The Concoction Recipe of the Season

Thanksgiving is this week, and I’m excited to share my famous fresh blueberry cranberry sauce with red wine. I’m thrilled to make it again.

Like stuffing, I didn’t like cranberry sauce until I made my own. You can’t beat fresh cranberry sauce. None of that canned stuff- not for me, at least.

Recipe & Kitchen Equipment

Yields: 20 ounces

• 8-ounce fresh organic cranberries
• 6-ounce fresh organic blueberries
• 1 cup dry red wine
• 1 cup organic raw cane sugar
• Ground cinnamon, to taste
• Ground clove, to taste

• Measuring bowls, cups, and spoons
• Mixing bowls/cups/spoons for mise en place ingredients
• Collander
• Saucepan with lid
• Wooden spoon
• Ladle
• Airtight container

Cooking Instructions

1. Sanitize kitchen (sink, countertops, stovetop/oven, cupboard handles, phone, computer).
2. Wash fruits.
3. Mise en place ingredients.
4. Combine all the ingredients in a medium-sized saucepan.
5. Bring to a boil on the stovetop.
6. The juices from the berries will release. As the mixture boils rapidly, it will foam.
7. Reduce the heat and simmer for about 30 minutes, or until the sauce reduces and slightly thickens.
8. The sauce will thicken more as it cools.
9. Remove from heat.
10. Let the sauce cool completely.
11. Transfer to airtight containers.
12. The sauce will last for about ten days in the refrigerator.

Welcome to the Antioxidant Club

What do blueberries, cranberries, and red wine have in common? You guessed it! They’re packed with antioxidants.

Davis (2008) affirms that antioxidants help fight diseases. Additionally, they prevent and repair stress from oxidation, a natural process during normal cell function. A small percentage of cells become damaged during oxidation and transform into free radicals. This can start a chain reaction that harms more cells and develops diseases such as cancer, heart disease, Alzheimer’s, and Parkinson’s.

A study ranked blue and cranberries amongst the highest in antioxidant content. Foods that are blue, orange, purple, and red are rich in antioxidants (Davis, 2008). Moreover, wild blueberries are the best. One cup has 13,427 antioxidants, while cranberries contain 8,983 antioxidants!

As for red wine, antioxidants contained in the beverage are called polyphenols, specifically, resveratrol. They can protect the lining of blood vessels in the heart (Mayo Clinic Staff, 2022).

Thanksgiving Wishes

Wishing you and your loved ones a blessed, joyous, and full-filling Thanksgiving holiday. There’s so much to be grateful for. I’m thankful for you all.

Happy Thanksgiving,

FS x

References

Davis, J.L. (2008). Antioxidants in Fruits. Retrieved from https://www.webmd.com/diet/features/antioxidants-in-fruits

Mayo Clinic Staff (2022). Red wine and resveratrol: Good for your heart? Retrieved from https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/heart-disease/in-depth/red-wine/art-20048281