Recipe: Cinnamon Cranberry Sauce

Impress family and friends with this homemade cranberry sauce. And kids will love it! Packed with vitamins C and E, it’s worth freezing a few extra bags of cranberries to make this treat all winter long.

Ingredients

• 12-ounce bag of fresh cranberries
• 1/2 cup orange juice
• 1/2 cup water
• 3/4 cup brown sugar
• 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
• Optional: 1/4 cup chopped walnuts or pecans

Directions

1. Combine orange juice, water and brown sugar in a medium pot on your stove. Bring to a boil over medium heat.
2. Add the bag of cranberries. Reduce heat to simmer and cook until the cranberries begin to pop and split open — about 10 to 15 minutes.
3. Remove from heat. Cool to room temperature. Stir in option nuts and then refrigerate until ready to serve.

Ingredient health benefits

• Cranberries: These little bog berries pack a powerful punch in flavor and nutrition. Among their many perks, cranberries are rich in antioxidants, which help reduce inflammation, as well as have certain compounds that promote a healthy gut.
• Cinnamon: You may be surprised to see a spice on this list, but cinnamon has some of its own benefits to bring to the table. It may help lower your cholesterol and blood sugar levels. And, like cranberries, its high antioxidant content also fights — you guessed it — inflammation!
• Orange juice: A popular breakfast beverage (and a delicious cranberry sauce recipe ingredient), orange juice is rich in vitamin B9, which is also called folate. Folate is a vital nutrient for supporting many aspects of your health, such as your brain and heart function.

Nutrition information (per serving)

Makes 8 servings

Calories: 130
Total fat: 2.5 mg
Saturated fat: 0 g
Cholesterol: 0 mg
Sodium: 5 mg
Carbohydrates: 28 g
Dietary fiber: 2 g
Sugar: 26 g
Protein: 1 g
Vitamin C: 15%