Cranberries Do Way More Than Sauce!
We may only think of eating cranberries around Thanksgiving in the form of sauce, but for some very good reasons, this fruit deserves a lot more time and attention.
First of all, they’re loaded with nutrition. Research shows they’re a powerhouse of antioxidants, packed with vitamins C, E, K and the mineral manganese.
Probably the most known benefit of cranberries is how they can prevent urinary tract infections (UTIs) when juiced. Because this berry is so tart, the juice needs lots of sugar (often high fructose corn syrup). A good alternative to store-bought cranberry juice is blending whole cranberries with strawberries, kiwi, or oranges (also helpful in preventing UTIs) and a little raw honey.
But besides preventing UTIs, research shows this berry helps prevent cavities, gum disease, and oral cancer. This is due to the berry’s high amount of a-type proanthocyanidins, which are responsible for preventing bacteria formation in the mouth.
And this berry is also a powerful anti-inflammatory food, thanks to their high amounts of antioxidants, especially anthocyanins and flavanols. Lower internal inflammation and you automatically reduce the risk of certain chronic diseases.
Cranberries facilitate the growth of good bacteria in the digestive system, as well. Once again, it’s all thanks to those a-type proanthocyanidins (which are only found in cranberries, by the way). They very efficiently clean out the bad microbes that live in the colon. Current research is also showing that cranberries may well prevent colon and gastrointestinal cancers.
But there’s more. From lowering blood pressure to improving your cholesterol levels, cranberries can help improve your overall heart health. They help improve lipid profile by raising their HDL (good) cholesterol and they lower the LDL (bad) cholesterol, once more, thanks to those fantastic a-type proanthocyanidins!
Be advised, however, that these health benefits come from raw cranberries, not the sugary dried version, and not the sugary juice version. And now is the time to stock up on the raw version—‘tis their season (September through October is their harvest time). They freeze well, so you could have them year ‘round if you have freezer space.
Besides health reasons, it’s a good idea to have them on hand. They have many more uses than sauce:
I’ll close here with Martha Stewart’s recipe for this above-mentioned bread pudding (www.marthastewart.com). Talk about a delicious and unique dessert for your Thanksgiving table! Take a look… (P.S. I’d serve this with a healthy dollop of sweetened whipped cream—that’s the Swede in me.)
7 slices week-old bread crusts trimmed
unsalted butter for pan
8 large eggs
3/4 cup sugar
2 cups cream fraiche
2 cups whole milk
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
coarse salt
1 1/2 cups fresh or thawed frozen cranberries
2/3 cup pure maple syrup
Directions:
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First of all, they’re loaded with nutrition. Research shows they’re a powerhouse of antioxidants, packed with vitamins C, E, K and the mineral manganese.
Probably the most known benefit of cranberries is how they can prevent urinary tract infections (UTIs) when juiced. Because this berry is so tart, the juice needs lots of sugar (often high fructose corn syrup). A good alternative to store-bought cranberry juice is blending whole cranberries with strawberries, kiwi, or oranges (also helpful in preventing UTIs) and a little raw honey.
But besides preventing UTIs, research shows this berry helps prevent cavities, gum disease, and oral cancer. This is due to the berry’s high amount of a-type proanthocyanidins, which are responsible for preventing bacteria formation in the mouth.
And this berry is also a powerful anti-inflammatory food, thanks to their high amounts of antioxidants, especially anthocyanins and flavanols. Lower internal inflammation and you automatically reduce the risk of certain chronic diseases.
Cranberries facilitate the growth of good bacteria in the digestive system, as well. Once again, it’s all thanks to those a-type proanthocyanidins (which are only found in cranberries, by the way). They very efficiently clean out the bad microbes that live in the colon. Current research is also showing that cranberries may well prevent colon and gastrointestinal cancers.
But there’s more. From lowering blood pressure to improving your cholesterol levels, cranberries can help improve your overall heart health. They help improve lipid profile by raising their HDL (good) cholesterol and they lower the LDL (bad) cholesterol, once more, thanks to those fantastic a-type proanthocyanidins!
Be advised, however, that these health benefits come from raw cranberries, not the sugary dried version, and not the sugary juice version. And now is the time to stock up on the raw version—‘tis their season (September through October is their harvest time). They freeze well, so you could have them year ‘round if you have freezer space.
Besides health reasons, it’s a good idea to have them on hand. They have many more uses than sauce:
- in quick bread. The recipe you’ll find on the back of the package is scrumptious.
- poached, with pears. This flavor combination is terrific.
- in fresh salads. They especially complement mustard vinaigrette.
- in salsa, paired with avocados.
- in cobblers, mixed with another fruit or on its own.
- with pure maple syrup to make bread pudding.
I’ll close here with Martha Stewart’s recipe for this above-mentioned bread pudding (www.marthastewart.com). Talk about a delicious and unique dessert for your Thanksgiving table! Take a look… (P.S. I’d serve this with a healthy dollop of sweetened whipped cream—that’s the Swede in me.)
Cranberry-Maple Bread Pudding
Ingredients:
7 slices week-old bread crusts trimmed
unsalted butter for pan
8 large eggs
3/4 cup sugar
2 cups cream fraiche
2 cups whole milk
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
coarse salt
1 1/2 cups fresh or thawed frozen cranberries
2/3 cup pure maple syrup
Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Toast bread on a baking sheet until golden, 5 to 7 minutes.
2. Butter a 5-by-9-inch loaf pan. Whisk together eggs and sugar in a medium bowl. Whisk creme fraiche in another bowl, adding milk gradually to prevent lumps; whisk into egg mixture. Whisk in vanilla and 1/2 teaspoon salt. Soak each slice of bread in custard. Stand slices up next to one another in pan.
3. Strain half the custard mixture over bread in pan. Let stand for 10 minutes, allowing custard to soak into bread. Slowly add remaining custard to cover (you may have some custard left over).
4. Place pan on a baking sheet. Bake until pudding is set and a knife inserted into the center comes out clean, about 1 hour and 15 minutes. If top browns too quickly before pudding is set, cover with foil, and continue baking. Let stand for 10 minutes.
5. Meanwhile, bring cranberries and maple syrup to a gentle simmer in a heavy saucepan over medium heat. Simmer until cranberries just begin to soften but have not popped, about 5 minutes. Serve pudding with cranberry topping.
(NOTE: You can also add some chopped fresh cranberries—maybe ½ cup—into the custard mixture for an extra flavor pop and increased vitamin content.)
2. Butter a 5-by-9-inch loaf pan. Whisk together eggs and sugar in a medium bowl. Whisk creme fraiche in another bowl, adding milk gradually to prevent lumps; whisk into egg mixture. Whisk in vanilla and 1/2 teaspoon salt. Soak each slice of bread in custard. Stand slices up next to one another in pan.
3. Strain half the custard mixture over bread in pan. Let stand for 10 minutes, allowing custard to soak into bread. Slowly add remaining custard to cover (you may have some custard left over).
4. Place pan on a baking sheet. Bake until pudding is set and a knife inserted into the center comes out clean, about 1 hour and 15 minutes. If top browns too quickly before pudding is set, cover with foil, and continue baking. Let stand for 10 minutes.
5. Meanwhile, bring cranberries and maple syrup to a gentle simmer in a heavy saucepan over medium heat. Simmer until cranberries just begin to soften but have not popped, about 5 minutes. Serve pudding with cranberry topping.
(NOTE: You can also add some chopped fresh cranberries—maybe ½ cup—into the custard mixture for an extra flavor pop and increased vitamin content.)
Recipe formatted with the Cook'n Recipe Software from DVO Enterprises.
Alice Osborne
Weekly Newsletter Contributor since 2006
Email the author! alice@dvo.com
