A Trip to the Orchard and Super Easy Crockpot Applesauce

Last weekend our little family made our annual fall trip to the apple orchard.  Our local orchard had honeycrisps available, and since they are my favorite, I couldn't resist.  It was an absolutely gorgeous day, and we were able to fit in a hay ride and pick 2 baskets of beautiful honeycrisps! Matthew & Eleanor were able to enjoy a cinnamon sugar donut, and I got some delicious locally made caramel corn.  Perfect fall day!

A delicious, incredibly easy recipe that tastes exactly like fall time.  Perfect after a trip to the apple orchard when your fruit bowl is full of apples!

3 pounds of apples (approximately 9 large apples)
1/4 cup brown sugar
1 Tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp nutmeg

Peel, core and slice the apples.  Add to the crockpot with the cinnamon, nutmeg and sugar.  Cook on high for 5 hours.  Depending on the consistency you prefer, mash with a potato masher, or for smoother applesauce, use an immersion blender or blend in batches in a regular standing blender.

Here are some pictures of our day at the orchard!

Wilson's Orchard, Iowa City

Daddy & Ellie on the hay ride

Momma & Josephine on the hay ride

Picking apples

Big helper!

A family shot that a lovely couple took for us

Another family shot at the end of the day. As you can see, everyone was ready to go home by this point!

Fruit & Seed Granola

This easy granola is delicious and free of the most common allergens!  Perfect for Fall!

Dry Ingredients:
3 cups Rolled Oats*
1/2 cup millett
1/2 cup chia seeds
1/2 cup raw pumpkin seeds
1/2 cup raw sunflower seeds
2 Tbsp ground flax or flax meal
1 1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp nutmeg
3/4 tsp sea salt

Wet Ingredients:
4 Tbsp pure maple syrup
1 Tbsp coconut oil
2 Tbsp unsweetened applesauce
2 Tbsp sunflower seed butter
1/4 cup coconut palm sugar

Add-ons:
1/3 cup dried fruit**
1/3 cup pumpkin seeds


*Certified GF if necessary
**Anything works: cherries, raisins, cranberries, blueberries, diced apricots, figs, etc.

Preheat oven to 300 degrees. line a baking sheet with a silicone mat or parchment paper and set aside.  Mixed together dry ingredients in a large bowl.  In a small saucepan place all the wet ingredients and stir well.  Bring up to a boil and then simmer 5-7 minutes, stirring intermittently until ingredients are well combined. Place still warm wet ingredients into the bowl of dry ingredients and stir well.  It may be a bit difficult to stir.  Once thoroughly mixed, spread out on lined baking sheet.  Bake for 45 minutes, checking and stirring every 15 minutes.