Category: Apple

Slow Cooker Apple Butter

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Slow Cooker Apple Butter

  • Servings: Makes 1 litre or 4 cups
  • Difficulty: Easy
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Apple season is upon us. When a coworker brought me apples from her back yard, I was wondering what to do with them and then someone suggested apple butter. I’d never made apple butter, so a trusted aunt gave me her recipe.

Ingredients

  • 3 lbs of cored and diced apples
  • 3 tbsp of maple syrup
  • 1 1/2 tsp of ground cinnamon
  • 1/4 tsp of ground nutmeg
  • 1/4 tsp of ground allspice
  • 1 tsp pure vanilla extract
  • Tiny pinch of kosher salt

Directions

  1. Make sure to weigh your apples after they are cored.
  2. Place at bottom of large slow cooker (5 quart or larger)
  3. Top with maple syrup, cinnamon, nutmeg, and allspice and stir to combine.
  4. Cover and cook on high for 3-4 hours or on low for 8-10 hours, stirring once halfway through, until apples are very tender and brown.
  5. Transfer the apples to a blender or food processor, blend until smooth. You will need to do this in batches. Then return to the slow cooker.
  6. Turn the slow cooker to high and let the apple butter continue to cook uncovered for 2 additional hours or until it reached its desired thickness. Stir occasionally and add in vanilla and salt.
  7. Depending on how sweet the apple is that you’ve used, you may feel you need to add some more maple syrup.

Nutritional facts per Serving (2 tbsp)

  • Calories 56
  • Fat 1 g
  • Sugar 11 g
  • Carbohydrates 14 g
  • Protein 1 g
  • Fibre 4 g

This is easy. Due to the fact that you don’t peel the apples, it adds extra fibre. Mine turned out, not as thick as I’d have liked but it was still great. I only cooked it another hour thinking it was thick enough. Should have followed the recipe. I was told that depending on the sugar content of your apple, example honeycrisp, it will be sweeter and will thicken more quickly. You can store this in airtight containers in the fridge for up to 2 weeks, or freeze for several months. Just thaw in the fridge overnight.

With most of my recipes, you can alter this, a little sweeter, a little less, thicker, more cinammon. Macintosh apples, honeycrisp, Gala, whichever you choose. This is a great way to use apples that you have too many off. So have fun and make this your own.

Light Apple Crisp

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Light Apple Crisp

  • Servings: 10
  • Difficulty: Easy
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It’s apple picking time. That usually means, we have extra apples. Apples are very versatile. Nothing quite like an apple pie, or apple crumble, or apple crisp. So I went looking for a recipe that would fit the bill and not over do it on the sugar. I found a version of this (slightly modified by me) in a diabetic site.

Ingredients

  • 5 cups of diced, peeled, cored apples
  • 2 cups of unsweetened apple sauce
  • 1/2 cup of chopped walnuts
  • 1/4 cup of flour (I use unbleached)
  • 1/4 cup of rolled oats (not the quick cooking)
  • 2 tbsp of melted light margarine
  • 1/2 tsp ground nutmeg
  • 1 tsp of ground cinnamon
  • 1 tsp of vanilla extract
  • nonstick cooking spray

Directions

  1. Preheat oven to 375F. Coat a 13×9 inch pan with cooking spray.
  2. In a small bowl, combine brown sugar, flour, oats, margarine, cinnamon, nutmeg, vanilla and apple sauce. Blend with fork.
  3. Layer apples in the pan and sprinkle brown sugar mixture evenly over top.
  4. Bake for 30 minutes.
  5. Sprinkle nuts on top.

Nutrition Per Serving

  • Calories 125
  • Fat 2.6 g
  • Sugar 19 g
  • Carbohydrates 18 g
  • Protein 0.75 g
  • Fibre 2 g

The picture I posted does not give it justice. It is quite good. I made the mistake (in the picture) to mix everything together. I had layered my apples, I poured the brown sugar mixture over it and then, oops, I stirred everything together. So mine did not have that nice “CRISP” to it. So if you follow the directions, you will be fine. I promise to redo the picture next time I make it.

You can add more nuts if you like. If calories don’t matter you can serve warm with ice cream. Or you can add a little coffee cream. Someone suggested Light Cool Whip. So as the saying goes, have fun and make it your own.

Stovetop Apple Pie Filling

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Stovetop Apple Pie Filling

  • Servings: 12
  • Difficulty: Easy
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Who hasn’t gone to the store and bought apples that looked so great and by the end of the week, oops, that was too many. I know I have, more than once. I hate wasting food. Too many people go hungry everyday for us to waste good food. I do my best to extend the life of food. Here is an easy recipe that is delicious, quick, and versatile.

Ingredients

  • 6-8 medium apples
  • 1/2 cup brown sugar
  • 1/4 cup white sugar
  • 3 tbsp of water
  • 2 tbsp of butter (salted)
  • 1-2 tsp of vanilla extract (to taste)
  • 2 tbsp of water and 1 tbsp of cornstarch
  • 1/2 tbsp of Cinnamon

Directions

  1. Peel, core and slice apples.
  2. Melt butter with cinnamon over medium heat.
  3. Add apples, sugar and water.
  4. Cover and cook stirring occasionally for 4-6 minutes, or until slightly softened. 
  5. In a small dish, combine cornstarch with 2 tbsp of water.
  6. Add to the pan and bring to boil and stir until thickened.
  7. Let bubble 1 minute.
  8. Let cool.

Nutrition Per Serving

  • Calories 88
  • Fat 1.9 g
  • Sugar 16.1 g
  • Carbohydrates 18.8 g
  • Protein 0 g
  • Fibre 2.6 g

This is the equivalent of 1 can of apple pie filling. This recipe is so versatile, you will buy extra apples just to make this. You can use it as a topper on oatmeal, yogourt, ice cream, add a bit of granola and it becomes a great snack, or heck you can use it in a pie crust too. So many possibilities for you to have fun and make it your own.

Buttermilk Apple Cake

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Buttermilk Apple Cake

  • Servings: 12
  • Difficulty: Easy
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This is a recipe that I didn’t even alter. Thank you to Anne Lindsay on this one. This is a coffeecake-type cake that stays moist and is great for brunches, packed lunches or just plain dessert. I didn’t peel the apples because the skin is added fiber.

Ingredients

  • 1/4 cup soft light margarine
  • 2/3 cup packed brown sugar
  • 1-1/2 cup of buttermilk (light)
  • 1 cup of all-purpose flour (I use unbleached)
  • 1 cup of whole-wheat flour
  • 1 tsp baking powder
  • 1 tsp baking soda
  • 1 tbsp cinnamon
  • 1/2 tsp of salt
  • 2-3 medium apples, cored and finely chopped (about 2.5 cups)

Topping

  • 1/4 cup packed brown sugar
  • 2 tsp cinnamon
  • 1/4 cup of unsweetened shredded coconut

Directions

  1. Preheat oven to 350
  2. Lightly grease and flour an 8″ or 9″ square cake pan
  3. In a large bowl, beat together margarine and sugar until combined; beat in buttermilk
  4. Add flours, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, salt and apples; mix until combined
  5. Spread batter evenly in pan
  6. Topping: combine sugar, cinnamon and coconut; sprinkle over batter
  7. Bake for 40-45 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean
  8. Let cool in pan

Nutrition Per Serving

  • Calories 192
  • Sugar 21 g
  • Carbohydrates 35 g
  • Protein 3.9 g
  • Fiber 2.9 g
  • Fat 5 g

This is a nice moist cake. Serves great with coffee, fresh fruit, or just plain as is. Enjoy this and remember to make it your own.