Cranberry Sauce Recipe
**DOUBLE THIS** recipe if wanting more than about 12oz (about the size of one cranberry sauce can). This makes enough for our family of 3 to use in dollops, but for larger gatherings you’ll def want a bigger batch.
Cranberry sauce is one of those things I once only ate if it came out of a can: corn-syruped to oblivion & processed to the consistency of thick slime. (<— Did you know the average can of Ocean Spray has 24g of added “sugar”, and its ingredients are cranberries, high-fructose corn syrup, corn syrup —once wasn’t enough, I guess—, and water? And in the process(ing) the cranberries are almost completely stripped of their heart-healthy/microbiome-fueling fiber.)
Eventually I grew to love the heartier/homemade versions that my aunt & mother-in-law served, and so we’ve been happily whipping up our own batches for years. It is such a simple process that I’ve never written the recipe down… until today. :-)
Cranberry sauce is so dang easy that Q did everything except the immersion blender part (which is optional).
Continue for our super simple cranberry sauce recipe, some nutritional info on these tasty/tart berries, & a reminder of how our microbiome thrives on fiber. Why would we want our microbiome to thrive? It powers everything from our immune system to our mental health. :-)
Live Kindly, Feast Kindly, Grow Forward.
Everything you need for a batch of cranberry sauce.
You can grate the zest right into the pan, but in this case Q wanted to put it in the Pyrex so he could scrape out any remaining juice for himself. :-)
Simmer covered for about 20 minutes and stop when the cranberries have popped.
If you like it jammy, whip it up with an immersion blender.
So what do cranberries have going for them (aside from what we can see above)?
They are packed with fiber which is essential for a thriving microbiome (<— powers everything from your immune system to your mental health <— reminder that over 90% of your serotonin is produced in your gut by your microbiome <— Guess what erodes the mucosal layer of your gut and harms your microbiome? Animal products and processed foods.)
Here’s Harvard: “When we consider the connection between the brain and the gut, it’s important to know that 90% of serotonin receptors are located in the gut. When the balance between the good and bad bacteria is disrupted, diseases may occur. Examples of such diseases include: inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), asthma, obesity, metabolic syndrome, diabetes, and cognitive and mood problems. For example, IBD is caused by dysfunction in the interactions between microbes (bacteria), the gut lining, and the immune system.
The fermentation of indigestible fibers causes the production of short chain fatty acids (SCFA) that can be used by the body as a nutrient source but also play an important role in muscle function and the prevention of chronic diseases, including certain cancers and bowel disorders. Clinical studies have shown that SCFA may be useful in the treatment of ulcerative colitis and Crohn’s disease.”
Their vitamin C helps us absorb the iron in whatever iron-rich foods we are eating… like maybe lentil loaf? :-)
Some evidence suggests that the polyphenols contained in cranberries may reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease
Cranberries are very high in bioactive plant compounds and antioxidants
A number of human studies indicate that consuming cranberries may reduce the risk of UTIs in both children and adults (1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7).
The PACs contained in cranberries may also benefit oral health. They do this by preventing bacteria from binding to the surface of teeth.
And they are native to North America, so on a day when we are to be “thankful” for taking over the lands of the folks who originally lived here, we can at least celebrate with a crop naturally found here.
Maple is also native to these lands and it surprisingly has minerals hiding in its syrupy siren song. Calcium is even one of those minerals. :-)
This is good enough that you could eat it right out the jar, but if you save a little for the holidays your family will be appreciative. :-)
Enjoy :-)
