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We tend to think of cranberries as a “holiday” food that’s served up as a sugary sauce at Thanksgiving.  But we could all benefit from getting more in our diets year-round, especially since cranberries are loaded with antioxidants, and one of the lowest calorie fruits around.

Cranberry health benefits:

  • Cranberries are rich in antioxidants, packing in more than spinach, blueberries, or green tea.
  • They’re one of the lowest-calorie and lowest-sugar fruits, with 46 calories, 12 grams of carb, and 2 grams of sugar per cup of fresh cranberries
  • Anti-inflammatory
  • Protective against cancer
  • Reduce risk of cardiovascular disease
  • Effective in preventing urinary tract infections and possibly stomach ulcers

 

3 nutritious, delicious ways to enjoy fresh cranberries:

 

Cranberry Smoothie: Toss a handful of cranberries (fresh, or frozen whole, with no sugar added) into your favorite smoothie for a low-calorie boost of antioxidants. Molly’s favorite blend: Unsweetened almond milk, plain 2% Greek yogurt, ½ cup strawberries or raspberries, and ½ cup cranberries.

Side note: Cranberry Greek yogurt smoothies can also be frozen for DIY protein-rich popsicles!

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Hatch Chile Cranberry Salsa

Makes approximately 12 quarter-cup servings

 

Ingredients:

  • 2 cups fresh cranberries
  • 2 hatch chili pepper, seeded and minced
  • 1 cup fresh cilantro, chopped
  • ½ onion, minced
  • 1 bunch green onions, chopped
  • 2 tablespoons Swerve
  • 3/4 cup fresh lime juice
  • 1/2 cup roasted, salted pepitas (pumpkin seeds)

 

Instructions:

Place cranberries in processor and blend until finely chopped. Transfer to a large mixing bowl and add hatch chilies, cilantro, onions, and green onions. In a small bowl, stir together the sweetener and lime until sugar dissolves completely. Stir lime juice and pepitas into cranberry mixture, and serve. Refrigerate any leftovers in a covered, airtight container.

 

Per serving: 24 calories, 0.5 grams fat, 0 saturated fat, 15 mg sodium, 4 grams carbohydrate, 1 gram fiber, 1 gram sugar, 0.5 grams protein.

 

 

 

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Cranberry Orange Scones by Ben McLaughlin, Swerve Marketing Coordinator

Makes 12 servings

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Ingredients:

  • 1 cup chopped cranberries (fresh or frozen)
  • ½ cup Swerve, granular (divided)
  • 1 large egg
  • 5 ounces skim milk
  • 1 ½ cups Bob’s Red Mill Whole Wheat Pastry Flour
  • 2 ½ teaspoon baking powder
  • Pinch of salt
  • 4 tablespoons butter (cold)
  • 2 teaspoons orange zest
  • ¼ cup walnuts (optional)

 

Icing Ingredients:

  • ½ cup Swerve, confectioners, plus two tablespoons
  • 2 tbsp, plus 2 tsp orange juice
  • 1 tsp orange zest

 

Instructions:

Pre-heat oven to 425 degrees.  Combine cranberries and ¼ cup Swerve and set aside.  Whisk egg in a measuring cup, add milk, and whisk, then set aside.

 

Grease a cookie sheet or round pan with butter and lightly dust with flour.  Mix flour, baking powder, and salt in a medium bowl.  Sift the flour mixture into a large bowl (adds air in the scone).  Add butter to flour mixture (it helps to grate butter with a cheese grater into the flour and then mix it in with your hands), until it looks like cornmeal.

 

Stir in the other ¼ cup Swerve, cranberries, orange zest, and walnuts.  Using a fork, slowly add egg/milk mixture (maybe 4 ounces) to flour mixture until it becomes a soft dough that is slightly sticky (there will be some liquid left over).

 

Place dough on a floured counter and knead lightly.  Shape the dough into a circle, about 2 inches thick.  Cut out with a biscuit cutter (I use a champagne flute), and place on greased baking sheet.  Make sure cut out scones are almost touching to help keep the sides soft.

 

Brush the top of the scones with the remaining egg/milk mixture, sprinkle with Swerve, and bake for 10-12 minutes or until lightly browned on top.  Immediately upon removing the scones from the oven, place them in a tea cloth/heavy kitchen towel and wrap them up to keep them soft inside, and let them cool down before serving.

 

For icing, mix Confectioners Swerve, orange juice, and orange zest, and drizzle onto cooled scones.

 

Per serving:  105 calories, 6 grams  fat, 2.5 grams saturated fat, 23 grams carbohydrate, 0.5 grams sugar, 2.5 grams protein, 2.5 grams fiber, 127 mg sodium

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Want more from Molly?  Click here to sign up for Nutrition Bites, her weekly e-newsletter with links to her Get the Skinny TV segments here on WGNO, and her weekly column in NOLA.com|The Times-Picayune!  And you can follow Molly on Facebook, Twitter, & Instagram:  @MollyKimballRD