Halloween is a time to enjoy being a kid again, so why not enjoy a healthy alternative to sugar-saturated candy? Homemade applesauce is the answer.

Yes, homemade applesauce. No longer will you have to trudge to the store and wait in line for preservative-filled, jarred applesauce.

The beauty of this recipe is that you can enjoy the snack year-round and have fun experimenting with different seasonal fruits. All you need to make this quick and easy treat are fresh apples, fresh or frozen strawberries (I prefer fresh), sugar (or a sugar substitute), juice from one fresh lemon and water.  To ensure that your applesauce is all-natural, all of the ingredients can be organic.

Start by peeling, coring and dicing the apples, then place them in a medium-sized sauce pot. Three pounds of apples can seem like a lot, so it helps to have a friend share the work (and if you’re the friend, you get free homemade applesauce out of the deal).

Stir in one cup of sugar with the apples, then add the lemon juice and water. Bring all of the ingredients to a boil,  then reduce heat to a simmer.

While the apples are cooking, wash and hull the strawberries. Cut them into quarters and place them in a medium bowl. Sprinkle two tablespoons of sugar over them and set them to the side. For sweeter strawberries, let them sit covered in sugar overnight in the refrigerator.

The juice that will be left over from the sugar-strawberry mixture can be saved and used for a variety of things like blended in a smoothie, poured over waffles or drizzled over ice cream.

Once the apples are tender  and able to be mashed with a fork, remove them from the heat and let them cool. Use a potato masher to mash them for chunky applesauce or pulse them in a blender if you prefer a smoother texture.

Drain the strawberries, mash them with a fork and add them to the applesauce. Mix everything together, let it cool and enjoy this ghoulish treat!

This recipe yields about 48 ounces of applesauce, which is plenty to share.

mgordon@chroniclemail.com