Around Thanksgiving and Christmas, you can find fresh cranberries in grocery stores making it the perfect time to make orange cranberry relish. They are only available from mid-September to mid-November in the US so you have to get them while you can. Apparently the American cranberry is a native to the Northeastern United States and Canada and are visible from space during the harvest season. This relish is one of our favorite side dishes because it combines the perfect balance of tartness from the cranberries and sweetness from the oranges. You also get all the health benefits because there is no cooking. Cranberries are loaded with vitamin C and antioxidants. At home, we don’t just wait for Thanksgiving or Christmas to make it, we stock up in the fall and freeze several bags so that we can make it whenever we want to! It is a lovely addition to yogurt, smoothies, pancakes, oatmeal…
Nutritional facts about cranberries:
Everyone knows that drinking cranberry juice can help prevent and speed the recovery of urinary tract infections, but newer research also seems to indicate that they can even prevent stomach ulcers from developing. Cranberries are a major source of anti-oxidants so they are naturally anti-cancer. They are also anti-inflammatory. So, they are now on my list of superfoods and they don’t cost hardly anything! So definitely stock up!
For Thanksgiving or Christmas you can serve this relish with tofurkey, seitan dish, mash potatoes, and gravy. You get the idea, but don’t stop there. This relish can be used as a dessert, in yogurt, crepes, pancakes, smoothies…
A quick and fun dessert I like to make is to layer the relish with your favorite blend of nuts. All you have to do is find a nice serving glass (or mug as in the photo), spoon some of the relish, then sprinkle some granola, then a little soy or nut milk (coconut cream), then more relish and finish with some granola. It is pretty, delicious, and very good for you. If you want more fancy, you can add a scoop of coconut or soy ice cream on top but it doesn’t need it.
Ok, so no more excuses for buying cranberry sauce in a can that looks like molded dog food when it comes out! You know better now! You will love it, I promise!
- 1 bag of cranberries (fresh or frozen)
- 1 bag of cranberries (fresh or frozen)
- 2 medium organic oranges whole
- 2 medium organic oranges with skin
- 2-3 Tbsp white or brown sugar
- Pour the semi-frozen cranberries in a food processor.
- Pour the semi-frozen cranberries in a food processor.
- Wash your oranges, remove the top and bottom off and cut into quarters.
- Wash your oranges, remove the top and bottom off and cut into quarters.
- Add the oranges (the whole thing) by spreading them around the processor and sprinkle the sugar evenly.
- Add the oranges (the whole thing) by spreading them around the processor and sprinkle the sugar evenly.
- Pulse several times. You will need to stop, add more cranberries and oranges and mix again until most of the large pieces are nicely processed and the sugar well mixed.
- Pulse several times. You will need to stop, add more cranberries and oranges and mix again until most of the large pieces are nicely processed and the sugar well mixed.
- Leave some pieces for an added crunch.
- Leave some pieces for an added crunch.
- Taste, add sugar if needed, this part is up to you.
- Taste, add sugar if needed, this part is up to you.
- Some people like it tart, others more sweat.
- Some people like it tart, others more sweat.
- Cover and refrigerate.
