So after our apple picking excursion the other day I thought it fitting that I make a batch of homemade applesauce. This recipe is so easy and isn't loaded with sugar like many brands you find in the grocery store. (You can take this recipe a step further and make apple butter if you like) When your brew is ready you have a healthy and frugal snack for the whole family to enjoy! If you make a lot you can use half to snack on and the other half to bake with! There are several ways to cut out unnecessary fat/oil by substituting with applesauce. Whether you eat it or bake with it you won't be disappointed! Have fun!

Cinnamon Applesauce

• 6 apples, mine were Jonagold apples
• 1 cup of filtered water
• 1 TBSP fresh lemon juice
• 1 tsp brown sugar (this is optional depending on how sweet your apples are, I used Sucanat)
• 1 tsp cinnamon
• 2 pinches of nutmeg

Peel and core apples and cut into quarters. Place them in an enamel sauce pan with the water and lemon juice then bring to a boil then turn the heat down slightly and simmer 45 minutes to 1 hour. Stir often to break the apples down. (You can use a potato masher or pastry cutter, that is what I used)  Take off the heat and stir in the sugar, cinnamon and nutmeg. You may need to alter the amounts of sugar and spice you add depending on how you like your applesauce. If you like it chunky you can leave it as it is. Or if you like the traditional version of applesauce you can mash it up in a blender (this is what I did) or stick an immersion blender in your pot and blend it that way. Store in a mason jar or airtight container in the fridge.

My batch made about 4 1/2 cups of applesauce.