Orange – Cranberry Sauce
Easy and healthy version of the classic cranberry sauce with no refined sugar.
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Instant Pot Applesauce
I am forever converted to Instant Pot Applesauce! IP Applesauce is thick and creamy and so much easier and quicker to make than other methods that I have tried. The best reason to try IP Applesauce is that you do not have to peel the apples. You can leave all the peels on! This saves me so much time!!
My recipe has no added sweeteners and is just simple ingredients that we all have in our pantry. Maybe you’ve been to an orchard recently and picked apples with your family or maybe, like me, you have a couple apple trees in your yard. Either way, this is the perfect way to use a lot of apples, even if they’re getting old, bruised, and a little mushy.
Instant Pot Applesauce
Instant Pot applesauce is life changing!
Equipment
- Instant Pot
Ingredients
- 5-6 lbs Apples, cored
- 1 tbsp Pumpkin Pie Spice (cinnamon works too)
- ½ cup Water
- ¼ tsp Pink Salt
- 2 tsp Vanilla Extract
Instructions
- Put all the ingredients, except for the vanilla extract, into the Instant Pot inner pot.
- Place the lid on the pot and make sure the steam release handle is switched to “sealing”.
- Cook on manual/high pressure for 5 minutes.
- When the timer goes off, do NOT move the steam release handle – just allow the steam to naturally release. Once the float valve drops, take off the lid.
- Purée the apples – you can make the applesauce as chunky or as smooth you are prefer. I like to leave it in the Instant Pot & use an immersion blender.
- Stir in 2 teaspoons of vanilla.
- Serve immediately or store in an air-tight container in the fridge for up to a week.
Notes
This recipe is for an 8-quart Instant Pot. If you have a 6-quart Instant Pot, adjust the recipe by about 75%. If your Instant Pot will not come to pressure, add another 1/4 cup of water and try again. Homemade applesauce is a healthy snack or dessert served by itself. You can also drizzle a little heavy cream or milk on top of hot applesauce. For a sweeter treat, top it with a dollop of whipped cream or a scoop of vanilla ice cream.
Veggie Lentil Soup
Sometimes I just need a good veggie soup in my system! This recipe is gluten-free and can be made vegan by using vegetable broth. Keep this recipe simple, inexpensive, & quick by just using carrots and celery for your veggies.
Lentils are a healthy and natural meat substitute. They’re high in protein, iron, and magnesium. They are also rich in nutrients, have a hearty texture, and best of all … they’re cheap! Take a minute to google the benefits of lentils and I believe you’ll want to make them a part of your diet.
This recipe makes enough soup for 12-ish people … it feeds my family of 7 dinner plus leaves enough leftovers for lunch the next day. But the recipe can easily be cut in half for a smaller crowd. If you want the soup to have more of a creamy texture, purée some of the soup before serving. Our family enjoys this soup year round {even when it’s super hot outside} because it’s a hearty, healthy meal! Feel free to add other veggies too … zucchini, bell peppers, spinach, kale, etc! Tip: if using a leafy veggie like spinach or kale, add just a few minutes before serving.
I like a lot of lemon juice to add yummy tang to the soup. Start with the juice of one lemon and add more, if desired.
Veggie Lentil Soup
Hearty, healthy, simple & inexpensive soup!
Ingredients
- ½ cup Extra Virgin Olive Oil
- 1 Onion diced
- 4-5 Large Carrots chopped
- 4-6 Ribs of Celery chopped
- 8 Garlic Cloves minced
- 4 tsp Cumin
- 1½ tsp Curry Powder
- 1 tsp Dried Thyme
- 30 oz Diced Canned Tomatoes
- 1 lb Dried Lentils green or brown
- 8-12 cups Chicken or Veggie Broth less broth = thicker soup
- 4 cups Water
- 2 pinches Red Pepper Flakes
- Salt & Pepper to taste
- 1-2 Juiced Lemons
Instructions
- In a large pot or Dutch oven, heat the oil. Once the oil is hot, add the diced onion, carrots, and other veggies. Cook, stirring often, until the veggies have softened and the onion is translucent.
- Add the garlic and seasonings. Stir to combine & cook for about 1 minute & then add the canned tomatoes.
- Add the lentils, broth, water, salt, pepper, and red pepper flakes. Bring the soup to a boil. Cover the pot with a lid and reduce the temperature to allow a gentle simmer. Cook for 30 minutes, or until the lentils are soft.
- If you want to blend a portion of the soup to make a more creamy texture, put a couple cups of soup onto a Vitamix or similar blender. You can also just use an immersion blender directly in the pot of soup and just blend for 30 seconds, or until you reach the creaminess you desire.
- Remove the pot from the heat & add the lemon juice.
- Taste the soup and add more salt, pepper, &/or lemon juice to your liking.
- Serve hot & store leftovers in an air-tight container in the refrigerator.
