy to absorb, warms the Stomach and Spleen—meaning it strengthens the digestion- and helps build the immune system.
Don’t hesitate to play with recipe–toss in a handful of raspberries or blackberries for a colorful and bright change. Feel free to leave out the spices, if you want plain applesauce.
Prep Time: 15 mins
Cook Time: 60 minutes
Servings: 8-10
Ingredients
10 medium apples I prefer tart apples like Granny Smith, but a mix of varieties is lovely.
1 cinnamon stick
1 tsp fresh grated ginger root
1 tsp whole cloves grated
1 cup calvados or apple jack, or water if you don't use spirits
honey or maple syrup optional, to taste
salt to taste
berries or other fruit optional
Instructions
Prepare the apples
Peel apples if desired. I leave the peels on as that is where most of the pectin is found. I peel them if they aren't organic and are shellacked with wax. Core and coarsely chop the apples. And add to large stock pot or crock pot. Add in spices and calvados.
Now is the time to toss in other fruit or berries if you desire. This might be a handful of leftover cranberries or the last, lonely peach sitting on the table. Peel, pit or core the fruit if necessary. Apples have a high level of pectin, so they will naturally thicken the sauce while it cooks. The picture is cranberry applesauce.
Be patient
Cover the pan or crock pot and heat apples over medium heat until very soft, 60-75 minutes, longer if you want it softer. Enjoy the lovely fragrance filling your house. Remove from heat and pull out cinnamon stick. Mash or puree the sauce. I like mine chunky, so I use a potato masher. Add in salt and sweetener if necessary —you gotta taste it to see if the fruit was very sweet or sour.
Energetics And Healing Properties
Apples are high in fiber, reduce cholesterol , regulate the appetite and improve overall digestion.
Energetics: Cooling, sweet and sour, apples enter the Stomach, Spleen, Liver and Gallbladder. They nourish yin and clear summer heat, promote digestion and aid in the removal of fats. With the warming spices in this recipe it is particularly beneficial for warming cold and strengthening digestive yang (the metabolism).
