Delicious Ideas for Cranberries

Stock up on this superfood, and enjoy these sweet and savory offerings anytime.

Cranberries aren't just a condiment for your holiday turkey. You're in for a scrumptious surprise when you taste what these readers shared with us. They reinvented ways to use fresh, frozen, and dried cranberries, offering everyday recipes full of good-for-you flavor.

Fresh cranberries are abundant now, so purchase the berries in bulk, and freeze them for up to a year. Caramelized Onion-Cranberry Compote is one way to put your stockpile to use. If you don't have fresh or frozen on hand, try Cranberry-Orange Bread. It calls for dried cranberries, which are just as nutritious. Consider making two loaves-the slices are so good, our colleagues devoured them at the taste-testing table.

Cranberry-Orange Bread

MAKES 12 SERVINGS

PREP: 15 MIN., BAKE: 32 MIN., COOL: 25 MIN.

1 cup nutlike cereal nuggets

1 cup uncooked regular oats

½ cup whole wheat flour

1/3 cup sugar

½ tsp. baking soda

½ tsp. salt

½ cup nonfat buttermilk

¼ cup vegetable oil

2 large eggs

1 tsp. grated orange rind

½ cup low-sugar orange marmalade

½ cup sweetened dried cranberries

1. Combine first 6 ingredients in a large bowl; make a well in center of mixture.

2. Whisk together buttermilk, oil, and eggs; add to dry mixture, stirring just until moistened. Gently fold in grated orange rind, marmalade, and cranberries. Spoon into a lightly greased 8 ½- x 4 ½-inch loaf pan.

3. Bake at 375° for 28 to 32 minutes or until a wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool in pan on wire rack 5 minutes. Remove from pan to wire rack, and let cool 20 minutes or until completely cool. LUANNE SMITH

ELON, NORTH CAROLINA

Note: For testing purposes only, we used Post Grape-Nuts cereal.

Cranberry-Orange Muffins: Prepare recipe as directed through Step 2, spooning batter into a lightly greased muffin pan, filling two-thirds full. Bake at 375° for 16 to 18 minutes or until golden brown. Cool in pan on wire rack 5 minutes; remove from pan to wire rack, and cool 10 minutes or until completely cool.

Per bread slice or muffin: Calories 186; Fat 6.2g (sat 0.7g, mono 1.5g, poly 3.3g); Protein 4.1g; Carb 30.4g; Fiber 2.4g; Choi 35mg; Iron 3.4mg; Sodium 231mg; Calc 26mg.

Caramelized Onion-Cranberry Compote

MAKES 1 CUP

PREP: 10 MIN., COOK: 22 MIN.

You can make this a day ahead and store it in an airtight container in the fridge. Let stand at room temperature 30 minutes before serving.

1 Tbsp. butter

2 cups thinly sliced sweet onions

¼ cup balsamic vinegar

½ cup fresh or frozen cranberries (thawed), coarsely chopped

1 Tbsp. sugar

½ tsp. salt

½ tsp. grated orange rind

1. Melt butter in a large skillet over medium heat; add onions, and sauté 15 to 18 minutes or until golden and tender. Stir in vinegar and remaining ingredients; cook, stirring occasionally, 2 to 4 minutes or until liquid is reduced to about 2 Tbsp. LORI WELANDER

RICHMOND, VIRGINIA

Per Tbsp.: Calories 20: Fat 0.7g (sat 0.5g, mono 0.2g, poly 0g): Protein 0.2g; Carb 3.2g; Fiber 0.4g; Chol 2mg; Iron 0.1mg; Sodium 79mg; Calc 5mg.

Caramelized Onion-Cranberry-Cream? Cheese Bites: Spread 16 whole grain crackers each with 1½ tsp. 1/3-less-fat cream cheese; top each with 1 Tbsp. Caramelized Onion-Cranberry Compote. Garnish with fresh cilantro or parsley leaves.

Per serving; Calories 56; Fat 2.9g (sat 1.6g, mono 0.6g, poly 0.1g); Protein 1.3g; Carb 6.2g; Fiber 0.8g; Chol 7mg; Iron 0.2mg; Sodium 137mg; Calc 12mg.

Blue Cheese-Cranberry Salad

MAKES 6 SERVINGS

PREP: 10 MIN., BAKE: 10 MIN.

1/3 cup walnut pieces

4 cups mixed greens

½ cup blue cheese

½ cup grape tomatoes, halved

1/3 cup sweetened dried cranberries

½ cup light raspberry vinaigrette

1. Place walnuts in a single layer in a shallow pan. Bake at 350° for 8 to 10 minutes or until toasted, stirring after 5 minutes.

2. Arrange greens on 6 salad plates. Sprinkle each with blue cheese, tomatoes, cranberries, and toasted walnuts. Drizzle each with 4 tsp. vinaigrette.

KATHLEEN SCHIRF

BOWIE, MARYLAND

Per serving: Calories 159; Fat 11.1g (sat 2.8g, mono 0.6g, poly 3.2g); Protein 3.7g; Carb 13.1g; Fiber 1.8g; Chol 8mg; Iron 0.8mg; Sodium 221mg; Calc 78mg.

-HOLLEY JOHNSON, M.S., R.D.; SHANNON SLITER SATTERWHITE, M.S., R.D.

Copyright Southern Progress Corporation Dec 2007
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