Some would argue (myself included) that a holiday feast is incomplete without the cranberry sauce.

Layered on turkey, added to stuffing or mixed with fresh steamed veggies – it seems that cranberry sauce elevates the taste of everything it touches.

I also love the ruby-red colour which adds beautiful visual appeal to the plate.  Presentation is key don’t forget!

Unfortunately, most traditional pre-made cranberry sauces from the grocery store are laden with refined sugar.

My plan? To make some delicious homemade cranberry sauce without the refined sugar.  I will sweeten with honey and a tad of fruit juice sweetened preserve.   The result is a cranberry sauce that you can feel good about eating.  You get to reap the health benefits and also add some beautiful shades of ruby-red to your holiday meal.  Cranberries are generally praised for their high nutritional value and there is no need to drown that all away with 2 (plus) cups of sugar!

This sauce was served at my family’s last holiday and I received excellent feedback.  In fact, I think my brother-in-law fell in love!

I hope you enjoy.

Raw Honey & Cinnamon Cranberry Sauce

The Ingredients:

• 1 bag fresh cranberries
• 1 cup honey
• 1 tsp cinnamon
• 1/2 tsp ground ginger
• 2 tbsp strawberry spread (fruit juice sweetened)
• 3/4 to 1 cup water

The steps:

• Bring honey, spices, fruit spread & water to a boil
• Let mixture reduce by approximately half
• Add cranberries and continue to cook over medium low
• Cook until desired thickness, approximately ten minutes*
• Remove pot from heat and let set
• Serve warm, room temperature or cold (each way is good!)

*I placed a lid on the pot and stirred every few minutes until the cranberry mixture reached my desired thickness 

This recipe comes together remarkably fast.  Making a day or two in advance can also save you some extra time on the big day.  Either way, your guests will love the end result and you can feel great about the ingredients.

Until next time,

Simply Hollie