Prep time: 5 minutes
Cooking time: 20 minutes
Makes about 2 cups
There’s nothing better than adding the tangy zip of cranberry sauce to your turkey…or chicken…or meatballs…or anything really! And best part of all, these bright red little poppers are seriously good for you. Due to the unusual nature of their proanthocyanidins (PACs), cranberries have long been connected to the prevention of UTIs, but this same element has also been linked to fighting a particular type of stomach bacteria called Helicobacter pylori, often responsible for stomach ulcers. The antioxidants and phytonutrients found in cranberries, such as oligomeric proanthocyanidins (mentioned above), anthocyanidin flavonoids (which give them their bright red color), cyanidin, peonidin, and quercetin, have unique health-impacting attributes, such as stroke and cardiovascular disease-preventing compounds that discourage cholesterol from forming in the heart and blood vessels. Research shows that cranberries also protect against cancer, particularly breast cancer, due in part to potent antioxidant polyphenols. All that being said, if you’re going to douse your cranberries in a bunch of toxic sugar, you’re not really helping your body out much. Instead, flavouring your cranberry sauce with raw honey and fresh squeezed orange juice will cut the sourness, and add even more nutritional content to your favourite holiday condiment!
Ingredients
- 12 ounces fresh cranberries
- ¾ cup fresh orange juice (keep orange peel for cloves)
- ½ cup raw honey
- 5 cloves
- 1 cinnamon stick
Directions
1. Combine cranberries, orange juice, and honey in sauce pan.
2. Cut a slice of the orange peel and push cloves through the rind (this makes it so that you can have the clove flavour without having to fish them out later). Add to cranberry mix.
3. Add cinnamon stick.
4. Simmer over medium heat, until berries pop and sauce thickens (about 10 - 15 minutes)
5. Cool completely and refrigerate.
6. Serve at room temperature.