KETO LOW-CARB APPLE-BUTTER (HEART HEALTHY)
Keto Apple-Butter is scrumptious!
Apples are not “strict” Keto. If you’re not aiming for Ketosis, you can include this fruit in your diet and in moderation. There is every reason to enjoy apples, all the while staying within your macros on your keto diet or within a low-carb lifestyle. Keto Apple-Butter is low in butter and net carbs. Remember, you’re only enjoying a tablespoon on toast or on your sugar-free pudding. This preserve/sauce can also be prepared for your Keto Low-Carb diet. After all, apples consumed in moderation are Keto compliant.
As an indigenous person, I used to visit our First Nation’s Reserve called Curve Lake and do the sweat lodges with our late medicine man, Jake Pine. I always felt that a session in the lodge can heal all spiritual and emotional wounds. It’s such an incredible experience.
I miss Jake and Mary Pine. Unfortunately, Jake and Mary could no longer do the sweat lodges on the reserve for governmental reasons. I grieved the loss of the sweat lodges and my time with Jake and Mary.
In any case, Jake once told me that we should not only eat local at all times but also seasonal. As a First National medicine man who listened to the forest, Jake told me that our bodies should only ingest foods from our local environment. In other words, as a Canadian, I should not be eating mangoes, pineapples, and bananas. Jake said that our bodies are in tune with our environment and should only ingest fruits from our own climate. This is how to keep our health optimal, he said. (Of course, I’m paraphrasing.)
Apples and Keto:
In my province, we celebrate local apples of every variety in the fall. It is such a lovely feeling to take autumn day trips to view the turning leaves of red, gold, and orange and buy freshly picked, local apples.
We enjoy apples throughout the year. Because they are a low glycemic fruit, apples are said to be Keto compliant. However, some Keto experts disagree. They say apples are non-compliant. I say eat apple, as long as you do so in small amounts. Remember apples still have sugar! Enjoy a tablespoon of apple butter on some yogurt, for example.
The other day while shopping I noticed the “day old” shelf and upon it were very ripe McIntosh apples on sale. I bought about 3 pounds, deciding to make apple butter. I’ve always enjoyed apple butter on pork ribs. Pork is a sweetmeat and so is always complimented by fruit like apples.
Apple butter is really just slow-cooked apples with added apple cider vinegar (to add sourness), sweetener of choice and spices of choice. You can use apple pie spice or even pumpkin pie spice. The slow cooking process allows the apples to caramelize and turn deep brown. The sugar adds sweetness, of course, but also acts as a preserve giving your butter some shelf life.
You can use any apples of choice. I’ve read that the best apples to use are Golden Delicious, Fuji, Gala and McIntosh. Soft varieties add texture and firmer varieties add tanginess. Personally I choose the least expensive apples available or ones on sale.
WHAT IS THE NUTRITIONAL VALUE OF KETO APPLE-BUTTER?
What is the nutritional value of Keto Apple-Butter? The old adage claims that an apple a day will keep the doctor away. I’m not sure that this is true. However, apples are super healthy. They contain antioxidants the ward off free radicals. They are rich in fiber, vitamins, and minerals. Apples help with weight loss, are good for your heart and your gut. Apples have a prebiotic effect and promote good gut bacteria. Remember this fruit still contains carbs. So be sure to include the net carbs from the apple into your daily macros.
WHAT IS THE TASTE PROFILE OF KETO APPLE-BUTTER?
What is the taste profile of Keto Apple-Butter? The predominant taste sensations is sweetness (from the caramelized apple sugars and your sweetener), and spiciness. As for flavors, apple-butter has a hint of warm cinnamon spice, but mostly it just tastes like apples. It possesses an intense apple flavor, because it is essentially just apples cooked down and concentrated to their essence.
WHAT NON ALC WINE HARMONIZES WITH KETO APPLE-BUTTER?
Let’s talk wine with Keto Apple-Butter. With the predominant taste sensation being sweetness from the apple butter, you’ll need to pair any dish using this butter with a crisp, white wine with excellent acidity and sweetness to match. Remember if the dish is sweeter than the non alcoholic wine, the wine will taste like paint thinner. In following a Keto diet or in living a low-carb lifestyle, we don’t want to use up your carbs on a glass of wine. You have a couple of options. Drink whatever wine you like (as long as it’s bone dry) and don’t worry about pairing the wine to dish. Enjoy your wine the way you like it. If you like to create harmony between the wine and the food, you’ll need some sweetness in the non-alc wine to match the apple butter sweetness.
Add a pinch of monk fruit sweetener to your glass. Choose a white like de-alcoholized Riesling or Gewurztraminer or a pink rose. These varieties taste great when bone dry or sweet. So they taste great with the added sweetener.
The non alcoholic wine’s sweetness will nicely offset the heat and spice. You can add move lemon juice to the butter so that it is tangy rather than sweet and pair the food with a crisp, dry white wine like de-alcoholized Sauvignon Blanc, Pinot Gris, Pinot Grigio, dry Riesling, or dry Gewurztraminer.
Zero Alcohol Wine Tips:
ALCOHOL AND KETOSIS:
To support your Keto diet or low-carb lifestyle, opt for quality, non-alcoholic wines that are low-carb and low in sugar. Additionally, alcohol does not align with a keto diet or low-carb lifestyle. Moreover, your liver processes alcohol before nutrients, pausing ketone creation and slowing the ketosis process. Furthermore, your body will metabolize alcohol as fuel before utilizing food, which can decelerate fat burning and may lead to the storage of carbs, fat, and protein as excess body fat. Moreover, alcohol consumption stimulates the appetite, potentially causing overeating.
ALCOHOL AND HEALTH:
Did you know that when you consume alcohol, your liver has to work extra hard to break it down? This can result in damage to your liver. Furthermore, it can elevate your risk of health issues such as inflammation and cancer, particularly with heavy consumption. Additionally, alcohol can disrupt your blood sugar levels, leaving you feeling dehydrated and disrupting your body’s normal functions.
NON-ALCOHOLIC WINE AND HEALTH BENEFITS:
Non-alcoholic wines with minimal carbs and sugar are advantageous for your health. They not only aid in weight management, blood sugar control, and hydration but also contain essential nutrients and antioxidants from grapes that can decrease your risk of health conditions like heart disease. Consequently, since they lack alcohol, they’re ideal for socializing without any adverse effects, promoting feelings of happiness and reduced stress.
WHAT OTHER KETO LOW-CARB HEALTHY HEART RECIPES CAN I ENJOY?
KETO LOW-CARB SMOKED SALMON ROLLS
Zucchini Tapas (Heart Healthy)
Cold Pasta Salad (Heart Healthy)
Smoked Salmon Rolls (Heart Healthy)
WHAT EQUIPMENT DO YOU NEED TO PREPARE THIS RECIPE?
Equipment Needed:
- Crock pot
- Peeler
- Knife
- Cutting board
- Medium bowl
- Spoon for stirring
- Hand blender or immersion blender
- Airtight containers for storage
WHAT IS THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN APPLE SAUCE AND APPLE-BUTTER?
KETO APPLE BUTTER
First, there is no butter in Keto Apple-Butter! Apple-butter is basically a condensed, caramelized version of apple sauce. It’s more like a preserve or jam. Applesauce is a fairly quick process, cooked apples run through a food mill. Apple butter is cooked down even more until it becomes a thicker and more intensely apple favored sauce. Apple sauce is usually plain, containing nothing more than apples. Apple-butter, however, includes spices, such as cinnamon, cloves, nutmeg, ginger. You can also add a combination spice like pumpkin spice to your butter.
HOW CAN YOU USE KETO APPLE-BUTTER?
Keto Apple-Butter can be used as an ingredient in a whole array of recipes, such as in cookies, cakes, muffins, on Keto waffles. Apple-butter also tastes fabulous over Cheddar Chaffles! Apple and cheddar are classic partners. Use this apple-butter as a spread on a pork or chicken. How about a Keto Low-Carb Chaffles sandwich with shredded pork, apple-butter, and cheddar? Or Keto Low-Carb cheddar and apple-butter grilled cheese? You can also use this condiment as a topping on protein waffles or in Keto muffins. You can also add a hefty dollop to pumpkin or butternut squash soup. The list of uses is endless.
WHAT ARE THE BEST APPLES TO USE FOR KETO APPLE-BUTTER?
For the making of Keto Apple-Butter choose softer apple varieties, such as Fuji, Golden Delicious, McIntosh, or Jonagold. These varieties work well because they cook down faster. Create interesting versions of butter by mixing apple varieties. Combine Smith, Fuji, and Honey Crisp, for example, to come up with your own personal recipe.
HOW DO YOU PREPARE KETO APPLE-BUTTER?
Choose your apples, wash, core (and peel if preferred).
Core and quarter apples.
Place quartered apples in the crock pot. Add other ingredients. Cover and simmer for 8 hours on low or 4 hours on high. Turn off the heat. Let cool to room temperature.
Pour apple butter into sterilized jars and refrigerate for 2 weeks.
KETO APPLE-BUTTER (HEART HEALTHY)
- Total Time: 18
- Yield: 4 CUPS 1x
- Diet: Gluten Free
Description
Keto Apple Butter uses apples, Swerve brown sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves, and salt. Use a tablespoon on your Keto toast.
Ingredients
12 small apples – peeled, cored, and quartered (about 3 pounds)
1 cup Swerve Brown Sugar
1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
1 tablespoon pumpkin pie spice
1/4 teaspoon Himalayan salt
1/2 tablespoon pure vanilla extract
Instructions
- Place the apples in a slow cooker. In a medium bowl, combine sweetener, apple cider vinegar, pumpkin pie spice, salt. Pour the mixture over the apples and mix well.
- Cook in the slow cooker on low for about 10 hours (or high for 4 hours), stirring occasionally until the mixture is thickened and dark brown. Uncover, stir in the vanilla. Replace the cover and continue to cook for the allotted time. Once done, use a hand mixer or immersion blender to puree the butter into a smooth, thick sauce. (I prefer to keep the skins on so the apple butter is chunky.). Spoon the mixture into sterile containers, cover, and refrigerate for up to two weeks.
Notes
- The recipe is based on the keto version and is approximate only. One serving (2 tablespoons) is 13.5 net carbs.
- (Note: The nutritional information provided is a courtesy and is approximate only. We cannot guarantee the nutritional accuracy of any recipe on this site. We cannot now what brands you use or how accurately you follow the recipe or what you like to add creatively to the dish. Use the information as a general guideline only. Net carbs are the total carbs minus the fibre.)
- Prep Time: 10
- Cook Time: 8
- Category: KETO LOW-CARB
- Method: SIMMERING
- Cuisine: APPETIZER, LUNCH, DINNER
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 2 TBSP
- Calories: 53
- Sugar: 9
- Sodium: 24
- Fat: 0
- Saturated Fat: 0
- Unsaturated Fat: 0
- Trans Fat: 0
- Carbohydrates: 14
- Fiber: 1.5
- Protein: 0
- Cholesterol: 0
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