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CRANBERRIES
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Ways to Use Cranberries
Many of us only think about cranberries when
it’s time to scoop out some cranberry sauce to go with our Thanksgiving
turkey. But apart from the holidays, we tend to forget these shiny, scarlet
gems and the many ways they can be used. Why not add some color and sparkle
to other meals throughout the year with these festive, good-for-you berries?
| Adding cranberries to your
repertoire will brighten up your dishes, open you up to new taste experiences
(try some cranberry sauce on a hamburger, for example) and improve your
health as well. Studies show that eating a variety of colorful fruits and
vegetables every day is key to a longer life. Cranberries are rich in antioxidants
such as Vitamin C, flavonoids, and phenols – and also fiber and other substances
that help protect against health problems like urinary tract infections,
and chronic ailments like cancer and diseases of the heart, mind (Alzheimer
disease), and even mouth (gingivitis and gum disease). |
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Fresh cranberries are typically sold in
12-ounce bags, which makes about 3 cups when chopped. Dry-harvested cranberries,
i.e. those not harvested in water, can be kept in a cool room of the house,
preferably a basement, for as long as four months or more, and—with the
obvious exception of some that will rot during that time—still taste like
the day they were picked from the vines! Or, they can be frozen,
unopened, for up to nine months.
Cranberries can be added to countless dishes,
from quick breads, yeast breads, salads, relishes, salsas and chutneys,
to soups, grain-based entrees and of course, desserts. Add a half-cup of
chopped cranberries to your favorite banana bread or apple muffin recipe.
Drop some into your leafy green/spinach salad (especially good with dried
cranberries), or toss a handful into a pilaf or stuffing. Impress your
dinner guests with a cranberry glaze, or slow-cook some berries with your
favorite chicken or pork. Before baking apples, fill the cored centers
with cranberries, then sprinkle with sugar and cinnamon. Or how about trying
some cranberry catsup? And for a delicious cranberry mustard that will
have pork and salmon singing on your plate, just heat some whole-berry
cranberry sauce with a touch of sherry and honey, mix with an equal amount
of your favorite brown or Dijon-style mustard, and if you like, throw in
a dash of ground ginger. However you think to use them, cranberries
are sure to add color and significant nutrition to all of your tasty creations!
Prepared by Heather Armstrong,
homemaker, and Charles Armstrong, Cranberry Professional, University of
Maine Cooperative Extension. 2007.
If you have comments or questions about this page,
contact Charles Armstrong at: charlesa@umext.maine.edu
Putting
knowledge to work with the people of Maine
