There’s nothing like traditional, whole-berry Cranberry Sauce with Orange Zest.
I’ll admit, I’m the first to pass on canned cranberry sauce . . . from the ingredients label to the shape, I find the jellied variety utterly unattractive. But I’m the first in line for this whole cranberry sauce. If you’re planning a family gathering, be prepared to make more of this Cranberry Sauce with Orange Zest than you would otherwise need if you were serving jellied cranberry sauce.
One Sauce, Many Possibilities
It’s so easy to make. In fact, I often cook a few batches and freeze it in sealed glass jars. Others love this cranberry sauce so much that I give it as gifts to friends, family, and neighbors to express my gratitude for them on Thanksgiving.
Although this is a holiday family favorite, I enjoy it year-round. From right off the spoon to topping fish to creating a bacon and cabbage grain-free panini to mixing it with coconut milk yogurt, the options are endless.
So get ready to dazzle your plate, eyes, and taste buds. Sweet, tart, and oh-so-delicious, Cranberry Sauce with Orange Zest will become your new holiday favorite. Be careful, you might have a new centerpiece on your table.
Who Knew Healthy Could be so Delicious & Pretty?
Each time you bite into a succulent whole berry that’s been simmered into the ultimate cranberry sauce, you’ll be nourishing your body.
The deep, vibrant pinkish-red color of cranberries is amazing! And this beauty comes wrapped with a bounty of health benefits. Cranberries are packed with flavonoids, a group of phytonutrients known for their anti-oxidants and anti0inflammatory properties. Thus, research shows that cranberries may reduce inflammation, blood pressure, triglycerides, blood glucose, urinary tract bacteria, and oral bacteria that lead to tooth decay.
And research supports that they may have anti-cancer effects in a number of cancers, including lymphoma and bladder cancer.
Unlike most pre-made cranberry sauces, this one is low in sugar. Therefore, it won’t spike your blood sugar (hmmm . . . I won’t tell if you indulge in a second piece of pie). You might be tricked into thinking it’s dessert though (with a dollop of coconut whipped cream, you might have a new treat).
Cranberry Sauce with Orange Zest (Low-Sugar)
Ingredients
12-ounce package fresh cranberries (about 3 cups)
1 ½ Tbsp orange zest
6 tsp liquid stevia
¾ cup water, filtered
Instructions
- Wash cranberries and drain in a colander to remove most of the water.
- In a medium saucepan, heat water until it begins to boil. Add cranberries and allow it to return to a boil. Lower the heat to medium-low. Cook uncovered at a rolling simmer for about 10 minutes, or until most of the cranberries have popped and sauce thickens. Stir occasionally to prevent mixture from boiling over.
- Remove from heat. Stir in stevia and orange zest.
- Allow sauce to cool and transfer to a glass jar. Store covered in the refrigerator.
Notes
A little foam will form while cranberries are popping, but it will disappear once cranberry sauce is done and cools.
When zesting the orange, stop right before reaching the white pith because it's bitter.
Serve warm or cold.
Cranberries naturally have very low sugar content. A ½ cup of fresh cranberries only has 2 grams of sugar!
Cranberries are packed with antioxidants and flavonoids.
Using organic cane sugar or maple syrup instead of stevia or erythritol (see substitutions below) will not make this recipe low sugar.
Substitutions:
Orange Zest:
Lemon zest, lime zest, or omit
Liquid Stevia:
¾ tsp pure stevia extract, 1 cup erythritol (ground and added to water before adding cranberries), 1 cup organic cane sugar (added to water before adding cranberries), or 1 cup maple syrup (added to water before adding cranberries)
_____________________________________________________________________________________________ Copyright: Christine Cherpak - KalenaSpire.
If you wish to share this recipe, please provide a link back to the recipe on the KalenaSpire blog. If you make significant changes to the recipe, please rewrite the recipe in your own unique words and provide a link back to the original post for credit. Thank you!
How do you plan to enjoy Cranberry Sauce with Orange Zest? Share in the comments below!
References
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Basu, A., & Lyons, T. J. (2012). Strawberries, blueberries, and cranberries in the metabolic syndrome: Clinical perspectives. Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry, 60(23), 5687-5692. doi:10.1021/jf203488k
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Kaspar, K. L., Howell, A. B., & Khoo, C. (2015). A randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial to assess the bacterial anti-adhesion effects of cranberry extract beverages. Food & Function, 6(4), 1212-1217. doi:10.1039/C4FO01018C
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Novotny, J. A., Baer, D. J., Gebauer, S. K., & Charron, C. S. (2015). Cranberry juice consumptions lowers markers of cardio metabolic risk, including blood pressure and circulating C-reactive protein, triglyceride, and glucose concentrations in adults. The Journal of Nutrition, 146(6), 1185-1193. doi:10.3945/jn.114.203190
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Shadix, K. (2009). Cranberries – Tangy, tasty, and nutritious. Today’s Dietitian, 11(7), 74. Retrieved from http://www.todaysdietitian.com/newarchives/062909p74.shtml
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Weh, K. M., Clarke, J, & Kresty, L. A. (2016). Cranberries and cancer: An update of preclinical studies evaluating the cancer inhibitory potential of cranberry and cranberry derived constituents. Antioxidants, 5(3), 27. doi:10.3390/antiox5030027
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