Berry Healthy: Cranberries!

My family celebrated Thanksgiving early this year, so I thought I’d share with you a tried and true, easy and delicious recipe to add to your menu this week.  It’s a cranberry sauce, but it doesn’t take on the shape of a can because it comes from whole fresh fruit!  My wonderful hubby, Paul, made ours this year following this recipe, and it was a hit all around the table!

Very Healthy: When I think of these tart little guys, I typically think of the associated women’s health benefits, and the not-so-refreshing pure cranberry juice I’ve ingested to reap them.  But I read in a newsletter this week from Dr. Weill that “recent studies have also linked consumption of cranberries and cranberry juice with healthy cholesterol levels, improved gastrointestinal health and the prevention of kidney stones.”  Sounds like we should all eat two servings!

Almost Healthy: If you go for dried cranberries to get your fix, look for those sweetened with juice and with no other ingredients.  Many dried fruits are sweetened with sugar, and then loaded up with sunflower oil and sometimes other preservatives.  If you do nothing else in the way of label sleuthing, at least make sure they are sulfite-free.  These nasty little preservatives have been banned from salad bars for years, but the food industry is still allowed to use them, and dried fruits are some of the most notorious culprits.

Shopping tip: Remember when buying fresh cranberries for your sauce to look for organic.  You’ll get the best taste and avoid the pesticides.  Fresh cranberries are deep red in color and firmer in texture. 

Raw Cranberry Sauce

1 bag (8 oz) fresh cranberries, cut in half

1 apple, chopped

1 pear, chopped

1 orange, quartered (rind on is optional – rind makes it a tart slightly crunchy mixture, this is our preference! Make sure to wash the rind well if using in the recipe)

2 Tbsp. fresh mint, chopped

1 tsp. Triple Sec liqueur

1 tsp. agave nectar

Blend all ingredients, including orange peel if you choose to use it, in a blender.  You will probably have to start out by blending for a few seconds, and then stopping, pushing the fruit down toward the blades with a wooden utensil, and then blending again.  Careful not to blend your pusher!  Add a tablespoon or two of water if you must, but more than that will make your sauce watery.  We added a few mint leaves as garnish to the dish – very pretty, don't you agree? :) 

Serves 10.