In an effort to eat more healthfully, I’ve begun to reduce or remove sugar from some of my recipes. This applesauce recipe is an early success. Even tart apples, such as Granny Smiths, have enough natural sweetness to eliminate the need for added sugar. I season the apples with ground chai spice because the blend includes cinnamon and cloves—two spices that pair beautifully with apples for that cozy, classic flavor of autumn. After making this recipe a few times, it began to bother me how wasteful it was to just throw away the apple peels. With a quick web search, I learned that the peels could be made into a tisane (herbal tea). I’ve included a recipe for that in the Notes & Tips section below.

INGREDIENTS
1 pound apples (about 3 medium)
1/2 cup water
1/4 teaspoon ground chai spice

TOOLS
cutting board
peeler
paring knife
small (1-quart) pot
measuring cups and spoons
cooking spoon

METHOD
1. Peel apples, then chop into bite-sized chunks. Remove and discard seeds.
2. Combine chopped apples, water, and chai spice in pot over medium heat.
3. Stir occasionally until apples are tender and water is gone—about 25 minutes.
4. Mash apples until they reach desired consistency.

NOTES & TIPS
• The apples will hold their form after cooking, so mashing is necessary to turn them into a sauce.
• This recipe is a delicious way to use up mealy or bruised apples.
• BONUS RECIPE: Apple Peel Tea: Combine peels from 1 pound of apples with 2 cups water in small (1-quart) pot over medium heat. Cook until boiling. Strain. Sweeten as desired. Ready In: 10 minutes. Servings: 1.

READY IN
45 minutes

YIELD
1 cup (2 servings)