Fresh and Natural Applesauce with a Twist

Description
Contributed by Healthy Recipes for Diabetic Friends Y-Group
 * Submitted by: jewishdiab
 * Source: EnLITEned Kosher Cooking by Nechama Cohen / Jewish Diabetes Association. Over 140 Kosher for Passover recipes.

Ingredients

 * 10 medium Granny Smith apples, peeled and sliced into eighths
 * juice of half a lemon
 * dash of salt
 * 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
 * 3 – 4 flavored tea bags of your choice
 * water
 * sugar substitute, optional

Directions

 * 1) Place apples in a 5-quart pot.
 * 2) Add lemon juice, salt, vanilla, tea bags and water, covering not more than half the apples so that the end result will not be too watery.
 * 3) Bring to a boil.
 * 4) Lower heat and simmer until apples are soft.
 * 5) Hand-blend and mash to desired consistency.
 * 6) For additional sweetness, you can add sugar substitute.
 * 7) Yummy!

Variations

 * Fruit compote: Use fruit of choice
 * Crunchy fruit compote: Bring ingredients to a boil and cook on high heat for 7 minutes. Turn off heat and cover. Let stand overnight. In the morning, put into a jar and refrigerate. This can be frozen in an airtight container.
 * Strawberry-rhubarb apple compote: Add 1½ cups of sliced strawberries and 1 cup of sliced rhubarb to the apples. Rhubarb is quite tart, so add sugar substitute according to taste. Blend well and refrigerate.
 * Cinnamon applesauce: Add 1 tablespoon ground cinnamon to blended apples. For a beautiful crimson color, as well as additional flavor and fiber, add 1½ cups frozen blueberries.

Nutritional Information
Serving size (½ cup):
 * Calories 34 | Protein (g) 0.1 | Carbs (g) 8 | Fat (g) 0.2 | Sat. Fat (g) 0 | Cholesterol (mg) 0 | Sodium (mg) 0 | Calcium (mg) 5 | Fiber (g) 0