8 - 10 good size organic baking apples (I use a combination of Granny Smith, Macintosh and Jonah)
1/2 cp organic sugar (some folks add more sugar, but no need)
2 T whole wheat pastry flour
1 1/2 T lemon juice
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/8 tsp nutmeg
(Optional: You can add either 1/3 cp dried cranberries, raisins or other fruit of your choosing. However, I'm a purist, and like good, old plain apple pie!)

Preheat oven to 375.

In large bowl mix the sugar, whole wheat pastry flour, cinnamon, and nutmeg. Pare the apples and slice. Mix apples into sugar/spice mix as you slice them. Sprinkle apples with the lemon juice to prevent apples from turning brown.

When apples are prepared fill the bottom crust with apple mix. Seal with top dough. Flute the edges of pie crust and make some decorative openings on top of crust so pie can breathe. Brush crust with either a little rice or soy milk, then sprinkle with sugar.

Bake for 40 minutes at 375. (Protect crust rim with either foil or pie protector.) After 40 minutes, remove edging protector and bake for another 20-30 minutes till nicely browned and apples are soft.

APPLESAUCE

(I learned this hint from my sister-in-law many years ago.)

When you pare and slice the apples for pie, put ALL the trimming - yes, all of the trimmings, even the core - into a medium size saucepan as you work. Add one, whole apple, quartered, to the pan. Add about 1 cp of water to the apple trimmings, bring to a boil, and then simmer till apples are soft.

When cool, ladle the soft apple mix into a food grinder and, walla, you have wonderful, homemade, sugar-free applesauce. You'll be surprised at how much applesauce is produced just from the peels and cores. Add either a little cinnamon or nutmeg to the applesauce. I usually don't add any sugar to my homemade applesauce, but you can lightly sweeten if you wish.

It's a great way to use every part of the apple, and save money on canned products.