Cranberry Sauce Recipe

Whenever recipes call for added sugar, sometimes it just seems to call for too much sugar.  Of course, there are some recipes that truly need the amount that is originally called for.  However, I like to cut back on 1/3 less of the added sugar ingredient in a recipe whenever possible. I was wondering how this would turn out in a simple cranberry sauce. That's exactly what I did and added an apple instead. The calories in a sweet apple, like mcintosh or gala, will give back at least a few nutrients compared to the empty calories added sugar gives.

This is one item in your Thanksgiving meal you don't need to buy already made. On the other hand, if this was your one and only assignment for the Thanksgiving meal you're going to, even more so you shouldn't buy it.  This is the easiest recipe to make, which only takes a few short moments.

Ingredients:
1 cup water
1 bag of frozen cranberries
2/3 cup of sugar
1 peeled and cored gala or mcintosh apple chopped into  
   small pieces

Directions:

On medium heat, pour water into a medium-sized sauce pan. Pour in cranberries and sugar. Stir until boiling. Add apples.  Bring down heat to slow and continue to stir for a couple minutes more. Use potato masher to mash down cranberries and apples until satisfied with consistency. Turn off heat.


Cranberries are rich in dietary flavonoids and phenolic acids which provides the body with different health benefits.


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What other ways do you incorporate cranberries into the holiday season?

Thanksgiving Meal Tip

If you will be in charge of preparing the Thanksgiving meal this year, that time of the year can be very stressful.  As much as it would be wonderful to prepare everything from scratch for your Thanksgiving dinner, the reality is that you will be better off purchasing some items already made.

As often as possible, I like to serve bread that are whole grain at most meals I prepare for family or friends. When purchasing pre-made bread, it is a must for me to see that the ingredient contains 100% whole wheat flour as its first ingredient. This type of bread is most desirable for eating right. Other breads that say it is a wheat bread may not truly be a whole grain bread. The bakers might have used wheat flour that was partially processed and stripped of its fiber, vitamins, and minerals content. Purchase bread that lists 100% whole wheat flour as its first ingredient to make sure that you will receive fiber, vitamins, and minerals that come along with this particular grain. In fact, the new "MyPlate" logo encourages individuals to make about 1/4 of your plate grains. I would like to add, it should really say whole grains.

What I am suggesting for your Thanksgiving meal is to buy some pre-made dinner rolls that are delicious and healthy for all who will be coming to your celebration.  It's not easy to find whole wheat rolls in stores.  Some grocery stores have them and some don't.  Surprisingly enough, Target sells wheat dinner rolls by Market Pantry.  The first ingredient is whole wheat flour, the taste is delicious, and the sodium content is reasonable.  It does have another flour in it, wheat flour, but at least its first ingredient is whole wheat flour.  Usually, other breads tend to be higher in sodium.

Don't let preparing your Thanksgiving meal be stressful. Let some items go that are not home-made and enjoy the blessings that God has given to your family and friends. 

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Does your family have any special Thanksgiving traditions that you do when all of you get together?