Recipe: Spiced Cranberry Orange Sauce

It just wouldn’t be Thanksgiving without cranberry sauce on the table. It adds a welcome dose of color and acidity that balances out all the beige and brown foods on your plate. 

But this tangy, fat free condiment is good all year long. Spread some on toast or pancakes, add to yogurt or even on a turkey sandwich. If your family is used to the canned variety of sauce, give a homemade version a try. 

Cranberries are one of Mother Nature’s super fruits, and are primarily fiber and carbohydrates while boasting several vitamins and minerals including manganese and copper, and vitamins C and E. Cranberries are also a rich source of various bioactive plant compounds and antioxidants, particularly flavonols and polyphenols.

Enjoy them year-round for flavor and health!

Ingredients

• 1 - 12 oz bag of cranberries
• 3 to 4 oranges for zest and juice, or purchase 1 Tbsp. orange zest and ¾ cup orange juice
• ⅔ cup sugar
• 1 cinnamon stick
• ½ tsp. powdered ginger
  
  

Preparation

1. Wash and drain cranberries. Set aside. 
2. Finely grate the orange peel for zest (1 Tbsp.), and juice the rest of the oranges (¾ cup). Set aside.
3. Pour orange juice into a saucepan along with the sugar. Bring to a boil over medium heat, stirring to dissolve sugar. 
4. Add the cranberries, ginger and cinnamon stick. Cook, stirring until cranberries burst, about three to five minutes. Simmer, stirring occasionally, until liquid is reduced and sauce begins to thicken, about eight minutes. 
5. Turn off heat, stir in zest and let cool.
   
   

Next Steps & Resources:

• Recipe shared by the oncology dieticians at John Theurer Cancer Center
• Check out our dedicated survivorship class, Moving Forward: Eat Well, Live Well.
• For more research-based information on healthy eating, including recipes, food facts, and interesting articles, go to Healthy Eating - American Institute for Cancer Research and Eat Healthy and Get Active.