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I had several apples that were starting to bruise along with a bag of apples sitting on the other end of my counter. I figured now is the time to make some apple sauce before they all get too bad.

Now I am not a fan of peeling things if I can help it. So when I found out about this method of getting quick apple sauce with hardly any dishes and absolutely no peeling, I was all for it. Now I do like the texture of applesauce that doesn’t have the skin, so there is one more step when making this apple sauce to remove the peels but it’s super quick.

I love using the instant pot to make things super easy and cut down on my need to stand at the stove and keep and eye on cooking food. Not to mention if I need to leave the house for any reason, this can keep cooking and be done by the time I get back. I don’t need to worry about turning off the stove and picking it back up when I return home.

It also keeps the food warm by switching to the warm setting and it’s ready for me to continue with when I’m ready.

What can applesauce be used for?

• In baked goods you can use them in place of oil in a 1:1 ratio
• An added ingredient to your dinner side dish – add some sour cream and a little nutmeg and eat it alongside some pork or chicken
• Add it to your bowl of oatmeal
• Make a Peanut Butter and Applesauce sandwich
• I like to add it to my strudels – just add a little sweetener and cinnamon – yum!
• Make frozen apple sauce bites for your toddler
• Add some to your yogurt with some granola for a tasty breakfast or snack.
• Warm some up in a bowl and sprinkle some cinnamon on it.
• You could even make this a gift and add them to pint size mason jars and add a cute tag.
• The possibilities are endless

In a pinch I have used apple sauce in place of oils when I am making a cake or other baked goods. I have frequently made these delicious Applesauce Muffins for my kids and they love them.

What kind of apples make the best applesauce?

If your looking for a sweet applesauce, Gala, Fuji and Honeycrisp are best for that.

If your wanting a tart applesauce, McIntosh, Cortland, Pink Lady and Granny Smith would be your go to apples.

How to make Instant Pot Applesauce

Supplies Needed:

Instant Pot

Stainless steel food mill

Ingredients:

Apples (any variety will work for this recipe)

Cinnamon if you choose

How to make Instant Pot Applesauce

1. Wash your apples
2. Add them to your instant pot
3. Add the water, 10-12 apples – 1/2 a cup, a full 6 quart instant pot – 3/4 – 1 cup. You don’t want to add too much water because the apples release a lot of liquid.
4. Put the lid on the instant pot and set it to seal
5. Press the Pressure Cook setting and set it to High Pressure
6. Set the time for 30 minutes
7. When the time is up you can let the pressure naturally release or release the seal yourself.
8. Scoop out about a cup or two at a time into the food mill and run it through there adding more as needed.
9. I occasionally spin the handle in reverse to scrape up the skin that gets stuck along the bottom.
10. Keep adding to your food mill removing and seeds and peels until your finished.
11. Add a teaspoon of cinnamon if desired.
12. If you want to add a sweetener, you can drizzle some honey or maple syrup.
13. I keep my applesauce in mason jars. Add a funnel to a half gallon jar and pour it in.

Storage

This should keep in your fridge for a couple weeks.

For longer storage you can freeze them in Souper Cubes then pop them out and keep them in gallon freezer bags.

What to do if you don’t have a food mill

If you don’t have a food mill but want applesauce today, I have a couple ideas for you. You can always leave the peels on, just core the apples and then add them to the instant pot and cook as directed. Once the apples are cooked, a less mess way would be to use your immersion blender right in your instant pot to your desired consistency. If you don’t have an immersion blender, add the apples to your blender.

SHOP THIS POST

6 Quart Instant Pot

Moulinex Food Mill

Caveman Cub Stainless Steel Bowls – They are currently sold out but here’s a link for the same brand plates.

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Instant Pot Applesauce - No Peeling

Yield: 5 cups

Prep Time: 5 minutes

Cook Time: 30 minutes

Additional Time: 5 minutes

Total Time: 5 minutes

A quick and simple way to get delicious homemade applesauce without the hassle of peeling.

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Ingredients

• 10-12 apples
• 1/2 cup water
• cinnamon (optional)
• sweetener (optional)

Instructions

1. Wash your apples
2. Add them to your instant pot
3. Add the water, 10-12 apples - 1/2 a cup, a full 6 quart instant pot - 3/4 - 1 cup. You don't want to add too much water because the apples release a lot of liquid.
4. Put the lid on the instant pot and set it to seal
5. Press the Pressure Cook setting and set it to High Pressure
6. Set the time for 30 minutes
7. When the time is up you can let the pressure naturally release or release the seal yourself.
8. Scoop about a cup or two at a time into the food mill and run it through there adding more as needed.
9. I occasionally spin the handle in reverse to scrape up the skin that gets stuck along the bottom.
10. Keep adding to your food mill removing and seeds and peels until your finished.
11. Add a teaspoon of cinnamon if desired.
12. If you want to add a sweetener, you can drizzle some honey or maple syrup.
13. I keep my applesauce in mason jars. Add a funnel to a half gallon jar and pour it in.

Notes

Storage

Store in your fridge for up to 2 weeks.

Freeze for up to 6 months. Souper cubes make for easy portion sizes when freezing.

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Other Recipes you May Like

Raw Milk Greek Yogurt – In the Instant Pot

The Best Instant Pot Bone Broth

Homemade Corn Chowder Recipe

The post Instant Pot Applesauce – No Peeling appeared first on Natural Living Homestead.

I know it’s still winter but I am already looking forward to spring. If you’re like me, your already looking forward to the warmer weather and that means maple syrup. That brings maple Sunday and freshly made maple syrup.

Well I have you covered if your looking for a sweet treat to make with your maple syrup. This is a recipe I got from my mother, who got it from her grandparents in Canada.

My grandmother grew up in Canada on a farm and maple syrup was something they loved to use just as much as the next person. My grandmother’s brother had a sugar shack in Canada that we’d all visit once a year for maple Sunday. He would then send us back home with some delicious maple syrup. What was extra special about this was that they came in metal cans. I don’t know about you but I don’t find maple syrup in metal cans anymore.

Unfortunately, my grandmother’s brother no longer makes maple syrup. We still have a couple of cans left that we got from him. We just can’t bare to open them up and use them. Almost like the memory will be gone when the syrup is all used up.

If you are curious to know more about maple syrup and how its made with some pretty cool old photos of how it was done, you can learn more about it Here.

Tips for making Sourdough Maple Syrup Dumplings (Grand-Pères)

• You can either make this the day of or long ferment it and start it the day before you want to eat it.
• You can use sourdough discard or active starter.
• Make sure you have at least a 3 inch deep pan or deeper, both with a lid. You don’t want that maple syrup goodness to bubble over the edge.
• Keep your heat low, you don’t want it to boil too much and burn. It needs to cook long enough to thicken up your syrup.
• The smaller you make the dumplings, the less cooking time they need.
• Use too big of a pan and your dumplings may flatten out like mine did in the photos.
• You can top this with some heavy cream or ice cream to make this more of a creamy dessert.
• You can make this recipe with either an active sourdough starter or discard.

Why would you want to make something with sourdough?

The natural bacteria in your sourdough starter will break down the gluten and phytic acid in the flour, making the final product easier to digest and the nutrients more available to you.

Also, with long fermentation of sourdough, the product then has a bit of a sour flavor which a lot of people tend to like.

Tools you May need to Make Sourdough Maple Syrup Dumplings (Grand-Pères)

• Stand mixer with the paddle attachment or a hand mixer.
• Measuring cups and measuring spoons
• 12 inch Cast iron pan with lid or a Dutch oven

How to make Sourdough Maple Syrup Dumplings (Grand-Pères) – Quick Version

Add the maple syrup, water and salt to a 12 inch pan with lid and bring it to a boil.

Combine the flour, baking powder, salt, milk and 1 cup sourdough starter.

Add butter and combine well.

Drop by the spoonful into boiling syrup. Turn your heat down to medium low.

Cover and let cook for 20 minutes (less if making very small dumplings) without removing the lid.

Let cool a bit and serve with a generous amount of the syrup.

How to make Sourdough Maple Syrup Dumplings (Grand-Pères) – Long Fermented

To a large mixing bowl, combine the dry ingredients.

Add the butter and cut it into the flour with a fork or pastry cutter.

Next, add your sourdough starter and milk and mix well.

Cover and set aside on your counter for 8-24 hours.

When your ready to make the dish, add your maple syrup, water and salt to your 12 inch pan with lid and bring to a boil.

Add your dumpling mixture by the spoonful to the boiling syrup. Turn your heat down to medium low.

Cover and let cook for about 20 minutes, or less if you made very small dumplings.

Let cool a bit then serve and add a generous amount of the syrup on top. Serve it with a bit of ice cream or heavy cream.

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Find more of my Favorite Homemade Recipes

Naturally Leavened Sourdough Banana Bread

Healthy No-Bake Oatmeal Cookies

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Show your support and appreciation. If you made this recipe and loved it, give it a 5 star review and leave a comment. Follow me on Instagram @naturalliving.homestead then tag me in a photo of your amazing creation! Thank you!

Sourdough Maple Syrup Dumplings (Grand-Peres)

Yield: 6

Prep Time: 5 minutes

Cook Time: 20 minutes

Additional Time: 12 hours

Total Time: 12 hours 25 minutes

These Sourdough Grand-Pères are a simple, sweet maple syrup dumpling dessert. Made with long fermented sourdough dumplings then cooked in maple syrup. This is a delicious recipe to make for all the freshly made maple syrup you got from maple Sunday.

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Ingredients

• 1 Cup All Purpose Flour
• 4 TSP Baking Power
• 1 Pinch Salt
• 4 TBSP Butter
• 1 Cup Sourdough Starter
• 1 Cup Milk

Instructions

1. To a large mixing bowl, combine the dry ingredients.
2. Add the butter and cut it into the flour with a fork or pastry cutter.
3. Next, add your sourdough starter and milk and mix well.
4. Cover and set aside on your counter for 8-24 hours.
5. When your ready to make the dish, add your maple syrup, water and salt to a 12 inch pan with a lid and bring to a boil.
6. Add your dumpling mixture by the spoonful to the boiling syrup. Turn your heat down to medium low.
7. Cover and let cook for about 20 minutes, or less if you made very small dumplings.
8. Let cool a bit then serve and add a generous amount of the syrup on top. Serve it with a bit of ice cream or heavy cream.

Notes

Make sure you have at least a 3 inch deep pan or deeper, both with a lid. You don't want that maple syrup goodness to bubble over the edge.

Keep your heat low, you don't want it to boil too much and burn. It needs to cook long enough to thicken up your syrup sauce.

The smaller you make the dumplings, the less cooking time they need.

Use too big of a pan and your dumplings may flatten out like mine did in the photos.

Nutrition Information:

Yield: 6 Serving Size: 6
Amount Per Serving: Calories: 275Total Fat: 10.14gSaturated Fat: 5.856gTrans Fat: 0.312gCholesterol: 24mgSodium: 361mgCarbohydrates: 39.04gFiber: 1.5gSugar: 3.86gProtein: 7.58g

The post Sourdough Maple Syrup Dumplings (Grand-Pères) appeared first on Natural Living Homestead.

These Healthy No-Bake Oatmeal Cookies are just what you need when you want something sweet but healthy. They have just the right amount of sweetness when you need something sweet. The best part about these is that they are refined sugar free and sweetened with honey only. Another thing I decided to do with these cookies was to soak the oatmeal to make them more digestible.

I like these cookies so much I’d find myself snacking on them before breakfast, after lunch and a before bed snack. Let’s just say, between my husband and I, they didn’t last long. My husband pretty much did the same as I.

Trial and Error No-Bake Oatmeal Cookies

I have been working on this recipe for a while now. It took many trial and errors, my poor husband.

I started off making these cookies the way I was used to and then I got thinking, I can make these so much healthier.

Growing up my mother would make these delicious cookies every now and then. Everyone in the house loved them, sometimes my dad would hide some in the back of the fridge, so us kids wouldn’t find them and keep them for himself for work. I eventually found his stash.

Now as much as I love these cookies, they were always made with refined sugar. I know it’s not the end of the world, in moderation it’s fine. Though if I have these in the house, they don’t last very long. Just a couple days and their gone.

So I wanted to make these a lot more healthy. So I switched out the sugar and added honey instead. They were amazing. They tasted just as yummy as when they had granulated sugar.

Then I got thinking again. There is sugar in the chocolate chips as well. I’m sure they didn’t use honey to sweeten those chocolate chips.

Now I was determined to remove chocolate chips from this and use what I had on hand. I didn’t have any organic dark chocolate on hand. So I wanted to switch out the chocolate chips with unsweetened cocoa powder.

Lets just say, I didn’t have my ratios right and they just didn’t taste that great. I still ate them though, they weren’t horrible. They just weren’t how I wanted them.

Now at this point some would say, “Why fix what is not broken?”

I ended up deciding to try making these with soaked oatmeal.

I’ve always know that other grains and nuts should be soaked before eaten because our body is not able to digest them properly. So then began another mission to make these even more healthier.

At this point, I have figured out the specifics and they now taste amazing. I’ll try to save you a few!

Why should you soak your oatmeal?

With oatmeal and any other grain/seed, it has something called Phytic Acid to protect it. Now because of this, it prevents your body from being able to break it down and absorb the nutrients from the grain.

So then comes soaking the grains. By soaking the grains in water and something acidic it can then break down the phytic acid. Your body is then able to process the grain and absorb minerals like zinc and iron.

Now if you don’t have time to soak your oatmeal, that is fine. You can use them unsoaked as well.

Can I use any type of Nut Butter in my No-Bake Oatmeal Cookies?

You can use any type of nut butter you want for this recipe. I have not personally used anything other then Peanut butter. I’m sure these would taste just as good with a different type of nut butter.

How to make Healthy No-Bake Oatmeal Cookies

Equipment you’ll need

• Container to soak your oatmeal
• a strainer or slotted spoon
• 3 cookie sheets
• double boiler
• measuring spoons
• parchment paper

Ingredients you will need

• 1/4 cup apple cider vinegar (to soak the oatmeal)
• 3 cups soaked rolled oats
• 1.5 cups cocoa
• 1.5 cups honey
• 1.5 cups peanut butter
• 1 cup coconut oil
• 2 tsp vanilla extract
• pinch of salt

Directions:

First you’ll want to soak your rolled oats. You want to plan this recipe a day ahead.

To do this, simply take a glass bowl or jar and add your rolled oats. Add your water and apple cider vinegar.

Cover with a lid and set aside. Let soak overnight, roughly 12 hours.

In the morning empty your soaked oatmeal into a colendar lined with cheese cloth or something of the like. You can also pour it out into a bowl and strain the oats with a slotted spoon. Allow it to strain out as much of the liquid as possible.

Once your oats are strained, set aside.

Prepare your cookie sheets with parchment paper.

In a double boiler (I used a small glass bowl over a pot of boiling water), add your peanut butter and coconut oil.

Stir until completely melted and incorporated together. Do not let it go to boil.

Once melted, remove from heat and add your cocoa and stir together well so there are no lumps.

Add your salt, vanilla and honey then mix well.

Gently fold in your oats.

Spoon about 1/8 cup spoon fulls onto your prepared cookie sheets.

Refrigerate until solid.

Enjoy!

Note: Store in the refrigerator for best results. Cookies will be very soft if left on the counter at room temperature.

If you wanted to make these a little more fancy you could sprinkle some shredded coconut on the top of the cookies after you’ve spooned them onto your cookie sheets.

Leave a comment

Let me know in the comments below how these turn out for you!

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Healthy No-Bake Oatmeal Cookies

Course Dessert

Prep Time 12 hours hours

Cook Time 30 minutes minutes

Servings 40 Cookies

Equipment

• Container to soak your oatmeal
• a strainer or slotted spoon
• 3 cookie sheets
• double boiler
• measuring spoons
• parchment paper

Ingredients

• 1/4 cup apple cider vinegar to soak the oatmeal
• 3 cups Soaked rolled oats
• 1.5 cups cocoa
• 1.5 cups honey
• 1.5 cups peanut butter
• 1 cup coconut oil
• 2 tsp vanilla extract
• pinch of salt

Instructions

• First you’ll want to soak your rolled oats. You want to plan this recipe a day ahead.
• To do this, simply take a glass bowl or jar and add your rolled oats. Add your water and apple cider vinegar.
• Cover with a lid and set aside. Let soak overnight, roughly 12 hours.
• In the morning empty your soaked oatmeal into a colendar lined with cheese cloth or something of the like. You can also pour it out into a bowl and strain the oats with a slotted spoon. Allow it to strain out as much of the liquid as possible.
• Once your oats are strained, set aside.
• Prepare your cookie sheets with parchment paper.
• In a double boiler (I used a small glass bowl over a pot of boiling water), add your peanut butter and coconut oil.
• Stir until completely melted and incorporated together. Do not let it go to boil.
• Once melted, remove from heat and add your cocoa and stir together well so there are no lumps.
• Add your salt, vanilla and honey then mix well.
• Gently fold in your oats.
• Spoon about 1/8 cup spoon fulls onto your prepared cookie sheets.
• Refrigerate until solid.
• Enjoy!

Notes

Note: Store in the refrigerator for best results. Cookies will be very soft if left on the counter at room temperature.

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The post Healthy No-Bake Oatmeal Cookies appeared first on Natural Living Homestead.