Applesauce is such a delicious snack when homemade and is much easier than you might expect. Many store brands of applesauce remove the skin which provides an excellent source of dietary fiber, and this recipe includes the peel. Keeping the peel bumps up your daily fiber intake, saves precious time, and is a way to reduce unnecessary food waste. One medium-sized apple contains 3 grams of dietary fiber, which is an important nutrient. The Recommended Daily Amount (RDA) for fiber is 25 to 30 grams, however many adults in the US only meet about half of this.
This recipe is a fantastic way to use apples that may not be in the best shape to be eaten, such as fruits that are bruised or no longer very crisp. It is okay to cut out the soft parts and use the rest of the fruit. If the fruit is just a little bit bruised, it’s fine to use the entire fruit in this recipe.
In this recipe, we are making applesauce, and you can use the same recipe with other fruits such as pears, plums, or peaches that are bruised or extra ripe.
Zero Waste Applesauce
INGREDIENTS
- 5 to 6 medium apples
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice (one medium lemon)
- 1 small stick or 1 tablespoon cinnamon
- ¼ cup of water
INSTRUCTIONS
- Cut the apple into bite-sized pieces, keeping the peel on.
- Combine the apple pieces, lemon juice, water and cinnamon in a medium-size pot. Bring to a boil and turn down to medium-low heat. Simmer until fork tender, 10 to 20 minutes, depending on the apple variety. Stir occasionally during cooking.
- If using a cinnamon stick, remove the cinnamon then mash the apples with a potato masher. If you have a food processor or blender, puree the sauce to incorporate the peels.
- Store the applesauce in clean jars in the refrigerator. It will keep for up to a week. Or freeze for longer term storage.
Maximize Your Food Tip:
Making a fruit sauce is a great way to use and extend the life of fruit that are bruised or getting soft rather than putting them in the compost bin!
About Fernanda:
Fernanda is a Bilingual Registered Dietitian at Project Open Hand. She studied Nutritional Sciences at Cornell University in Ithaca, NY, and completed her Dietetic Internship at the Brigham and Women’s Hospital in Boston, MA. She loves teaching clients about nutrition recommendations for their diagnoses and is involved in the sustainability working group at POH with the goal of becoming more environmentally friendly. In her free time, she enjoys running through trails, sharing delicious meals with loved ones and reading fiction books.
More recipes, cooking tips, and videos to help reduce wasted food:
Project Open Hand is a Chef Partner of the Stop Food Waste campaign. Since 1985, Bay Area nonprofit Project Open Hand has provided meals with love to older adults, adults living with disabilities, and people living with complex, chronic health conditions. Learn more at www.openhand.org
