Spiced Orange Cranberry Sauce

I understand that Thanksgiving is over. I know that it's time to move on from lentil loaves, mashed potatoes, and roasted yams. My brain is on board with this. But, my tastebuds? That's a different story.

I made this spiced orange cranberry sauce this year for Thanksgiving and have been indulging myself every day since. I've had this sauce over lentils, spread this on toast, and eaten it after dinner for dessert. If this keeps up, by New Years you might have to send me to cranberry rehab.

In my defense, it's important for you to know that this isn't any ordinary cranberry sauce. This one isn't overly sweet or loaded with refined white sugars like the typical canned cranberry sauce of my youth. Instead, it is sweetened with a few dates and spiced up with ginger, fresh oranges, and zest.

This recipe comes together quickly with minimal ingredients. I highly recommend using an organic orange since you will be using the zest in this recipe. If you are not able to purchase an organic orange, I would skip the zest to eliminate unnecessary pesticides.

Spiced Orange Cranberry Sauce
Serves 4 - 6

Ingredients:
1 organic orange
1/2 cup water
12 ounces fresh cranberries

5 Medjool dates, pitted and diced

2 teaspoons fresh minced ginger

Directions:
Zest half the orange. Next, segment it by cutting off the top and bottom of the fruit then cutting away the peel and pith of the fruit.  Slice in-between the segments to remove any of the white skin in the middle of the fruit.

Add water to a medium saucepan and bring water to a boil. Add cranberries, dates, ginger, and segmented oranges. Reduce heat and simmer 10 minutes, until sauce is reduced and thick. Stir in the orange zest and refrigerate until serving. Serve cold.

Recipe shared at Wellness Weekend