Go Crazy With Cranberries!

The holidays are quickly approaching and you’ve made your list and you’re checking it twice! Friends and family will soon arrive to gather around the turkey, but what will you serve with that turkey that won’t make YOU feel like a stuffed turkey? Nowadays we all worry about packing on the pounds around the holidays, but you don’t have to! There are so many healthy recipes you can whip up that everyone is sure to enjoy. Skinny Ms. has a several ideas that will add color to your dish without adding pounds to your hips!

Cranberry Orange Sauce

1 bag of fresh, rinsed cranberries

1 organic orange cut into 8 slices or more

8 ounces fresh squeezed orange juice

Boil cranberries and diced orange on stove, stirring occasionally to desired consistency

After boiled, remove from heat and add orange juice

Chill for one hour or until ready to serve

And voila! You’re done! No sugar, no artificial sweetener, just a delicious and healthy side dish to serve your family and friends for the holiday!

This dish can also easily be changed into Cranberry Applesauce by substituting the orange for an apple and the orange juice for apple juice. Boil the cranberries in the apple juice for a naturally sweetened taste. Dice your apple into chunks and add to the boiling cranberries. Stir continuously until desired consistency, and allow cooling for an hour. You may also want to try Skinny Ms. traditional cranberry sauce or our previously featured cranberry chutney!

Skinny Ms. Holiday Recipe Roundup

Not only do cranberries taste delicious, but did you know they have anti-inflammatory and anti-cancer benefits, too? They are packed with vitamin K, potassium, tannins, manganese, and more! So, not only can you serve your guests a delicious food, but also contribute to their health. Try this Cranberry Melange recipe, the process isn’t quick, but the results will make you want Christmas in January just to taste it again!

Cranberry Melange 

Serves 8 to 10. This recipe has a few steps, so we have separated the recipe into processes so it can easily be made without confusion.

Ingredients for Spiced Cranberry Puree

Sweet orange zest (freshly grated) = 1 packed double teaspoon (or 2 teaspoons)

Salt (unrefined unheated highest-quality) = 1/8 teaspoon

Allspice (dried powdered) = 1/4 teaspoon

Ginger (dried powdered) = 1/4 teaspoon

Cinnamon (dried powdered) = 1/2 teaspoon

Honey = 1/2 cup

Cranberries (whole fresh/frozen unheated) = 10 ounces

Ingredients for Melange

Sweet oranges (supreme), remove peeling and skin, separate into wedges (weigh after prep and chop small) = 12 ounces

Anjou Pears  = 20 ounces (peel, core and clip off stem and chop into 1/4-inch pieces)

Apples  = 10 ounces (peel, core and clip off the stem and chop into 1/4-inch pieces)

Stalk celery or celery hearts (sweeter) that are the innermost ribs of stalk celery (weigh stalk celery after it has been trimmed of its leafy top and fibrous end) = 8 ounces (chop into 1/4-inch pieces)

Walnuts (whole not heat-treated) = 2-1/4 ounces or 1/2 cup diced

Soak walnuts 12 hours. Dehydrate 12 hours

Raisins (dark color) = 1/2 cup
 Rinse/drain.

Method for Spiced Cranberry Puree

1. Zest the orange.

2. In succession, place all ingredients into food processor.

3. Blend until all ingredients are smooth.

4. At this point, the recipe can be continued later (or the next day).

Method for Melange

Supreme oranges. Cut orange flesh into dice size pieces.

Mix orange pieces into Spiced Cranberry Puree.

Mix in pears and apples.

Mix celery, walnuts and raisins into Spiced Cranberry Puree.

This Melange tastes best if the following 2 things are done: Refrigerate the Melange in the 8+ hours, and serve at room temperature. These 2 things make all the difference!

Don’t be surprised if all your guests ask for a doggy bag after trying your scrumptious cranberry orange sauce or cranberry melange! These dishes will go fast and you will want seconds! Let us know what crazy cranberry dishes you make as a tradition for the holidays!

Sources:

www.cafemom.com

www.naturalnews.com