My family loves homemade cranberry sauce all year round. So every fall, I stock up on cranberries. Fresh cranberries can be frozen, will keep up to nine months and can be used directly in recipes without thawing. Cranberry sauce is an indispensable part of the Thanksgiving feast. Our Thanksgivings always includes a cranberry sauce kick-off, typically with more than one variety, from raw to traditional, crunchy to smooth… We like to think of ourselves as a family of cranberry sauce connoisseurs.
Nutritionally, cranberries are marketed as “super-fruits” because of their nutrient and anti-oxidant qualities. They are an excellent source of vitamin C, fiber and manganese.
This Year’s Secret Lower in Sugar, Natural Cranberry Sauce
- 12 oz package of fresh cranberries
- 1 cup pomegranate juice
- 2 Tablespoons pure maple syrup
- 3 Tablespoons organic cane sugar
- 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1/8 teaspoon ground nutmeg
- 1/8 teaspoon ground cloves
- 1/8 teaspoon ground pink peppercorns
Wash cranberries. Place in a medium saucepan with juice, maple syrup and sugar. Bring to a boil, then simmer and cook until all the cranberries pop and the sauce thickens (about 8 to 10 minutes). Add the balance of ingredients and stir. Allow to cool. You can make this ahead of time and refrigerate until needed. Use organic ingredients when available.
* You may substitute orange juice for the pomegranate juice and add 1 teaspoon of orange zest (from an organically grown orange).
Makes about 2.25 cups
Per 1/4 cup serving:
58 calories, 0 g of fat, 0 g saturated fat, 0 mg cholesterol, 0 g protein, 14.7 g carbohydrates and 1.8 g fiber.
