Apple Cranberry Sauce

Apple Cranberry Sauce

Directions

  1. Wash the cranberries and discard any soft or wrinkled ones.
  2. Combine the apple juice, honey, and cinnamon in a 2-quart saucepan over medium-high heat. Bring to a boil and then reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer for 5 minutes.
  3. Add the fresh cranberries and cook for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add diced apple and dried cranberries. Cook an additional 10 minutes, until the cranberries burst, the apples soften, and the mixture thickens. (Do not cook for more than 15 minutes total as the pectin will start to break down and the sauce will not set as well.)
  4. Remove from the heat and allow to cool.
  5. Pour into a serving bowl. Refrigerate until thickened, about 60 minutes.
  6. Remove the cinnamon sticks and serve.

 

Health Benefits

It’s no breaking news that cranberries are great for urinary tract health, but they have also been proven to aid the body in others ways as well. Cranberries contain proanthocyanidins (PACs), which have anti-adhesive properties, physically preventing bacteria from sticking and multiplying. These PACs are structurally different from those found in other fruits and vegetables, making this an extremely unique property of the berry. Cranberries can even prevent gross bugs like Streptococcus from sticking in the mouth! Odds are, if there is something that shouldn’t be in the body, cranberries have a way of either sloughing it off, preventing its camping out, or making its environment inhospitable… so eat up!