Cranberry Sauce with Oranges.

My mom loves cranberries!  This past Christmas I decided to make some real cranberry sauce to accompany some turkey we were having.   The recipe was an experiment but a complete success.   I knew I wanted to blog about it, but had to wait until the summer to make it again, tweek the ratios/flavors, and give it a photo shoot.  I am happy to say that the recipe was again successful!  So here it is... cranberry sauce in September.  The meal photos are from one July evening this summer, when I decided to make a miniature "Thanksgiving" meal in July.  It was delicious!  With some cornbread taken from the freezer, some roasted turkey breasts and frozen cranberries we froze during cranberry season, a miniature Thanksgiving in July was served. 

I plan to make this cranberry sauce again, and again for all the remaining Thanksgivings and Christmases to come.  It's a fantastic alternative to the canned refined-sugar gelatinous mass that usually is called cranberry sauce.  This recipe is gluten-free, primal, paleo, yada-yada, and very easy!  The honey balances out the tartness of the cranberries, and gives a hint of sweetness.  Cloves and chinese five spice make it just a little bit spicy ;)

Cranberry Sauce with Oranges. 
    makes 10-12 servings

    8 oz  bag fresh organic cranberries
    3  oranges, peeled, ends cut off and sectioned
    1 T  organic coconut oil
    1/4-1/2 cup  raw honey
    zest of 1-2 oranges
    1/4 tsp  chinese five spice
    1/2 tsp  (or more) ground cloves
    pinch  unrefined sea salt
    water as needed

To make your cranberry sauce:
  1.   In a 10" inch skillet or sautee pan, simmer cranberries with coconut oil.
  2.  While cranberries are simmering, zest oranges.  Juice oranges into the skillet.  Simmer until cranberries soften and break apart ~10 minutes on medium and high heat.  Stir every few minutes.  Add some water if needed.  Do not let it burn.  Add zest to skillet.
  3.  Add honey, spices, and salt.  Stir well.  Simmer for another 10 minutes.  If sauce is too thick, add some water to thin it out.
  4.  Serve with turkey and some delicious cornbread.  May be served cold or hot.  Keep leftovers in the fridge.  It can also be frozen.


When cranberries come back into season this winter, give this recipe a try!  Your family will love it's sweet and spicy flavors as an alternative to the "classic" canned cranberry sauce.