Enjoy A Deliciously Fresh Creation That’s Packed With Nutrients
Cranberries, a love-‘em-or-hate-‘em berry that grows in bogs from evergreen shrubs, are a seasonal favorite ingredient that delivers more than merely its well-known tart-sweet taste. They also bring to the table fiber, antioxidants, and a strong dose of Vitamin C — and the best way to get these nutrients into your body is by consuming fresh berries, such as through your own homemade cranberry sauce.
Famous for Fighting
Legendary for fending off urinary tract infections (largely due to the antioxidants), scientists only now are beginning to understand all that cranberries can accomplish. Naturally occurring chemicals called proanthocyanidins strengthen capillaries to combat chronic venous insufficiency and aid in fighting hypertension by lowering blood pressure.
But that’s not all. Cranberries also can help control diabetes. The proanthocyanidins also may help the body regulate glucose levels. Cranberries also can assist the digestive tract, with research hailing cranberries as a “natural antimicrobial.”
Cranberries boast even more abilities, with studies showing the berries can improve memory, help prevent cancer, aid in weight loss, ward off tooth decay, nourish the skin, and boost the body’s immune system. Actor Nicole Kidman even rinses her hair with a cup of cranberry juice after shampooing to boost both the shine and color.
A Terrific Tangy Taste
But it’s the tangy taste that makes cranberries so popular. With a sour, almost bitter taste (and only four grams of sugar per cup), these berries need a bit of sweetness added to be palatable. Although you can eat them raw, you likely won’t enjoy them too much. But in juices, sauces, muffins, and more, cranberries (often in tandem with other fruits or berries) provide a distinctive flavor that rarely strays to the too-sweet side.
There are countless yummy recipes that employ fresh cranberries, but here’s a really good one: The Pickled Beet’s own cranberry sauce:
Citrus-Cranberry Sauce
Ingredients:
2 large navel oranges
12 oz. cranberries, fresh, picked over
¾ cup sugar
¼ cup water
1/8 teaspoon ginger, ground
½ teaspoon lemon juice
½ teaspoon lime juice
Directions:
Remove the peel and pith from oranges with a paring knife. Cut each section into quarters.
In a heavy saucepan over medium heat, combine oranges, cranberries, sugar, water, and ground ginger. Cook for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally.
Remove from heat and stir in lemon and lime juice. Cover sauce and chill.
Can be made 3 days prior to serving.
You’ll find our cranberry sauce recipe is long on flavor as well as nutrition.
The Pickled Beet can incorporate just about any favorite flavor — seasonal or otherwise — into many healthy and flavorful recipes for our Miami clients. We work with individuals, couples, and families to find meals that are tasty, nutritious, and best fuel the body no matter what dietary requirements might be part of the equation. Contact us for a free consultation.
