Blueberry applesauce: 3 ingredients, a big batch, no sugar added

A pot of applesauce is 1 of the kindest things you can make for your week. It is 3 ingredients and almost no effort, it makes a large batch, and it gives you something sweet that asks nothing of your gut. Having a jar of this in the fridge means you are never far from a snack you can trust.

Apples are a source of pectin, a soluble fiber that supports the gut lining and feeds beneficial bacteria, and the skins stay on here so the fiber and nutrients come along. Blueberries add anthocyanins, the plant pigments studied for their role in calming oxidative stress. The sweetness is modest and entirely the fruit's own, with nothing added.

Let it bubble while you do something else, then mash it to whatever texture comforts you. A jar of deep purple applesauce on the shelf is a small, real beauty.

Ingredients

• 5 lb apples
• 1 cup water
• 2 cups blueberries

The whole list is AIP Core. The skins stay on for fiber and nutrients, so no food mill is needed. Optional from the source: a little fresh ginger or lemon zest for brightness, or cinnamon if you tolerate it (cinnamon is a permitted bark spice, not a seed spice).

Method

Core and chop the apples, leaving the skins on. Put the apples, blueberries, and water into a large pot and bring it to a boil over medium-high heat.

Lower the heat to medium and let it simmer, stirring now and then, for 25 to 30 minutes, until the apples are soft enough to mash easily with a fork.

Mash to the texture you like, smooth or chunky. Cool and store in the fridge. Other berries and stone fruits work in place of the blueberries if you want to vary it.

A note on keeping it longer: the source mentions a water-bath canning method should be fine but says she has not tested it, so treat canning as unverified and lean on the fridge or freezer instead.

*Adapted from a-clean-plate*