Project Foodie - Cranberries: Food for the heart

Cranberries: Food for the heart

This tangy red fruit that makes it to the holiday table is the perfect food for this time of year. Cranberries are loaded with vitamin C and help to ward off colds and flu. They help boost the immune system and can help keep the body strong during the cold months. They are of course a very bitter fruit, so find a way that you like to prepare them and eat them as part of your winter health program. Cranberries make a great chutney or relish that tastes good on more than just turkey! We mix cranberry chutney into rice and put it on sandwiches.

Cranberries contain high amounts of antioxidants that help protect against heart disease and cancer. Cranberries are one of the fruits with the highest known anti-oxidant content. Anti-oxidant foods have been shown to protect the body against cardiovascular disease. More Americans die of heart disease than anything else. Think of your cranberries as food for the heart.

Anybody that suffers from Urinary tract infections or cystitis knows that cranberries are their ally. Cranberries also reduce other infections by blocking different bacteria from sticking in other areas of the body as well. Bacteria in the urinary tract, stomach and mouth have been shown to be inhibited by the presence of cranberries. They are also a general tonic to the kidneys and urinary tract. Cranberry tea is also a good remedy for mild nausea.

If for some odd reason you don’t eat your cranberries fresh or would like to save them for tea to drink through the winter, they store well frozen. Just put them in a zip lock freezer bag or a mason jar in the freezer. They last for about 8 months this way.

Cranberry Tea

1 cup water
1 cup crushed cranberries

Bring water and cranberries to a boil; turn off the heat and let sit for one half hour. Add honey to sweeten and enjoy this health enhancing beverage. Add 1 cup of lemonade to make this into a holiday beverage or just enjoy the tea and its antibacterial properties as a general tonic promoting winter wellness.

Cranberry Jalapeno dip

4 cups fresh finely chopped cranberries
¾ cup finely chopped cilantro
½ cup agave nectar or other sugar source of choice
¼ cup minced green onions
3 tablespoons lime juice
2-3 tablespoons finely minced jalapeno peppers
2 tablespoons grated fresh ginger root
1/8 teaspoon sea salt

Mix everything together, let it sit for several hours before serving. Pour over a block of cream cheese and serve with crackers

This is an unusual favorite that you will find at our table every year during the holidays

About the Gardener

Farm Fresh To You presents the Herb Garden by Kami McBride. Farm Fresh To You provides delivery of organic, seasonal fruits, vegetables and greens right to your door. Every week the Farm Fresh to You family farm, Capay Organic, puts together a box of seasonal fruits, vegetables, and greens and delivers the box directly to your home.