The American Berry

As I started on my famous Cranberry-Orange Relish I decided to look them up and see what all the hype was about.  Okay, actually my wonderful husband Trey looked cranberries up for me on Wikipedia.    This tiny sour red fruit is loaded with vitamin C, phosphorous and polyphenol antioxidants which benefit the immune system, the cardiovascular system and are cancer fighters to boot.  They even help fight gingivitis and urinary tract infections.  Good stuff to know, good stuff to put into your body.

I  can make my cranberry orange relish on a regular basis because I buy cranberries when they are in the store during the Thanksgiving/Christmas season.   I freeze them right in the bag and then cook them frozen.  I make my relish with no artificial sweeteners or processed sugars; instead I sweeten it with fruit and honey.

Juliana's Cranberry-Orange Relish

1 bag cranberries

1/2 cup to 1 cup wild raw honey

2 oranges peeled, seeded and diced

10 dates, pitted

1 cup strawberries, fresh or frozen

2 cups Water

1 teaspoon cinnamon

 Put cranberries in large pot with water and bring to a boil.  Put dates into food processor and puree.  Add to cranberries.  Do the same for oranges and strawberries.  Add honey.  1/2 cup to start, more if you need it, depending on the sweetness of the oranges and strawberries. Stir occasionally. Add Cinnamon and turn heat to low and bubble until the cranberries have all popped open.  When relish is of desired consistency, chill.  This will keep for several weeks in your refrigerator.

This will be divine with the roasted lamb.  I also love to put a big spoonful of this in my smoothies to sweeten them and add that extra cranberry benefit.  Until next time, eat Whole Tasty Food!