Instant Gratification Applesauce

As we approach the change of seasons, and our ambitions collide with the weather in such a way that our tummies turn upside down (in welcome and unwelcome ways,) I find myself recommending a lot of gentle breakfasts. Something gentle, sweet, grounding. Something that will kindle the fire and guide it into the day. Traditional Ayurveda is a strong proponent of stewed fruits but for some reason, this stumps a lot of people. Perhaps because we’re not “stewing” in our kitchens much anymore, and spend much more time stewing on other matters outside of our control…

And so, I hand them this Instant Gratification Applesauce instead.

This is a recipe I’ll be sharing with those in my fall reset this upcoming month, serving up to my son all winter long, and dolloping on my own porridges, waffles and beyond until the cherry blossoms turn again.

If making your own applesauce sounds like something your grandmother did on a Sunday with a bushel of apples, a food mill, a wall of steaming jars, and an entire afternoon she didn’t have to spare, keep reading.

This is not your granny’s applesauce. There’s still the acquisition of the apples. You still core and chop them. But instead of propping ourselves up near the stove for the remainder of a day, we plop our trusty kitchen butler – the InstantPot – down on the countertop. Bloom some spices, close the lid. WALK AWAY. And in about 10 minutes, you’ve got warm, fragrant, spoonable applesauce — something your body will be infinitely grateful for, and enough to carry you through a week of gentle mornings.

Why stewed fruit, and why apples

Raw fruit is wonderful, and in the playful months of summer when the juicyness is dribbling down our chins it feels free and easy. And in that season, it is. But when the weather starts to turn, and heartier apples (and pears) start to drip from the trees, this ease vanishes. Raw apples are cold, fibrous, and for a digestion that’s tired, stressed, or just waking up, it can ask for more effort than we have to give. Seems crazy, but it’s true – which is why so many people who feel bloated after a raw apple feel perfectly settled after a cooked one. Cooking changes all that. Heat softens the fruit’s structure so your body doesn’t have to do all the breaking down on its own — and makes this beautiful food more bioavailable so you can draw every last bit of magic out of it.

Apples in particular are rich in pectin, a soluble fiber that becomes soft and gel-like when it’s cooked. Pectin acts as food for the beneficial bacteria in your gut, and its gentle, gel-forming nature helps keep things moving comfortably — not too fast, not too slow. It’s one of the reasons applesauce has been a first food and a recovery food for generations.

Ayurveda has been saying a version of this for a very long time. A warm, spiced, stewed apple eaten first thing in the morning, on its own, is a classic way to kindle agni — your digestive fire — before you ask it to handle anything heavier. Cooked apple is light and sweet and soothing, and when you warm it with ginger, cinnamon, and cardamom, it becomes especially grounding for the dry, windy, unsettled energy of fall. A spoonful of ghee adds just enough richness to nourish without weighing you down.

The key is to eat it warm. Cold applesauce straight from the fridge loses much of what makes this so supportive.

This applesauce is perfect as a way to start the day when you’re feeling blown, worn down, and tender. When the wind of the season has spun you. Warm it gently, and let it be the first thing you eat.

One pot to do it all 

What I love most about this recipe is that it refuses to stay in one lane:

• It’s a light + gentle breakfast. A warm bowl on its own, or with a spoonful of ghee and a pinch of cardamom on top. Swirl it into oats or porridge if you need something more substantial.
• My kid loves it. And it’s worlds better than anything a pouch or jar can offer. Naturally sweet, soft, and a far better use of your apples than another squeeze pouch. (For little ones, consider halving the ginger and skipping the cloves.)
• It’s also a condiment. Spoon it beside roasted squash or a savory grain bowl, or onto toast with a swipe of sprouted nut butter, stuff it into pop tarts, spread it on waffles.

This instant gratification applesauce

Why instant gratification? Because there is really nothing satisfying about a pouch of applesauce. And there’s something languishing about pulling a half-full jar from the fridge, wondering how long it’s been there and dunking a spoon in. Doesn’t really say “YUM” to me, ya know? But the fact that if you have apples, you can have applesauce in less than half-an-hour is just about as close to instant gratification as cooking can get.

I’ve long declared the InstantPot the savior of modern, time-strapped cooking because it does the annoying, tedious and time consuming kitchen jobs no one wants to do faster, effortlessly, without mess and without company. Steaming, simmering, making dinner (!), making broth, and beans and applesauce! It’s the star of the show here, and we really don’t have a recipe without it (though, of course, you could follow this recipe and stand by the stove and stir for a few hours if you want too.)

The ingredients here are simple – tenants of fall self-care in Ayurveda. They also happen to be absolutely delicious.

Don’t miss out on a little sprinkle of vanilla and cinnamon, and a drizzle of ghee, atop your applesauce – it’s truly decadent and divine!