Baked Apple Sauce

If you’ve made a resolution to lose weight this year, choosing the right foods is important. Vegetables, fruits, beans and whole grains are high in nutrients and low in calories. Eating more of these plant-based foods can help you reach a healthy weight and lower your risk for heart disease, type 2 diabetes and cancer. Our homemade applesauce has enough natural sugar to satisfy your sweet tooth and it’s packed with cancer-fighting fiber and antioxidants.

Makes 12 servings.

Per ½ cup serving: 99 calories, <1 g fat (0 g sat fat), 26 g carbohydrates,
<1 g protein, 4g fiber, 2 mg sodium.

4 lbs. (about 10 medium) assorted apples, such as McCoun, MacIntosh, Golden Delicious, Jonathan, Jonagold or HoneyCrisp, peeled, cored, and quartered
1/3 cup fresh apple cider

4 lemon slices, paper-thin, or 1 Tbsp. fresh lemon juice
1 (3-inch) piece stick cinnamon, or 1 tsp. ground cinnamon, optional
2 Tbsp. sugar, agave syrup, or honey, optional

Directions

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.
Place apples, cider and lemon slices or juice in large Dutch oven or heavy casserole with a cover. Toss apples to coat them with lemon. If using, sprinkle on cinnamon and sweetener and toss again.
Bake apples, covered, for 60 to 75 minutes, until very soft and moist. Stir to combine soft apples and liquid into applesauce. If it is too wet, bake applesauce, uncovered, for 15 minutes longer. Cool to room temperature before serving; applesauce thickens as it cools. The applesauce keeps, covered in refrigerator, for up to 5 days.