Fresh & Zesty Cranberry Orange Relish
Unlike traditional cranberry sauce, this zippy relish blends fresh raw cranberries and orange instead of cooking it into a compote. This preserves the berries' powerful nutrition impact - especially of vitamin C - saves you time, and yields a versatile, flavorful accompaniment that can elevate a variety of dishes.
Enjoy!
Ingredients
- Zest and fruit of 1 organic navel orange (zest, peel, quarter and seed the fruit)
- 2 cups fresh organic cranberries (or 1 8-ounce bag, fresh or frozen, thawed)
- 1/4-1/3 cup raw honey or rice syrup, or to taste
- Short squirt of vanilla, cinnamon or ginger stevia syrup, such as NuNaturals, optional for more calorie-free sweetness
Directions
- Place the orange quarters and zest in the bottom of a high-powered blender or food processor, add the cranberries and top with the sweetener.
- Blend or pulse, stopping to scrape down the sides as necessary, until a chunky relish is formed.
- Taste and adjust for sweetness, if desired.
- You can serve immediately or refrigerate for up to 4 days for the flavors to meld. Best served at room temperature.
Notes
Put this relish in heavy rotation on your menu of choice for meals through-out the fall and winter when cranberries are in season - it's not just for holiday time. Feel free to double the recipe for a larger batch. The relish goes well with a surprisingly wide variety of dishes, and cranberries are really, really good for you!
Also, feel free to play around with the ingredients. I sometimes throw in a tablespoon or two of fresh, minced ginger root or finely minced raw jalapeno pepper for a little kick.