This recipe keeps the holiday cranberry relish side-dish super healthy! Fresh Cranberries, fresh pineapple, an apple, a squeeze of juice from a fresh orange and cinnamon!
Cranberry Relish is a holiday tradition! It’s a must-have on the table and with the turkey! Tart cranberries with the subtle hints of cinnamon and orange! Most Cranberry Sauces and relishes are packed with sugar however, and by using a natural sweetener such as pineapple and apples that we do here in this recipe, it allows the refined sugars to be omitted without leaving out the delicious tangy natural sweetness! Look at the ingredients in a can of cranberry sauce. No.
Cranberries are incredibly healthy! High in fiber, antioxidants, flavonoids, anthocyanins and nutrient-rich containing vitamin C, K, E and B6! They are anti-inflammatory and also are a great source of calcium, magnesium, iron, manganese, phosphorus, potassium and zinc! From top10homeremedies.com look below!
From a study and article posted regarding cranberry health in prnewswire.com which is really great read discussing all the fantastic health benefits of cranberries (click on the link) here is an excerpt from that article:
“It has been established that cranberries rank high among the berry fruits that are rich in health-promoting polyphenols,” notes lead author, Jeffrey Blumberg, PhD, of the Jean Mayer USDA Human Nutrition Research Center on Aging at Tufts University in Boston, MA. “But now, recent investigations have shown that the cranberry polyphenols may interact with other bioactive compounds in cranberries that could protect the gut microbiota, and provide antioxidant and anti-inflammatory functions that benefit the cardiovascular system, metabolism and immune function.”
So all this goodness, we’re going to keep it good and just add more healthy nutritious goodness!!! Next in the simple whole food ingredients would be fresh pineapple! Immunity boosting, anti-inflammatory! Perfect for this time of year! Pineapple is also great for bone and eye health, as well as digestion and even… weight loss! From organicfacts.net the infographic below shows you some of the great benefits of pineapple!
Those are the two main ingredients! Then we will add just one apple, diced up, which we know an apple is great natural nutrition and sweetness! And then just a squeeze of fresh orange! A touch of cinnamon as well will make for a great holiday taste! You can even add a touch of clove if you wish, just a dash!
Start with fresh cranberries!
Add fresh pineapple, cut into small pieces! About a cup you will need.
We only need one apple! The apples can overtake the tartness, so one small apple will do. Not the pile you see here. lol.
Add a squeeze of orange to all ingredients in sauce pan with a tbsp of cinnamon and heat over medium heat!
I did squash down some of the pineapple, although next time I won’t do that as I like the cranberries to be more evident with their skin in tact, so this is up to you. I should have cut the pineapple down to smaller sizes! Or a better option might be to place all ingredients in a food processor first to cut down into pieces, then boil.
It still is great tasting, tangy, touch of orange and cinnamon giving it that perfect holiday zest!
| Prep Time | 5 mins |
| Cook Time | 10-15 mins |
| Servings |
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- 1 bag fresh cranberries using whole or can cut in half or cut in food processor
- 1 cup fresh pineapple cut in small pieces or cut in food processor
- 1/2 to 1 medium apple cut in small pieces or cut in food processor
- 1 medium juices squeezed from fresh orange
- 1 tbsp cinnamon
Ingredients
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- In large saucepan add all ingredients. Bring to boil then reduce heat to medium and simmer to allow flavors to blend nicely.
- Place in serving bowl and enjoy!