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Instant Pot Applesauce and No-Sugar Added Apple Butter

Yum

October 20, 2018 By Laura Ligos, MBA, RD, CSSD 2 Comments

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If you don’t know, now you know. I am a fan of the Instant Pot and it’s been a lifesaver in the kitchen for me. I recently took a trip to a local Apple Orchard and I had apples coming out my ears. I didn’t have room for the apples in my house anymore and we couldn’t eat them fast enough so, applesauce AND butter it was!

instant pot applesauce and apple butter

While I love eating apples as-is or with a spoonful of peanut butter, I can only eat so many apples in a week. If you know me you know that I have more of a savory and salty preference so I’m far more likely to reach for carrots and sliced peppers than I am to grab for fruit. That’s not to say I don’t eat fruit it’s just that I probably only have 1-2 servings max per day. Vegetables? Endless.

That being said, I hate wasting food and I would’ve hated to waste our hard picked apples. So, I got to work last weekend in the kitchen. I’ve made applesauce before but figured I’d find a way to solidly do it in the Instant Pot AND also make some apple butter.

instant pot applesauce and apple butter

Applesauce

Growing up, my mom would give us applesauce as dessert. I preferred it warm and with a sprinkle of cinnamon. Then as I grew up I’d request different desserts (or no desserts) and really forgot about applesauce altogether. That was until I did a sugar-detox challenge back in grad school. I was craving something sweet so I figured I’d grab some applesauce (with no sugar added). I would often mix it with almond butter and cinnamon, which, by the way, is amazing.

Anywho, applesauce isn’t just for kids anymore. Anyone can enjoy applesauce and I promise homemade applesauce is nothing like the colorless plain, ill-tasting store-bought brands. If you spice it up correctly AND use the peel, you’ll get such a rich flavor you’ll be going back for more, both warm and cool.

instant pot applesauce and apple butter

Apple Butter

Say what?! Okay, when I hear apple butter (or pumpkin butter) I hear SUGAR LOADED DESSERT that people use for breakfast. Yeah, I know a bit dramatic, but I’m a dietitian, so forgive me.

The ingredient list of a typical apple butter include apples, apple cider or juice, spices, sugar, natural flavors, etc. So basically apples with sugar.

This ingredient list!? The same as applesauce just cooked longer, that’s it! When trying to thicken any food there are normally 3 main ways to do so: cook longer, add fat, and/or add flour. I figured, let’s see if cooking longer would allow the applesauce to thicken into apple butter. I figured if that didn’t work I’d add some cornstarch or other gluten-free flour. Well, it cooked down pretty fast and solidified enough once cooled.  Magic!

So now my refrigerator is stocked full of applesauce and apple butter. I’m going to need to give some away or get my canner back from my friend because I once again don’t want this to go to waste!

instant pot applesauce and apple butter

Applesauce & Apple Butter for Athletes

As a sports dietitian, I am always being asked what to eat pre & post workout. While apples can be somewhat high in fiber per serving, I have found that some athletes tolerate applesauce as it’s partially broken down for you already. I’d suggest if you are going to make these for training (maybe pack them in these—link for pouches), to make it without the peel. The flavor will still be the same but the color of the dish may be a bit different, no big deal.

For pre-workout or post-workout

Enjoy 1 cup for about 28g of carbohydrate. 1 cup only has between 2-3g of fiber as well (maybe a bit more if the peel is included), so you *shouldn’t* have any issues digesting pre-workout.

instant pot applesauce and apple butter

Ideas on Uses for Apple Sauce & Apple Butter

I’d be remiss to not give you other ideas on what to do with applesauce and/or apple butter. While you can certainly eat as-is as I often do, you may want some other ideas.

  • Applesauce + 1-2 Tbsp. almond butter + dash of cinnamon
  • Greek yogurt + 2 Tbsp. Apple Butter + 2 Tbsp roasted chickpeas
  • Rice Cake + 1 Tbsp Peanut Butter + 1 Tbsp Apple Butter
  • Mix 1-2 Tbsp  in your oatmeal
  • Mix 2+Tbsp into a smoothie
  • Make a peanut butter & Apple butter sandwich
  • Warm up applesauce, top with cinnamon, walnuts and enjoy!

What other ways have you used or will you use your applesauce and/or apple butter?! I love learning from you guys, so please share in the comments, or better yet tag me on Instagram!

instant pot applesauce and apple butter

Pro tip:  add your own flavor by changing up the seasonings OR leave the spices out and add at time of consumption.

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instant pot applesauce and apple butter

Instant Pot Apple Sauce & Apple Butter

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Ingredients

  • 4–5 lbs apples, cored & quartered (about 10 apples)
  • 1/2 cup water
  • 2 tsp ground cinnamon
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract
  • 1/4 tsp nutmeg
  • Pinch of salt
  • Juice of half lemon, optional (to help last longer)

Instructions

  1. Place all ingredients in an Instant Pot, close & seal, and cook on Manual-High for 5 minutes
  2. Natural release pressure for 10-15 minutes
  3. Using an immersion blender (or place in a blender) puree to desired consistency.
  4. STOP here for apple sauce.
  5. For Apple Butter: turn Instant Pot to saute (low) and allow apple sauce to bubble/simmer for 10-15 minutes ensuring to stir frequently. Turn off and allow apple butter to cool.

Did you make this recipe?

Tag @@thesassydietitian on Instagram

What is your favorite apple recipe?

xoxo,

Sassy

Ps. Have you grabbed my Real Food Snacks Guide yet?! Sign up for my e-mail to get your free 2-page guide!

…

Pin Now, Apples to Apples Later

 

 instant pot applesauce and apple butter

 

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Comments

  1. Polly says

    November 12, 2018 at 5:40 pm

    This applesauce is heaven! I’ve made it every week since you posted it:). Thanks!! (Oh, and it’s not too bad warm with a dab of vanilla ice cream…)

    Reply
    • Laura Ligos, MBA, RD, CSSD says

      November 12, 2018 at 9:06 pm

      Yum!!! Omg I should try with some ice cream 😀

      Reply

@thesassydietitian

We’ve made it over a week together and it feels We’ve made it over a week together and it feels like it’s always been this way.

Motherhood is a wild ride & it’s only getting started. I have never been so tired & simultaneously so fulfilled in my life. That’s not to say it’s not filled with tears, worries and doubts but what fun would it be if it were all sunshine and roses anyway?

Going into this all I have felt so supported by friends going through this with me BUT I felt so unsupported by the general public. It seems like we want to fear and shame moms because misery loves company, right?!

The focus quickly shifts from mom to baby (still shocked that I only have an appointment at 6 weeks even though my body went through the biggest event of its life) and there also seems to be this shift from joy to shame & guilt.

Here’s some of what I heard from people:

😕Sleep when baby sleeps. You’ll never sleep again.
😕Don’t let baby sleep in a car seat, or a bouncer, or anywhere but their crib EVER. 
😕You’ll never have time to shower again, enjoy it now. 
😕Cry it out is cruel and harmful to the baby. 
😕Get baby on a schedule/never put baby on a schedule.

These are all things I heard and that truly led me to believe I was going to lose all sense of who I was and my life as I knew it.

What I wish people had said instead were:

🥰Your heart will grow bigger than you could imagine.
🥰You’ll cry the happiest tears you’ve ever cried.
🥰You’ll feel like a giant hole was filled that you didn’t even know was there.
🥰You won’t feel guilty about cleaning your house, it just won’t matter anymore.
🥰Babies pooping will make you laugh so hard you will feel like a kid again.
🥰You will have time to eat and shower and you don’t have to neglect yourself.

We need to do a better job of building each other up, supporting one another and our decisions while refraining from offering unsolicited advice and opinions. 

So for all you future mamas and new mamas out there, I see you, I’m proud of you and I cannot wait to share our stories with one another and the world.

Let’s stop fear mongering (just like the diet world) and start building one another up.

Xoxo,
Sassy & lil sassy man
🌈Some things truly are worth the wait. It’s b 🌈Some things truly are worth the wait. It’s been a long year of loss, unknowns and worry but it’s all been worth it to get to meet my lil man🥰
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Now time to introduce this sassy human who is already so well loved to the world...
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Introducing 

💙 Connor James Ligos 💙
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After an almost 24 hour labor, Connor joined us over a week past his due date on 2/12/21 at a whopping 9lb2oz & 22.5 inches long with a full head of hair and lungs to scream hello to us with.
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We are so in love already and cannot wait to share him with the world. Thank you for all the love and support from friends and family and to all those that helped us in the hospital. Holy cow labor & delivery teams are truly magical and I cannot imagine doing it without all of their support.
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Now back to snuggling this human of mine and trying not to cry at every last thing he does 🥰 
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Mom, Dad & Bode are all doing well!
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#babyboy #pregnancyafterloss #rainbowbaby #birthdayboy #birthannouncement
I get it, we all eat so we all then want to talk t I get it, we all eat so we all then want to talk to others about what worked for us. That's great!
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What's not great is when we push our nutrition and eating behaviors onto others ESPECIALLY when we are not qualified to do so.
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So often when people meet me for the first time they are worried to eat around me and/or buy groceries around me. My friends can attest I am not judgemental around food and will gladly eat that cake, queso dip or sip on that glass of wine right alongside of you. I am not the food police and do not offer unsolicited nutrition advice unless it's a client who is paying for my help OR on Instagram and other social media platforms where my goal is to educate.
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Why do I share this? 
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Because I see far too many people diving down diet rabbit holes, finding success & then claiming to be nutrition experts purely because something worked for them. 
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I've also seen this alot being pregnant, everyone wants to tell you what worked for them. IF you use that stipulation of "this worked for me" then fine, share away but if you start doleing out advice please pause, take a breath and think about NOT doing it.
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People are OVERWHELMED by diet culture and some so badly want to change but YOUR way is not the only way and it most likely is not what will work for your friend/coworker/cousin/neighbor so please, stop trying to be an expert in something you aren't.
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Got it!?! 
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Ok, carry on.
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xoxo,
Sassy
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#nutrition #nutritiontips #nutritionist #dietitianapproved #rdapproved #rdchat #dietitiansofinstagram #dietitian #dietitiansofig #albanyny #albanynutrition #albanynutrition
Your nutrition does NOT need to be all or nothing. Your nutrition does NOT need to be all or nothing. I'm not saying you have to find perfect balance (does that even exist?) but I am saying that we shouldn't feel like either we have to eat perfectly or that we might as well give up.
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Instead we should look to the grey area in between for our nutrition guidance. 
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What do I mean?
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I mean that we need to realize that we can still eat cookies but we probably should throw some veggies in there. 
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We can have a glass or 2 of wine but we should probably also drink some water. 
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We can take rest days but we should also find ways to move our bodies regularly.
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And the list goes on.
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It's not about all or nothing it's about doing something daily to help your health and nutrition without it feeling like a set of rules or a free for all.
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How do we find that grey area in between?
👉🏻 stop hopping on and off fad diets
👉🏻listen and trust your self, not your coworkers and cousins 
👉🏻focus on the simple things (ie drinking water instead of worrying about supplements)
👉🏻work to remove guilt and shame around food & body
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Where do you currently fall Right now?!
🤪 all
👍🏻in between 
🙅🏻‍♀️ nothing 
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Xoxo,
Sassy
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#dietitian #dietitiansofig #dietitiansofinstagram #nutrition #nutritionist #nutritiontips #thesassydietitian #rdchat #realtalk

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