Yes, it's fine to use your homemade applesauce and dried apples.

chi83- I'll post my go-to cookbook titles and favorite recipes in them, as well as a few recipes. You may find copies of these, and other GF cookbooks, at your local library. -Grainlady "The Gluten-Free Almond Flour Cookbook" by Elana Amsterdam - be sure to check out her web-site - www.elanaspantry.com -Pecan Shortbread Cookies -Cheddar Cheese Crackers -Banana Blueberry Muffins -Cinnamon Apple Muffins -Date Pecan Muffins (a HUGE favorite) -Zucchini Bread -Eggplant Parmesan -Savory Vegetable Quiche -Asparagus Onion Quiche -Kale Tart with Cranberries "Specific Carbohydrate Diet" \- Erica Kerwien \-Sour Cashew Cream (dairy\-free version of sour cream) \-Zucchini Sticks \-Parmesan Crackers \-Almond Saltine Crackers \-Tabbouleh (made with cauliflower) \-Sandwich Rounds (good sandwich bun substitute) \-Banana Bread (BEST recipe I've tried, and there have been many trials) \-Pumpkin Bread \-Roasted Ratatouille \-Recipes where cauliflower is substituted for high\-glycemic rice: Fried Cauliflower Rice, Roasted Cauliflower Rice "The No-Gluten Cookbook" - Series Editor, Kimberly A. Tessmer, R.D., L.D. -Crunchy Cornbread Squares (Can be used for sandwiches, especially good for grilled cheese sandwiches - as well as cornbread. Makes a 13x9" pan and is freezer-friendly.) "Cooking with Coconut Flour"\- Burce Fife, N.D. (many of these recipes are available on\-line; many have stevia as a sweetener option) \-Coconut Bread (An all\-purpose loaf, good toasted or used for French Toast.) \-Lots of good muffin recipes (make 6 muffins per recipe) \-Cream Cheese Squares (egg\-free) ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ My version of gluten\-free baking mix (Bisquick substitute) (makes 1\-cup) 1/2 c. almond flour (Honeyville or homemade) 1/2 c. hi\-maize resistant starch OR Jay Robb unflavored Whey Protein Isolate OR Pamela's Gluten\-Free, Wheat\-Free Baking Mix 1\-1/2 t. baking powder 1/4 t. salt 1 T. coconut oil Place in a mini\-food processor, or in a bowl and mix with an electric mixer, until coconut oil is mixed into dry ingredients. (Note: you can use a pastry blender or fork, but the FP or mixer mixes it quicker and better.) I use this mixture for "Impossible Pumpkin Pie" (a crustless pumpkin pie recipe, and many other Bisquick recipes. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Oatmeal Buttermilk Pancakes (Yield: 4\-6 small pancakes) In a 2\-cup measuring cup place: 1/2 c. quick oats (optional) 1 T. buckwheat flour OR Hodgson Mill Buckwheat Creamy Hot Cereal OR unsprouted OR sprouted buckwheat 1/3 c. buttermilk (or kefir, yogurt) Mix, cover and soak overnight at room temperature. Add and mix in: 1 egg 1 T. melted coconut oil Add dry ingredients: 1 T. palm sugar 1/4 t. baking powder 1/4 t. baking soda 1/4 t. salt Mix well. Add more liquid if the batter seems too thick. Make into small 3\-4\-inch pancakes. I make 4 pancakes at a time on my 11\-inch griddle. PEANUT BUTTER CRUNCH COOKIES 1 stick butter 3/4 c. peanut butter 1 t. baking soda pinch of salt 2 eggs 1 c. unsalted dry roasted peanuts 1/2 c. raw or roasted sunflower seeds 1/2 c. almond flour 1/2 c. palm sugar 1/2 c. mini semi-sweet chocolate chips 1/2 c. unsweetened coconut 1/2 c. cacao nibs (optional) Preheat oven to 350-degrees. Place parchment paper on 2 baking sheets. Melt butter and peanut butter together (microwave or stove-top). Cool slightly, if hot, and place in large mixing bowl. Add eggs and mix well. Add remaining ingredients and blend using an electric hand-held mixer. Using a #50 portion scoop, place the dough on the baking sheets and slightly press to flatten. Bake for 12-minutes. Makes about 40 cookies. Place on wire cooling racks to cool completely. MICROWAVE GLUTEN\-FREE CURRANT BREAD (This is adapted from a recipe I found on\-line and reminds me of an Irish\-style currant bread I made before going wheat\-free, and what we use for toast for breakfast.) Mix well in a 2\-cup measuring cup, or small bowl, using a hand\-powered rotary egg beater or with a fork: 1 lg. egg 1 t. water 1\-2 t. agave nectar OR low\-glycemic coconut nectar\* (or other sweetener of choice) 2 T. buttermilk (kefir or yogurt will also work) pinch of salt Add: 2 T. all\-purpose GF flour (Pamala’s, Bob’s Red Mill, etc.) 2 T. almond flour 2 T. quick oats (or other gluten\-free flakes) After batter is mixed, add 2 T. currants and stir to blend then into the batter. Place the batter in a prepared dish (spray with PAM) \- use a ramekin, mug, or glass bowl that easily holds at least 8\-ounces of liquid. Straight sides work better than rounded sides (I use a ramekin.) Microwave for 2\-minutes on HIGH (more or less time, depending on your microwave \- you may need to adjust it 15\-seconds one way or another). Flip out of baking container onto a wire cooling rack and cool completely. When cool, slice the bread into rounds using a long serrated bread knife. TIP: I place the muffin in a shallow lid, like a cottage cheese container lid or other lid that will accommodate the bread \- anywhere from 1/4\-inch to 1/2\-inch deep. Use the lid as a cutting guide so you get slices about the same thickness. Toast the slices for serving. \* Coconut Nectar \- le$$ expensive homemade version: 1\-1/2 c. palm sugar, ½ c. water. Heat over low heat until dissolved. Store in a jar in the refrigerator. Almond Flour Bread (source: somewhere on-line, with my changes) 2-1/2 c. almond flour 1/2 c. oat fiber (I use hi-maize resistant starch, or spent rye flour or buckwheat flour) 1/4 c. unflavored whey protein powder 1 T. granulated erythritol (I use Swerve) 2 t. baking powder 1/2 t. baking soda 1 t. xanthan gum (do not omit) 1/2 t. salt 6-oz. Greek yogurt (I use drained kefir curd) 6 T. butter, softened (I use coconut oil) 4 lg. eggs 6 T. almond milk (I also use coconut milk or milk kefir or coconut kefir - whatever I happen to have) Preheat oven to 325-degrees F. Grease a 10x4-1/2 loaf pan. In a medium bowl, whish together the almond flour. oat fiber, whey protein, erythritol, baking powder, baking soda, xanthan gum and salt. In a large bowl, beat together yogurt and butter until smooth. Beat in eggs, one at a time and scraping down bowl and beaters as needed. Add almond flour and beat until combined. Beat in almond milk until thoroughly combined. Spread batter in prepared loaf pan, smoothing the top. Bake 45-50 minutes, or until top is golden brown and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Let cool in pan 15-minutes, then flip out onto a wire rack to cool completely. [Note: Slice in thin slices.] QUINOA PANCAKES (adapted from a recipe found on\-line) 1 c. soaked quinoa (or quinoa sprouts \- raw) made from 3/4\-cup of dry quinoa\* 1\-2 T. raw honey (agave nectar or coconut nectar) 1\-1/2 T. coconut oil 1 egg 1/2 T. coconut flour 1/4 t. cinnamon 1/2 T. baking powder 1/4 t. salt \*To make quinoa sprouts: Using 3/4 c. quinoa, thoroughly rinse in a strainer and soak in a bowl with enough water to cover the quinoa by an inch or two, overnight. In the morning drain the water (use a fine\-mesh strainer). Measure out 1\-cup and use with the following directions. 1\. Process quinoa sprouts in food processor or blender until a wet batter is formed, 3\-5 minutes. 2\. Add wet ingredients and process until blended. 3\. Mix dry ingredients together in a separate bowl. Add dry mix to batter and mix well. 4\. Heat greased skillet or griddle on low/medium heat. 5\. Using 1/4 cup of batter at a time, place on skillet/griddle. 6\. Cook for about 2\-minutes or until the pancake is golden. You should see bubbles form and then pop around the edges. Flip pancake and cook for a minute or two. \[Grainlady Note: Make the cakes small \- more like pikelets \- and cook slowly on LOW heat for best results.\] ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ SUPER\-SIMPLE BANANA COOKIES 2\-3 mashed bananas 2 c. oats 1 c. chopped dates (or other dried fruit \- cranberries, cherries, blueberries, apricots snipped into 1/4\-inch cubes using kitchen scissors) 1/3 c. coconut oil 1 t. vanilla pinch of salt Preheat oven to 350\-degrees F. Mix ingredients well, drop by teaspoonful onto parchment\-lined baking sheets (I use a \#50 or \#70 portion scoop). Press the dough until about 1/4\-inch thick. Bake 20\-25 minutes until golden brown. Options: use 1/4\-1/2 c. mini semi\-sweet chocolate chips, chopped nuts, cacao nibs..... \[I usually make this recipe using 1 banana, 1 c. oats (I use sprouted oats I dehydrate and flake), 1/2 c. dried fruit/nuts/chocolate chips/nibs....or a mix of those, 2 T. coconut oil, 1/2 t. vanilla and pinch of salt. Makes 1 baking sheet of cookies \- or about 20 small cookies. I bake them on a parchment\-lined pizza pan in my Convection/Microwave oven or solar oven.\]

I rely on fresh herbs from my garden, lots of pepper, and sodium-free prepared mixes like Cento (Italian) and Sylvia's (Soul food/Southern). There are a lot of sodium-free seasoning mixes out there; you just have to look for them. I know McCormick has a sodium-free line now. And have you tried the Mrs. Dash 10-minute marinades? They're great for grilling meat and veggies - I use them indoors with my trusty little George Foreman. Here's a link to a website with lots of good info and a large archive of low-sodium recipes. Here is a link that might be useful: Low-sodium cooking

I always like just some Lawry's seasoned salt sprinkled over chicken or roasts, but I can't say for sure if it has sugar in it. How about some Mrs. Dash or something like that with lots of different seasonings in it. I've also heard that eating yogurt is supposed to help if you have a yeast infection, but get the sugarfree kind if you can't have sugar.