CHEF JEFF — ONE BYTE AT A TIME: Baked Applesauce

This snack not only is delicious, it’s also healthy.

Baked Applesauce

4 pounds (about 10 medium) assorted apples, peeled, cored, and quartered

1/3 cup fresh apple cider

4 lemon slices, paper-thin or 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice

1 3-inch piece stick cinnamon, or 1 tsp. ground cinnamon (optional)

2 tablespoons sugar, agave syrup, or honey (optional)

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Place apples, cider, lemon slices or juice in large Dutch oven with cover. Toss apples to coat with lemon. If using, sprinkle on cinnamon, sweetener. Toss again. Bake apples, covered, for 60 to 75 minutes, until very soft, moist. Stir to combine soft apples, liquid into applesauce. If too wet, bake applesauce, uncovered, for 15 minutes longer. Cool to room temperature. (Applesauce thickens as it cools.) Covered, this keeps refrigerated up to 5 days.

Yield: Serves 12.

Approximate nutritional analysis per serving: 99 calories, 1 gram fat (no saturated), 26 grams carbohydrates, 1 gram protein, 4 grams fiber, 2 milligrams sodium.

Grab more food tidbits at the Chef Jeff blog at GrandForksHerald.com.

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