Clean Eating Cranberry Sauce
Begin the avalanche of clean Thanksgiving recipes.
And memories of that one time I thought I’d eat a bowl of fresh cranberries like a fruit salad. Don’t ever do that.
Aren’t they pretty?
While I definitely think there’s a time and place for splurging and saving, Thanksgiving is high on the live-it-up factor. I look forward to cornucopia of pie offerings, fluffy mashed potato, and savory turkey. I thought I’d share some of my favorite homemade, clean Thanksgiving recipes over the next week. This isn’t an attempt to cover up the full goodness glory of the holiday, but rather to provide whole homemade options instead of the usual store-bought stuff. While I’ll be the first to tell you I like when my cranberry sauce has ridges from the can, there’s something truly amazing about homemade sauce.
No funky ingredients, and a bright flavor from orange zest. It’s super easy to make, and while it’s delicious on protein for a sweet/savory kick, it’s especially wonderful on pumpkin pancakes.
Here’s how to make it.
Clean Eating Cranberry Sauce
Ingredients
- 2 bags fresh cranberries (8oz each)
- 1 orange
- 1/2 cup water
- 1tsp vanilla extract
- pinch of salt
- Sweetener of choice (Stevia, honey, maple syrup, canned crushed pineapple, sucanat)
Instructions
- Rinse cranberries.
- Zest orange and set zest aside.
- Place cranberries in a large pot on medium low heat.
- Juice orange over cranberries.
- Add 1/4-1/2 cup of water, vanilla extract, salt and orange zest.
- Cook for 10-20 minutes, stirring occasionally until the berries pop and soften.
- Wait until you have the texture you like–I like some whole cranberries still–then add your sweetener of choice.
- Just like any sauce, it tastes better the next day! Store covered in the fridge.
To serve this with pancakes, either try this traditional recipe (the Pilot’s favorite) or my favorite protein pancakes with 1 large tablespoon pumpkin puree and 1/2 t pumpkin spice mixed in.
Hope you enjoy!
What’s your favorite Thanksgiving or comfort food? Any clean versions of classic favorites that you love? Please link away in the comments section!
For me, it’s all about the stuffing. I loooove this cranberry quinoa version.
Hope you have a wonderful day <3
xoxo
Gina
33 Comments
Leave a Comment
This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.
Homemade cranberry sauce is totally my jam (pun intended). I wish cranberries were easier to get the rest of the year!
I’ve been spoilt, as my British mom would never let us buy cranberry sauce already made – only ever from scratch! Traditionally she used white sugar but lately I’ve got her into making it with agave or maple syrup for a naturally sweetened version and it doesn’t change the taste at all. Delicious! But yeah, I wouldn’t go for a bowl of cranberries as fruit salad! Haha, makes my jaw hurt just thinking about it with the sourness!
I love my mom’s traditional cranberry sauce. I think it is very similar to your recipe. She also adds orange zest. I love the idea of pairing it with pancakes. I never thought of that before!
I never thought to add it to pumpkin pancakes. I think I just found my new favorite fall breakfast!
it’s SO good 🙂
we need to make this to add to our Thanksgiving menu looks and sounds wonderful!!
Thanks for this recipe! Im planning to make some healthier dishes for thanksgiving to bring to our dinner, not because I plan on a super healthy thanksgiving but just so that there are healthy options to balance out the fact that I will probably eat 3 slices of pie.
In the last few years, my mom started making a cranberry fruit salad (cranberries already cooked down!). She adds to it fresh apples, canned pears, and canned mandarins. I eat bowls of it during Thanksgiving dinner and then eat leftovers for breakfast!!
cranberry sauce on pancakes or waffles sounds heavenly!
I’ve been making cranberry sauce homemade for the last couple thanksgivings (so much better than canned!) so I might have to try this version, it looks delicious!
LOL re: eating the cranberries like a fruit salad!
This is perfect! I will use this during our small husband and myself’s thanksgiving dinner next week!
Delish!! I can’t wait for Thanksgiving!!
I love the canned cranberry sauce, but I’ve heard homemade is good also, maybe I’ll try it this year! I love the idea with putting pineapple with it!
I’ve definitely tried to eat raw cranberries, too…lesson learned 🙂 Thanks for the simple, delicious-looking recipe!
mmmmm. I’m going to try it! One recipe that I made a few times last year during the holiday season was this cranberry cream cheese dip. Below is a link to the recipe. It was a hit with everyone! And I can’t wait to make it again this year.
http://jamiecooksitup.net/2010/11/cranberry-cream-cheese-dip-hold-the-wood-chips/
Yumm! I’ll definitely need to try this recipe for Thanksgiving.
Oh man, I am all over this recipe! I have been looking for an easy, delicious cranberry recipe. Found! Thanks 🙂
Cranberry sauce is without a doubt my favorite part of Thanksgiving! I love a citrus twist in it and this Thanksgiving I’m making a relish with crystallized ginger as well to kind of balance out the sweetness and give it another dimension. Sadly I don’t have a link yet, but soon!
send it to me when you do! that sounds incredible
I loooove homemade cranberry sauce but I’m the only person in my family who does. How long do you find that this lasts in the fridge – or have you tried freezing it?
You know, I’ve only ever had canned cranberry sauce — time to change that! 🙂
I LOVE homemade cranberry sauce. I especially love it for breakfast on Black Friday. I top my almond butter toast with cranberry sauce and I’m powered up to shop for hours!!
Oh my goodness! I’ve never thought of putting cranberry sauce on pancakes! That sounds delicious!
I can’t wait to try this recipe for Thanksgiving. We were looking to jazz up our otherwise boring recipe. Thank you! Yum!
that looks delicious! definitely gonna try out the recipe
I’m pretty excited for this clean eating thanksgiving series, thanks! I make cranberries very similarly to your recipe, but haven’t added vanilla in the past, I will def try that this year!
I’m a sucker for mashed potatoes, it’s one of the few times in the year that I really enjoy them. I’ve substituted almond milk and earth balance for the milk and butter before, still delicious!
This looks delish! My husband and my girls like the canned stuff, so I never really make it fresh. This year, I am thinking of making it after the holiday to keep in a jelly jar in the fridge. I can indulge in the sweet-tart relish anytime I want =)
This looks delicious! My favorite Thanksgiving recipe is sweet potato casserole (with marshmallows on top).
Looks very delicious, thank you for this great recipe.
E.
My two part, super clean and delicious PIE CRUST!!
http://www.fitphoriadiva.com/blog/healthy-holiday-help-series-2
i can’t wait to check this out!