Mind if we go off the beaten path a bit?
Don’t panic! We’ll still be talking vegetarian and we’ll still be Instant Pot-ting! I just wanted to share a very quick, easy and nutritious snack/dessert for all ages. I promise I’ll get back to full-fledged meal components next time.
So, growing up in New England, a tradition each and every fall was to go apple picking with family and friends. What a treat it was to pick beautiful apples, and then bring them home to enjoy them on their own or to cook them in recipes. One dish we commonly made from these fresh apples was homemade applesauce, but I do remember it required a lot of ‘stove babysitting.’ Today, I’m excited to share an applesauce recipe with you that merely requires ‘dumping’ all of the ingredients in the Instant Pot® (IP), then just leaving it to do it’s thing.
###IMPORTANT NOTE: WHEN YOU WILL BE COOKING SWEET (READ: NOT SAVORY) RECIPES IN YOUR INSTANT POT, IT IS CRITICAL THAT YOU CHANGE OUT THE PLASTIC SEALING RING FROM THE ONE YOU NORMALLY USE. IN MY HOME, I HAVE A SEALING RING DEDICATED TO JUST DESSERTS, AND THEN USE ANOTHER ONE FOR ALL OTHER [SAVORY] RECIPES (the reason is that, no matter how often/well you wash it, your everyday sealing ring absorbs all the odors and flavors from your recipes)###
*Instant Pot Applesauce
Serves 6-8
Ingredients
3 pounds of apples (you can use any apples, but the apples considered best for applesauce are: Braeburn, Cortland, Jonagold, Jonathan, McIntosh, Newtown Pippin, Winesap)
2 fluid ounces water or apple juice/cider
2 cinnamon sticks
1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
Pinch of salt
Instructions
1. Core apples and cut into quarters. (I highly recommend leaving the skins on for extra fiber and phytonutrients).
2. Place apples into IP with water or juice, cinnamon sticks, and nutmeg. Stir.
3. Put IP lid on and lock. Turn sealing knob to ‘Sealing.’ Set IP to Manual, High Pressure, for 5 minutes.
4. Once the cook cycle is finished, let the IP release naturally.
5. Open IP carefully, remove cinnamon sticks, and use an immersion blender to puree the applesauce to your liking. Add a pinch of salt and stir.
I think it just makes good sense to talk today about the main player in this recipe, the. . .
APPLE
Apples contain:
Fiber: improves digestion and/or decreases blood cholesterol
Phytonutrients (including Quercetin): anti-oxidant and anti-inflammatory
Vitamin C: acts as an antioxidant (protect cells from damaging molecules [‘free radicals’]), is a requirement for collagen production, and is important for some neurotransmitter synthesis
So, that’s all for now. Please feel free to ask questions about my experience with the IP, Weekday Vegetarianism, apples, general nutrition or whatever! See you next time!
References:
1. https://www.almanac.com/content/best-apples-baking-apple-pie-applesauce-cider
2. http://www.whfoods.com/genpage.php?tname=foodspice&dbid=15
3. https://www.webmd.com/vitamins/ai/ingredientmono-294/quercetin
4. https://ods.od.nih.gov/factsheets/VitaminC-Consumer/
*Recipe adapted from here: https://www.pressurecookrecipes.com/instant-pot-applesauce/
Disclaimer:
Any content you find on Sunny Seeds Nutrition Blog is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified health provider with any questions you have regarding a medical condition.
Sunny Seeds Nutrition 