What's in Cranbery Sauce?

What's in Cranberry Sauce?

Sugar, sugar, and more sugar.

If you buy the traditional Ocean Spray Jellied Cranberry Sauce you will be eating high fructose corn syrup AND corn syrup. That ends up being 76% sugar as two out of the four ingredients are sugar.

Here's some interesting information about sugar...

(I won't go into detail about the dense information I recently absorbed about the difference between sucrose, fructose, high fructose corn syrup, etc.)

*Sugar can suppress the immune system. 

*Sugar contributes to a weakened defense against bacterial infection.

*Sugar interferes with absorption of calcium.

 

With winter on its way...sugar is the last thing your immune system needs! BUT I love my cranberry sauce! So what's a girl to do? Here are a couple options...

 

Homemade Cranberry sauce can be super simple to make and although it still contains sugar, you can control the amount as well as omit all the artificial ingredients most canned products contain.

Here is my Mum & Dad's super simple Cranberry Sauce Recipe

1 bag of fresh cranberries

1 cup water

1 cup sugar (although I suggest using less or experimenting with maple sugar)

lemon peel (optional)

pinch of nutmeg or cinnamon (optional)

Melt the sugar in the water and then add cranberries, lemon peel and spices. Bring to a boil and immediately lower the heat to simmer. Cranberries will pop as they cook. Once they all pop - pour into a container to cool and then refrigerate it. 

My Mum also loves to make a Cranberry Compote, but I'll save that for another post.

 

You can also try Wildtree's Apple Cranberry Jam or Cranberry Jalapeno Jelly instead!

It still has sugar - but it's evaporated cane juice instead of hfcs. I use the Jam for cooking chicken, pork, mixing in with rice or just as a plan old accompaniment to a traditional turkey dinner.  Order your Cranberry Jams & Jellies while you can at www.jenwarr.mywildtree.com. They are available until December 31st and then not again until next fall.

Apple Cranberry Wild Rice

Apple Cranberry Wild Rice
The perfect side dish for a fall dinner.

 

Ingredients
1/4 cup butter
1/2 cup leeks, white portion chopped
1/2 cup pecans, coarsely chopped
1 clove garlic, minced
1/2 cup wild rice, rinsed and drained
3 cups chicken broth
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 cup basmati rice
1/2 cup Wildtree Apple Cranberry Jam

1/4 cup dried cranberries

Directions
 Melt the butter in a medium saucepan over medium heat.
Add the leeks and pecans, sauté until the leeks are soft.
Add the garlic and sauté 1-2 minutes, making sure it does not brown.
Add the wild rice, chicken broth and salt. Cover and cook 60 minutes.
When there are twenty minutes left in the cook time add the basmati rice. When the rice is done cooking and tender (but not mushy), let stand 5 minutes longer covered. Drain any excess liquid. Add Wildtree's Apple Cranberry Jam and dried cranberries to garnish and serve.

 

To order Wildtree's Apple Cranberry Jam or any other Wildtree groceries, please go to www.jenwarr.mywildtree.com.

Horseradish Mashed Potatoes

Horseradish Mashed Potatoes
I must credit Stonewall Kitchen for this recipe - they always have amazing yumminess!! But I managed to make it even better by using Wildtree ingredients.

Ingredients
4 large Yukon Gold potatoes, peeled and cut into chunks
½ cup heavy cream, slightly warmed
6 Tablespoons butter
6 oz. goat cheese
¼ cup Wildtree's Horseradish Mustard
2 teaspoons prepared horseradish (optional)
¼ cup finely chopped scallions (green onions)
Stonewall Kitchen Maine Sea Salt and pepper, to taste

Directions
In a medium saucepan place potato chunks and approximately 1 TBSP of salt. Fill with water, covering potatoes and bring to a boil over high heat.  Reduce the heat to medium, cover and cook the potatoes until fork tender (approximately 20 minutes).

Drain potatoes and place potatoes back into the pan, off the heat. Mash the potatoes and add butter by tablespoon, stirring until melted.  Add goat cheese and cream. Continue blending until creamy and smooth.  Add remaining ingredients (horseradish, Wildtree's Horseradish Mustard, scallions and salt and pepper). Stir until blended.

Serve warm. Can be made one day ahead and gently heated over a double boiler on the stove. Garnish with additional scallions, if desired.

 

To order your Horseradish Mustard, or any other Wildtree groceries, please go to www.jenwarr.mywildtree.com.