Whenever possible, I like to make things myself anyways. That way I know it's vegan, I know there aren't any weird chemicals in it and I know that it isn't coming from some company that supports animal testing or uses animal products.
So, I finally got motivated to figure out how to make applesauce a couple of years ago when a friend gave us a big bag of apples. Had I known making applesauce was so darn easy, I would have been doing this a long time ago.
The hardest part of making your own all-natural applesauce is coring, cutting and peeling the apples. And, really, that isn't even that hard -- it's just time consuming. Of course, if you have one of those handy apple corer/slicers or an apple peeler it's much easier, but I don't, so I did it the old-fashioned way.
What you need:
A large pot with lid
A bunch of apples
Water
Cinnamon (optional -- but totally recommended)
Vegan Sweetener (optional)
Container for storage
Something to use for stirring and mashing
What you do:
1. Wash, core, peel and cut your apples into small chunks.
2. Place the apples in the pot with about an inch of water.
3. Add about 2 teaspoons of cinnamon and 1/2 cup vegan sweetener (if desired).
4. Cover and bring to a boil.
5. Reduce heat to get a nice simmer, then simmer (with occasional stirring) until the apples are soft.
6. Mash them up with your stirring spoon or a potato masher (I used a potato masher).
7. Serve warm or cold, or store for later use.
Notes:
1. If your applesauce ends up too watery, you have two easy options - either strain the applesauce through a sieve or simmer on low, uncovered, until the unwanted water has evaporated out.
2. I have no idea what kind of apples I used since there were a bunch of different kinds of apples in the bag and some I didn't recognize. But, some were sweet and some were sour, which leads me to the conclusion that whichever kind of apple you have on hand should work - you just might need a tad more sweetener.
3. If you aren't sure how sweet you want it, start out with a small amount of sweetener - or no sweetener. You can always add more.
What is your favorite applesauce recipe?