Paleo Approved Cranberry Sauce
And now to give you one more Paleo option for this years thanksgiving {and because jellied cranberries used to be one of my favorite things in the whole world} I’ve created this gluten free, grain free, dairy free, refined sugar free version of the cranberry sauce we all crave slathered over top a piece of warm turkey.
As I went about my usual weekend errands I quickly came to the realization that the craziness of the holiday season is closing in on us. Everywhere I looked aisles are now filled with holiday candy, holiday decorations, red, green and glitter galore. It seems that as soon as kids hop into their adorable halloween costumes and start hobbling around the neighborhood in search of the best candy {or glow sticks in my case} in the neighborhood, there’s a switch flipped in all of the stores and Christmas is in full force.
Am I the only one that wonders what Thanksgiving ever did to just be skipped over and forgotten like that? I know there aren’t any presents or sparkly lights involved with thanksgiving, but it’s still a really great holiday and one of my favorites to be honest. There are so many negative things going on in the world every single day and it can be overwhelming if you sit down for a second and think about it… Have you ever tried to watch the news?! But amongst it all, this whole entire day and weekend are dedicated to spending quality time with loved ones and taking the time to reflect on the things that we are truly grateful to have in our lives. How cool is that?
Above and beyond the endless love and gratitude associated with the holiday is the amazing meal we come together to enjoy. I just said this on Instagram the other day, but I’ll say it here one more time in hopes that it sticks. The holidays are generally a time that people overindulge, eat like gluttons and forget about their health only to feel an extreme amount of guilt or shame {or stomach aches} afterwards. I’m here to tell you that you CAN enjoy delicious food throughout the holidays and feel great about the choices you made after it’s all said and done.
The main tip I can give you to ensure that you have a happy and healthy holiday is to bring a dish or 2 to pass that you can feel good about eating. I suggest my paleo green bean casserole, my sweet potato casserole, my balsamic roasted beets and broccoli, my famous bacon wrapped dates for a KILLER appetizer or checkout my Paleo Thanksgiving board on Pinterest for even more options!
Most of the time I bring healthy or paleo options to holidays, I end up giving the recipe out to 90% of the guests because they like it so much! Don’t be afraid to try out something new, I like to use the phrase {what they don’t know doesn’t hurt them} in regards to bringing healthy recipes to a large gathering. There’s no need to even bring up the fact that the dish might be paleo, gluten free or even {healthier} for that matter. Maybe once dinner is over and everyone is ranting and raving about the dish you can tell them, but I wouldn’t suggest bringing it up before the meal. I know too many people that cringe at the sound of something that MIGHT be slightly better for them;)
And now to give you one more Paleo option for this years thanksgiving {and because jellied cranberries used to be one of my favorite things in the whole world} I’ve created this gluten free, grain free, dairy free, refined sugar free version of the cranberry sauce we all crave slathered over top a piece of warm turkey. I hope you add some of these recipes to your menu and enjoy every minute of your time away from work and with the ones you loved here in about a week.
PALEO APPROVED CRANBERRY SAUCE
Servings: 5-6
Ingredients:
1-12oz. Bag of Fresh Cranberries
½ C. Fresh Orange Juice
⅓ C. Raw Honey
1 Tsp. Cinnamon
½ Tsp. Nutmeg
½ Tsp. Allspice
Zest of 1 Orange
Methods:
Add all ingredients into a medium sized saucepan and heat over medium heat for 10 minutes, stirring frequently
Once the berries start to pop, heat for another 5-10 minutes, depending on how chunky vs smooth you like your sauce
Remove from heat and allow to cool thoroughly before serving
Store up to 1 week in the refrigerator
Chat with me!
What are your plans for Thanksgiving this year? What is your favorite part of the meal? Are you a black friday shopper?
P.S. Have you joined the Define YOUR Health Facebook group yet? Don’t miss out on your chance to connect with health-minded women all over the country in a private community with free workout tips, healthy food inspiration and much more!
P.P.S. Follow along with me on Facebook//Instagram//Twitter//Pinterest to ensure you don’t miss out on healthy recipes, workouts, and daily inspiration.
