Cauliflower Stuffing

Lower in carbs and higher in fiber, you won’t miss the bread in this flavorful veggie-based stuffing!

Ingredients:

2 cups chopped celery

2 cups chopped onion

2 cups chopped carrots

2 tablespoons margarine or butter

1 large head of cauliflower, chopped

2 cups chopped crimini or button mushrooms

1/2 cup low sodium chicken or vegetable broth

2 teaspoons Morton Nature’s Season Seasoning blend (or your favorite seasoning)

½ teaspoon sage

salt and pepper to taste

Directions:

Coat the pot with one of the tablespoons of margarine/butter, add celery, onions, and carrots and sauté until just before tender about 5-7 minutes. Add the mushrooms and cauliflower and stir in the last  tablespoon of margarine/butter until melted. Pour in the broth, sprinkle with the seasoning and sage and simmer until the veggies are tender, about 10 to 15 minutes, stirring frequently.

Makes about 7 cups, seven servings

Serving size: 1 cup Calories 86  Protein  3 g Carb  10 g Fiber 2 g Sugars 5 g Fat 3 g saturated fat 0 g Sodium 490 mg  

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Check out the latest news and recipes from the Cranberry Institute!

 

 

RESOURCE ALERT!

We are pleased to share the latest additions to our resource collection!

 

New Research Supports Cranberry PACs Can Help Reduce H. pylori Infection Rates

A clinical trial just published in the Journal of Gastroenterology and Hepatology found consuming cranberry juice containing 44 mg of proanthocyanidins (or “PACs”) per 240-mL serving twice daily for eight weeks resulted in a 20% reduction in the H. pylori infection rate. These findings show that twice daily consumption of 44 mg PAC cranberry juice has the potential to be a natural, complementary management strategy for adults infected with H. pylori. Utilize our newest handout on H. pylori when talking to your clients!

 

  

FDA Issues Qualified Health Claim for Cranberry Products and UTIs

Consuming one serving (8 oz) each day of a cranberry juice beverage containing 27% cranberry juice may help reduce the risk of recurrent urinary tract infection (UTI) in healthy women. FDA has concluded that the scientific evidence supporting this claim is limited and inconsistent. Utilize our newest handout on urinary tract health when talking to your clients!

 

Give Thanks to Your Health All Year-Long with Cranberries

Reap the health benefits of cranberries year-round with our latest handout! All forms of cranberry (juice, sauce, and dried) provide similar health benefits. Plus, check out cranberry recipes for the holiday season and beyond! Whether you have time to cook or are looking to grab a snack on-the-go, you can find healthy ways to incorporate cranberries in your day.

 

 

Cranberry Health Research Library

Our collection of cranberry research just got a fresh look! Explore the extensive database of cranberry health research abstracts with our easy-to-follow breakdown by topic area. You can also browse the selections by year to find the most recent publications: Cranberry Health Research Library.

 

 

Cranberries Can Help Fill the Berry Gap!

Cranberries offer a wealth of health benefits – and there’s an easy, budget-friendly way to include cranberries throughout the whole week to make sure you (and your family) hit their fruit quota!

• Add dried cranberries and cinnamon to your morning oatmeal for a healthy work from home breakfast
• Cranberry sauce can be an easy base for a marinade, dressing or quick sauce to top off dinner
• Dried cranberries are a classic salad topping – but they work just as well in all kinds of salad, from pasta to quinoa to chicken
• Cranberries can also be a part of the main meal – from Pesto Chicken Burgers to Stir Fry and Pecan Rice Pilaf, cranberries elevate pantry staple meals into unique family-friendly dinners
• Freeze cranberry juice in ice cube trays and add to smoothies for a fruity, nutritious kick
• 7 Layer Cranberry Bars can be a great afternoon snack for the whole family
• Parfaits layered with plain Greek yogurt and cranberry sauce can be an easy breakfast or quick snack that you can have your kids help assemble
• With extra time at home, get baking with cranberries from muffins to Nutty Cranberry Cereal Bars and Chewy Cranberry Oatmeal Cookies there are lots of ways to add cranberries (and an extra fruit serving) to your treats!

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Cranberry Recipes Part 2: Flourless Pumpkin Cranberry Bars

After another bit of a hiatus I am back in the kitchen creating some delicious winter and holiday treats.  These flourless pumpkin bars are super easy to make and are perfect for dessert, a snack or even breakfast.  Enjoy and I hope your holiday season is safe, healthy and happy so far!  Stay tuned for cranberry news and facts from the Cranberry Institute coming soon too!  

Ingredients:

½ cup creamy or crunchy almond butter
¾ cup canned or fresh cooked pumpkin
½ cup honey
1 tablespoon brown sugar
1 egg
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 ½ cup oats
½ teaspoon baking soda
½ teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
¼ teaspoon cinnamon
¼ cup cranberries
cooking spray

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Add the almond butter, pumpkin, honey, brown sugar, egg and vanilla to a medium bowl and mix well (using an electric mixer is recommended.) In a small bowl, combine the oats, baking soda and spices and then add to the pumpkin mixture and mix well. Fold in the cranberries add to a 8x8 inch pan coated with cooking spray. Bake for 30-35 minutes until set and lightly browned on the edges. Cut into squares and serve.


Note: These bars are very moist, almost cake like, and can be a bit crumbly. So you can store them in an airtight container in the fridge to keep longer and pop them in the microwave for 10 seconds or so to warm them up for a nice treat!


Makes 16 bar squares, 16 servings


Serving size: 1 bar Calories 110 Protein 5 g Carb 16 g Fiber 3 g Sugars 12 g Fat 5 g Saturated fat 1.5 g Sodium 10 mg

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Cranberry Recipes Part One: Banana Pecan Cranberry Muffins

Spending a lot of time at home has certainly got me baking again. Here is one of two cranberry recipes I have developed in the past week (stay tuned for part two coming soon!) These delicious muffins are not only easy to make, but they are a good source of fiber and low in fat too. They freeze well and taste great warmed in the microwave and spread with a bit of butter or almond butter for a filling breakfast or snack. 

Ingredients:

2 cup rolled oats (old fashioned, not quick, use a gluten-free oats such as Bob's Red Mill if you are on a gluten-free diet)

3/4 cup oat flour (use a gluten free brand such as Bob's Red Mill if you are on a gluten-free diet)

3/4 teaspoon baking soda

3 large sized over ripe bananas, mashed

6 tablespoons liquid egg white

¼ cup (packed) brown sugar

2 tablespoons milk (I used unsweetened vanilla almond milk)

1 tablespoon vanilla extract

1/3 cup finely chopped pecans

¼ cup dried cranberries

cooking spray

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Combine the oats, oat flour, baking soda, baking powder and protein powder in a small bowl.  In a large bowl, mix together the mashed banana, brown sugar, egg whites, milk and vanilla. Add the oats/flour mixture to the wet ingredients and mix well. Stir in the nuts and cranberries. Spoon into 12 regular or 6 jumbo size muffin pan cups  coated with cooking spray and bake on the bottom rack of the oven for about 35-45 minutes, until top is firm, lightly browned and a toothpick comes out mostly clean when inserted into the center. Store in the refrigerator for best shelf life

Makes 12 regular or 6 jumbo muffin

Serving size 1 regular sized muffin Calories 165 Protein 7 g Carb 26 g Fiber 3 g Sugars 11 g Fat 3.5 g Saturated fat <1 100="" g="" mg="" p="" sodium="">

Serving size 1 very large muffin Calories 330 Protein 13 g Carb 52 g Fiber 6 g Sugars 22 g Fat 7 g Saturated fat 1 g Sodium 200 mg

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I'm BACK! With Some Cranberry News and Recipes COMING SOON!

Wow, I cannot believe November was my last post!  The holidays hit, January was a blur getting into 2020, started working on my third book and then the COVID-19 craziness has been what's happening for the last few months.  To make up for it, I have been working on a bunch of new recipes to share soon.

Hope everyone is safe and well, and here is some latest info from the Cranberry Institute that I am happy to share as a Cranberry Blogger:

RESOURCE ALERT!

We are pleased to share the latest addition to our resource collection! As you may know, The American Urological Association recently released new guidelines for preventing uncomplicated recurrent UTIs. These guidelines recommend cranberry products as a non-antibiotic prophylactic treatment. While cranberry products are not effective in treating symptoms once infected, they may be the natural preventive solution your patients need!

Utilize our newest handout when talking to your clients!

Cranberry Health Research Library

Our collection of cranberry research just got a fresh look! Explore the extensive database of cranberry health research abstracts with our easy-to-follow breakdown by topic area. You can also browse the selections by year to find the most recent publications: Cranberry Health Research Library.

The Latest in Cranberries and Health

From head to toe, cranberries have whole-body benefits. We have touted the gut, heart, urinary tract, oral and blood sugar management benefits of cranberries. Like other fruits and vegetables, including cranberries as part of a well-balanced diet supports immune health. Read on for some of the latest research on cranberries and their anti-viral properties – from food safety to the flu, preliminary research suggests exciting potential for the tiny, but mighty berry!

New research published in the Journal of Applied Microbiology illustrates the potential role for cranberry juice, in combination with citrus, in food safety applications. These preliminary findings suggest that cranberry juice and citrus may have the ability to kill norovirus in fresh produce. Fresh produce is commonly treated with a gamma ray or x-ray irradiation process to reduce microbial presence. Researchers tested the impact of a cranberry juice and citrus extract derived spray and applied it to lettuce. After being treated with the fruit-derived spray, the lettuce required significantly less irradiation time. Researchers hypothesize the organic acids and polyphenols present in cranberries and citrus extract played a role in reduction of microbial growth.

Gobeil A, Shanker S, Lacroix M. Radiosensitivity Increase in FCV-F9 Virus Using Combined Treatment With Natural Antimicrobial and ɣ-Irradiation.  J Appl Microbiol. 2020 ePub ahead of print. DOI: 10.1111/jam.14596

The anti-adhesion properties of cranberry allow them to be effective in minimizing risk of recurrent UTI as well as supporting gut and oral health. Beyond these health benefits, researchers sought to understand if the high molecular weight materials in cranberry juice would be effective in inhibiting influenza virus cells. Researchers applied high molecular weight materials to two different types of influenza virus subtypes. When treated with 250 ug/ml of high molecular weight materials, an amount smaller than the amount in just one glass of cranberry juice, a reduction in virus adhesion was seen. This suggests there is an inhibitory effect of high molecular weight cranberry compounds on the influenza virus. Although this research is preliminary, it suggests the therapeutic potential for cranberry juice.

Weiss EI, Houri-Haddad Y, Greenbaum E, Hochman N, Ofek I, Zakay-Rones Z.  Cranberry juice constituents affect influenza virus adhesion and infectivity. Antiviral Res. 2005; 66(1):9-12. DOI: 10.1016/j.antiviral.2004.12.011

Cranberries Can Help Fill the Berry Gap!

Cranberries offer a wealth of health benefits – and there’s an easy, budget-friendly way to include cranberries throughout the whole week to make sure you (and your family) hit their fruit quota!

• Add dried cranberries and cinnamon to your morning oatmeal for a healthy work from home breakfast
• Cranberry sauce can be an easy base for a marinade, dressing or quick sauce to top off dinner
• Dried cranberries are a classic salad topping – but they work just as well in all kinds of salad, from pasta to quinoa to chicken
• Cranberries can also be a part of the main meal – from Pesto Chicken Burgers to Stir Fry and Pecan Rice Pilaf, cranberries elevate pantry staple meals into unique family-friendly dinners
• Freeze cranberry juice in ice cube trays and add to smoothies for a fruity, nutritious kick
• 7 Layer Cranberry Bars can be a great afternoon snack for the whole family
• Parfaits layered with plain Greek yogurt and cranberry sauce can be an easy breakfast or quick snack that you can have your kids help assemble
• With extra time at home, get baking with cranberries from muffins to Nutty Cranberry Cereal Bars and Chewy Cranberry Oatmeal Cookies there are lots of ways to add cranberries (and an extra fruit serving) to your treats!

Share the Cran-spiration

We can’t wait to see how you help fill the berry gap with cranberries! Tweet your cranberry meal-prep recipes or photos using #CranberryBogBlogger and The Cranberry Institute will share your post.

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