Recipe: Just Apple Butter

Ever since I can remember, apple butter has been one of my favorite fall foods. However, most versions involve quite a bit of sugar. Now, I understand that the sugar does have a preservation quality, but eating traditional apple butter is so sweet it can give me a headache. Plus, as fast as I eat this stuff, there's no need to be worried about it going bad. In my version, I keep the peels on because peeling a poor fruit or vegetable when that peel is edible is just sad (and more work)! This obviously isn't as sweet as the apple butter you're used to, but I like it much better. With this recipe I can eat all I want with no worries.  Plus, the smell of the apples cooking is heavenly. It alone is reason enough to try this out.

I'll warn you, this apple butter is pretty intense in the spice department. I love cinnamon and all its friends, so I think it's perfect, but it might be wise to start with half the amounts listed for the spices and increase from there. Try it on toast (alone or with a nut butter) or mixed into oatmeal or yogurt.

Just Apple Butter

adapted from Jam It, Pickle It, Cure It by Karen Solomon

makes about 2 cups

Ingredients

3 pounds apples

1 tablespoon fresh squeezed lemon juice

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon ground ginger

1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg

1/4 teaspoon ground clove

1/4 teaspoon ground cardamom

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.
2. Quarter and core apples. Arrange in a single layer on lightly oiled baking sheets or ones lined with parchment paper.
3. Roast apples for 2 hours, making sure to switch and rotate the baking sheets halfway through for even cooking.
4. Place cooked apples in a blender or food processor along with all other ingredients. Blend until smooth.

Autumn Harvest Slow-Cooker Oatmeal

Oatmeal is one of the healthiest breakfast options around due to it's whole grain status and fiber content. However, this nutrition superstar can quickly loose its sparkle when its loaded up with lots of sugar (even the brown variety) and tons of butter, or, even worse, processed to cook in a few minutes and flavored with chemicals. Delicious. Many people shy away from steel cut oats because of the long cooking time (30-40 minutes), but I have a solution to this problem that might surprise you: a slow-cooker. Suddenly, a dish that many consider to be a hassle becomes a set-it-and-forget-it convenience food that leaves your house smelling amazing when you wake up in the morning.

Autumn Harvest Slow-Cooker Oatmeal

makes 4-6 servings

Ingredients

1 cup steel cut oats

4 small cooking pears (or apples if you prefer), about 1.5 pounds, chopped

1 cup fresh cranberries

1/4 cup raisins

3, 1-inch pieces of cinnamon sticks

1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg

1/8 teaspoon of ground ginger

1/8 teaspoon of ground cloves

4 cups water

Directions

1. Add all ingredients to slow-cooker and mix to distribute spices. The oats tend to sink while the cranberries float, but that's ok.

2. Cover and cook on low for 8-10 hours, depending on how thick you like your oatmeal. I usually do closer to the 10 hours.

3. Remove cinnamon sticks and serve straight from the slow cooker for an easy family breakfast. Add toppings if you like. Ground cinnamon, chopped pecans or walnuts, hulled pumpkin seeds, dried fruit, and a drizzle of honey or maple syrup are all great options. A little butter is ok too. Just choose organic butter from grass fed cows and don't overdo it. One small pat can go a long way.

4. Refrigerate leftovers to enjoy later. Since I'm cooking for one, these can last me a week. Oatmeal can gel a bit in the fridge so, when reheating, add a little warm water. This and a some mixing should return your oatmeal to the proper consistency.

What other healthy, whole foods do you shy away from because of the time commitment?