TWO APPLES A DAY KEEP THE DOCTOR AWAY

 

From Linda Lee Greene Author/Artist

 

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Raw, stewed or sauced apples are rich in soluble fiber and act as a prebiotic, which feeds and multiplies the beneficial bacteria in the gut, thereby reducing inflammation. Inflammation is the main culprit in gut ailments such as IBS, IBD, bloating, pain and constipation. Apple consumption also increases the absorption of minerals like calcium, increases immune system tolerance, helps control appetite and balances blood sugar and cholesterol.

 

Apples contain polyphenols (micronutrients) found in plants, fruit, vegetables, tea, coffee and wine. It’s a good idea to eat the skins and core (remove seeds and their hard casings) of raw and cooked apples, because the skins and core contain more polyphenols, dietary fiber and minerals than the fleshy part of the fruit. One apple typically has about 100 million bacteria cells, and if you don't eat the core, you only get about 10 million bacteria cells. One study showed that organic apples had better bacteria than conventional apples, and eating two apples a day instead of only one is better at keeping the doctor away.

 

Anyone educated about the harm that man-refined sugar reaps on the human body recognizes the truth behind William Dufty’s assertion that it is a “‘human pesticide,’ ‘white poison,’…and is more lethal than opium and more dangerous than atomic fallout.”[1]  My applesauce recipe contains no sugar or sweetener of any kind, and the finished product is delightfully sweet all on its own.

HOMEMADE SUGAR-FREE APPLESAUCE

APPLES IN CROCK POT

Ingredients

• 16 unpeeled, whole and baked apples (preferably organic), chilled in fridge or thawed from freezer
• 1-1/2 tablespoons lemon juice or apple cider vinegar (more or less to taste); and 3 drops of a lemon essential oil
• 2 tablespoons vanilla extract
• A few dashes each of ground cinnamon and ginger
• 3/4 cup water (preferably filtered)
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 4 tablespoons salted butter (it gives a yummy, creamy consistency to the applesauce)
• 4 ounces natural cranberry juice

                                                                

HOMEMADE SUGAR-FREE APPLESAUCE

Method

1. Cut whole unpeeled baked apples with cores intact into quarters. Remove the seeds and seed casings. Place in Crock Pot or equivalent appliance with water, lemon juice or vinegar and lemon essential oil, vanilla extract, cinnamon, ginger, butter, cranberry juice and salt. The acid in the lemon juice or vinegar and lemon essential oil brightens the flavor and balances the natural sweetness of the apples.
2. Cook on high until mixture is mushy (about an hour).
3. Puree the cooked apples with a potato masher or hand mixer or standing blender. (If using a standing blender, do only half the batch at a time, and do not fill the blender bowl more than halfway).

If the finished applesauce is not sweet enough, add stevia sugar substitute to taste. If too sweet, add more lemon juice or vinegar or lemon essential oil. However, if this recipe is followed faithfully, the level of sweetness should be just right.

4. This applesauce is delicious either warm or chilled. It pairs well with pork or other savory dishes. It’s wonderful with cottage cheese, vanilla ice cream or yogurt, and scrambled eggs or omelets.

This is a good recipe for canning. It freezes well and will last at least a year in a freezer. If freezing, make sure to allow enough headroom (at least an inch) in the container for expansion. It will keep well in the fridge for one to two weeks.

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Multi-award-winning author, Linda Lee Greene’s GARDEN OF THE SPIRITS OF THE POTS: A Spiritual Odyssey is a novella in which a mysterious encounter with an eccentric Aboriginal potter and a kangaroo in Australia’s outback sets the stage for ex-pat American Nicholas Plato’s journey into parts unknown both within himself and his adopted home.  https://www.amazon.com/GARDEN-SPIRITS-POTS-SPIRITUAL-ODYSSEY-ebook/dp/B09JM7YL6F/

 

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[1] SUGAR BLUES, William Dufty, 1975, p, 22 & 25