Crazy for Cranberries

Until this week, I was not really crazy for cranberries, but through some fun new recipes I have a new appreciation for this awesome fall fruit.  In fact, I'm NUTS about cranberries now.    Thanks to Kara for the cranberries!

Cranberries are uber-healthy for us.  They are work as an anti-inflammatory (especially the urinary tract), they help prevent cancer, and they have the highest anti-oxidants of almost all other fruits.  Reason enough to figure out how to enjoy this seasonal fruit.

I made a huge batch of cranberry tea today, and it's almost gone.  Yes, it's that good (who woulda' thought?).

Cranberry Tea in my Grandma's Tea Cup

After we were sick of drinking it hot, I put it in the fridge and we had great, healthy cranberry juice!  Most cranberry juices you buy in the store are full of sugar.  I used a combination of honey, agave nectar and steevia as the sweetening agent.

Here it is steeping.

I boiled 2 quarts of water with 1 1/2 cups of cranberries.  Once it boiled I added 1/2 cup of honey, 1 Tsp of steevia, juice of one orange and one lemon, and 3 cinnamon sticks.  Let steep for one hour.  Delish!!

I decided to give this cranberry salad a try too, and everyone LOVED it!  Here's the recipe:   Creamy Cranberry Salad   

Awesome Cranberry Salad pictured in my Grandma's Glass Bowl

For breakfast today, I made some cranberry scones.  Of course the scones were delicious.  The caloric content is on the high side, but I guarantee you that they are delicious!

Cranberry Scone pictured in my Grandma's dishes

I'd better go check to see how my little vampires are doing!

Happy Halloween from the Vampires!

Happy Cooking!

Kristin