Fresh Cranberry Relish Recipe
American holiday meals can be festive and delicious–but so often heavy!
Fresh Cranberry Relish lightens up any plate laden high with traditional favorites. There’s no tastier way to bring a dollop of balance to a bellyful of rich holiday foods!
A sweet and sassy pink color, Fresh Cranberry Relish adds a taste of prana (life force!) to your meal, and aids digestion. So when someone asks you what kind of cranberry sauce you want, instead of “gel,” cooked or canned, say “Fresh Cranberry Relish, please!”
If I’m not hosting the party at my house, I always take Fresh Cranberry Relish along to any holiday meal I’m invited to. People are always curious, and the vegans and raw foodies love me for this unique contribution to the table.
No cooking needed! No stovetop or oven space required!
All you need is half a sack of groceries, a clean cutting board, knife and a food processor. Oh, and about 10 minutes.
The flavors and color come out nicely if you make Fresh Cranberry Relish the day before you want to serve it, but if I haven’t had the time, I often make it just before the meal. Cooking is part of the fun, and builds tradition, so if there are “generations” around the house, I often ask a little one to help me make this quick condiment. We get to laugh together as they pour in the berries, and the resul is something they can be proud of!
Fresh Cranberry Relish Recipe
Cranberries are astringent, bitter, sour and light in texture. All of these qualities make cranberries a good balance for excess Kapha-rich foods, like meats, dairy and heavy desserts.
Ingredients:
8 ounces fresh raw organic cranberries (K-)
fresh ginger root (VPK-)
1 ripe, sweet organic orange (V-)
1/2 firm organic apple – core removed (PK-)
2 tablespoons raw honey (K-)
1 tablespoon candied ginger (optional + delicious) (V-)
1/8 teaspoon clove powder (VK-)
1/8 cardamom pod powder (VK-)
How To:
Wash and drain cranberries, Remove stems and any spoiled berries.
Cut orange in half and seed. Remove skin from one half. Slice both halves in thin slices. Wash and cut fresh ginger into 8 thin 1” coins. Cut candied ginger into small chunks.
Progressively add ingredients to food processor, grinding each time until fine: ginger slices • candied ginger • orange slices with peel • orange slices without peel • apple pieces and honey • cranberries and powdered spices
Grind all together well until a bit loose. Taste mixture, and adjust honey to suit. (Some cranberries are more sour than others, and apples and oranges vary in taste.)
Serve:
Place on holiday table to enjoy as a condiment or spread. Makes about 2 1/2 cups.
I always double the recipe! Packed to full in a glass container, Fresh Cranberry Relish keeps up to 5 days in refrigerator, 10 days in freezer.
May your holidays be light and bright!
with care,
