How to Make Sugar-Free Apple Butter

Would you like to make a healthier apple butter? Here's an easy recipe for sugar-free apple butter.

Do you love the sweet delicious taste of apple butter but want to avoid the excess sugar usually added to commercial apple butter? The answer might be to make your own homemade apple butter at home using sugar free ingredients. Apple butter is so versatile and quite healthy when you consider all of the vitamins, fiber and antioxidants found in apples. Plus, the process of cooking the apples helps to make the antioxidants easier for the body to absorb.Unfortunately, making homemade apple butter can be tedious, time consuming and messy. What if you could make apple butter in your microwave? Great news! You can do just that. I've included a recipe for sugar free apple butter below followed by some ideas for how to use your homeade apple butter. Here's the basic recipe:

INGREDIENTS NEEDED

3 pounds of apples finely chopped

1/2 cup sugar free maple syrup (easy to find at most grocery stores)

3/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon

DIRECTIONS

In a microwave safe bowl, combine the chopped apples, sugar free maple syrup, and cinnamon. Microwave on high power for 12 minutes. Remove from microwave and place into a blender or food processor. Blend until mixture is smooth. Place bowl back into microwave and cook for an additional 8 minutes. Allow the miexture to cool completely before placing into a jar.

I'll bet by now your kitchen is smelling pretty sweet! The smell of blended apples and cinnamons is quite satisfying which is why apple butter can be considered one of those old fashioned comfort foods we want more of these days.

Here are some ideas on how to use your freshly made apple butter:

1. Use it as a sandwich spread. You can apply it to one side of your bread and put low fat cream cheese on the other. Then add your primary sadnwich
material. Smoked turkey is a good choice.

2. Spread it on whole grain crackers for a tasty and delicious snack.

3. Add a spoonful of apple butter to your oatmeal as a quick breakfast food.,

4. Spread it onto waffles and pancakes. You need less syrup this way.

5. Use it in place of regular butter. It's healthy and lower in fat and calories than regular butter.

Offering your kids apple butter is a great way to help them get their daily quota of fruits. They'll love the taste and you'l'l love the health benefits. Give this recipe a try. You'll love the fresh taste. You'll never go back to store bought apple butter again!